Jazz in Africa

6 Sep 2018 - 10:33

Published under the Creative Commons Licence

Africa has given birth to arguably some of the best jazz musicians in the world. Hugh Masekela, Mulatu Astatke, Miriam Makeba, Manu Dibango and Oliver Mtukudzi as well as younger musicians like Judith Sephuma, Kesivan Naidoo and Marcus Wyatt are just some of the names that point to a rich jazz tradition on the continent.

South African jazz artist Feya Faku. Photo: Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival

Africa has been widely credited as the progenitor of jazz, not only because the first practitioners of the genre were Africans living in America but also because they were inspired by their roots across the Atlantic Ocean. In the early 20th century, jazz played a crucial role for black Americans to find their own voice at a time when segregation and Western ideals were enforced upon them. In an act of defiance, they bent all known rules and created a genre that is today regarded as an absolute high art around the world.

The jazz standards that were born in the US are now being combined with the many traditional musical styles in Africa, and in the process evolving the genre at a constant rate that is often difficult to keep track of. We now hear traditional beats, progressions and instrumentation from the continent informing the future of the genre as a whole. In a world defined by technological advancements we also see electronic musicians using African jazz standards from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s as the inspiration for cutting-edge compositions. The future of jazz in Africa is brighter than ever; whereas other genres may come and go, jazz is here to stay as a reflection of true human expression.

In September 2018 we have chosen jazz as our theme of the month. Music In Africa has commissioned Overview texts covering the scenes in a number of African countries and will be adding jazz news, features and reviews as the month progresses.

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