The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival at Grahamstown - 2 July - 6 July 2002

This year’s Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival taking place on 2 July until 6 July at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown offers special treats covering the widest rage of jazz styles, along with a good helping of the blues.

The Festival kicks-off on 2 July with a three hour blues party at Rhodes Club , featuring Humble Man, with guest artists Masakeke Youth Choir. The exciting blend of a blues-inspired Fender Stratocaster guitar and the powerful voices of the choir under the baton of Makhi Mka will make for an unforgettable aural experience.

Performing the following day, is Judith Sephuma, who was recently awarded Best Female Artist at the Standard Bank SAMA Awards. Sephuma’s star has been rising at a rapid rate, and her much anticipated debut album A Smile, A Cry, A Dance won her Best Jazz Local Album. The producer of that album is guitar sensation Selaelo Selota, well known for his beautiful recordings and his incendiary live performances. Selota will be performing solo as well as in a double header with Sephuma.

Also making an appearance at the Festival is Ernie Smith , well known for his unique assimilation of jazz, African and R&B. He was awarded Best Newcomer and Best Adult Contemporary English Album at the SAMA’s .

You want more ??? How about Loading Zone, The Alvin Dyers Band featuring Leslie Klein-Smith, Voice featuring Marcus Wyatt, The Andrew Tracy Steel Band and a R&B Jazz party with Jazz DJ Shaun Harry.

The Monument Theatre will host one of South Africa’s top performers, Ringo Madlingozi , who originally hails from the Eastern Cape. He has performed with the likes of Hugh Masekela and Simply Red, as well as at the 2002 North Sea Jazz Festival in Cape Town.

Ending the Festival with a bang on 6 July, is South Africa’s very own White Zulu and music supremo, Johnny Clegg. Clegg’s most recent performances include sold out performances at Johannesburg’s Civic Theatre as well as Cape Town’s Kirstenbosch Gardens. He hasn’t performed in Grahamstown for a while and it is recommended that tickets be bought as soon as possible, as this is sure to be another sell out show.

Founder and Producer of the jazz festival at Grahamstown, Henry Shields, says : “The aim this year at Grahamstown is to showcase South Africa’s own best talent. This hugely talented lineup covers an amazingly wide range of styles and there are a few countries in the world who can produce such quality and diversity. The all-South African spotlight does focus especially on Eastern Cape artists and these include Ringo Madlingozi, East London’s popular blues band, Humble Man, and the very experienced Andrew Tracey Steel Band. If the music you enjoy is African, American, traditional, mainstream, smooth or blues, this programme has performers of the highest caliber.”

Tickets to any of the shows during the five day Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival are available at Computicket outlets nation-wide.

ENDS. For more information or to schedule an interview, kindly contact Michelle Kearney at Lakwela Communications on Tel : (021) 465 7045 or Cell : 083 661 4117