SA-JAZZ MC

Papama Mnqandi, dubbed South Africa's Jazz MC (SA-JAZZ MC) is an arts innovator who is passionate about the Creative Economy.

He has worked as the resident MC of the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival for close to two decades, introducing a host of local jazz stars and internationals including Grammy Award winning Maria Schneider, Lionel Loueke, LadySmith Black Mambazo and the legendary Bra Hugh Masekela and Caiphus Semenya. He has worked on Festivals including the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Nelson Mandela Bay Music Festa and is the new Festival Director the Umtiza Arts Festival in East London. Papama was MC for the Wits School of Arts Jazz Cosmopolitanism Concert and has curated many other smaller concerts. He is carving out a niche role for the importance of the work MC's do in concerts. He curated an International Jazz Day Concert in East London in 2022 and is always working to create live gig opportunities for local and visiting artists. He was in the 2017 cohort of the Ateljier for Young Festival Managers johannesburg and hosts the Jazz show on Wild Coast fm. The SA-JAZZ MC is a jazz scholar who is very invested in the trannformative power of public culture, performing arts and live music. In East London he is working to develop a local venue circuit with restaurants and hotels and malls in order for the city to embrace its creative wealth and to spread the power of music. He completed the Music in Africa Foundation instrument Building training in 2017. He is a versatile MC and orator and is comfortable with any kind of event, from corporate formal right to a relaxed buskers session on the street. He is SA's trusted JAzz MC.