Jazz in Africa

And jazz is not always about a specific sound; it's about an attitude that defies the rules and is always prepared to redefine itself when the next creative force enters the genre. Its propensity to attach other genres to its philosophy is also a laudable trait, with hundreds of hybrids and sub-genres making up the massive family tree that is jazz.

As much as jazz is undisputedly one of the most important genres around the world, responsible for the discovery of new approaches to music, it has also earned many negative connotations; it is often seen as pretentious, highbrow and out of touch with ordinary music fans, many of whom believe that most of the sub-genres that make up jazz constitute nothing more than disjointed noise.

Be that as it may, jazz is essentially the difference between evergreen experimental cinema and the next comic-book blockbuster that is forgotten quickly after all the hype is over, or as soon as the next big Hollywood release takes centre stage. In the African context, albums such Hugh Masekela's Home Is Where the Music Is (1972), Manu Dibango's Makossa Man (1973) and Abdullah Ibrahim and Johnny Dyani's Echoes From Africa (1990) will be jazz staples for many years to come, teaching tomorrow's jazz stars about the mastery needed to execute compositions in an authentic and convincing way. 

In the month of September, we have chosen jazz as our theme. We pay homage to this great discipline by covering the artists and events doing all the hard work to keep the genre afloat in a music industry increasingly becoming more mainstream and steadily forgetting the roots of pure creativity.

News, features and reviews

• Zim Jazz Festival returns, announces line-up
• Sibongile Khumalo: I love the vibrancy of the younger generation
• SA: Jazz and Classical Encounters 2019 offering discounted tickets
• Call for registration: Wynton Marsalis masterclass in Soweto
• Interview: Etuk Ubong on music as codes 
• Kyekyeku talks about being high on life with Ghanalogue project

Overveiw texts

• Jazz in Ghana
• Jazz in Nigeria
• Jazz in South Africa

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

• Managers
• Record labels
• Recording studios
• Venues