Jazz in Africa

4 Sep 2017 - 13:33

Alongside classical music, jazz is one of the few high art musical forms enjoying a worldwide listenership. Its many subgenres, which employ every instrument under the Sun, point to a genre in which the rules are encouraged to be broken and where creativity and expression trump brand or vogue. Even the etymology of the word ‘jazz’ has been taken to be connected with a root meaning ‘energy’, ‘spirit’, ‘vigour’ or ‘courage’ – traits that were necessary to counter Western methods of formality, repetition and perfect harmony that had been the norm for centuries.

The Kyle Shepherd Trio (Kyle Shepherd, Shane Cooper and Jonno Sweetman) is one of South Africa's most talked-about jazz bands. Photo: Gregory Franz

A big portion of the origins of jazz, before it first began turning heads in the US in the early 20th century, came from the African continent – not only because the genre was created by African Americans but also in its general approach to rhythm, groove and instrumental improvisation. Today, however, jazz in Africa is often viewed unfavourably, seen by many as an elitist art form enjoyed by the more privileged members of society. It is also evident that younger listeners have trouble understanding or enjoying jazz. This is a pattern seen around the world, and although jazz demands listeners to listen more actively, the general view that it is too snooty or pretentious is misguided.

Instead of dwelling on the listeners of jazz and their material situations, attention should turn to the jazz musicians. These are some of the most fascinating people in the world of music – some of them completely self-taught – who push the boundaries of learning and experimentation at an incredible rate. They learn, interpret, deconstruct, create, perform and perfect every idea that goes through their being, proving to the rest of us that inspiration and hard work can go a long way to create new worlds that bend the rules and reorder reality.

Due to the importance of this often overlooked and misunderstood genre, we have chosen jazz as our theme of the month for September 2017. We have commissioned Overview texts covering the scenes in numerous African countries and will be adding jazz news, features and reviews as the month progresses.

Overveiw texts

News, features and reviews

Also be sure to check out the Music In Africa directory to find the best jazz promoters, labels, studios and venues on the continent

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