Jazz Appreciation Month 2025 | International Jazz Day: 30 April

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UKZN’s Centre for Jazz and Popular Music Asks: Who’s Got The Map?

In the spirit of International Jazz Day, established by UNESCO to highlight jazz’s role in uniting people worldwide, UKZN’s Centre for Jazz and Popular Music, in association with the Centre for Creative Arts (CCA) and the South African Association for Jazz Education (SAJE), presents a series of events celebrating jazz. Starting off on International Jazz Day, 30 April, these events are a call to connect and reflect.

In a world where uncertainty feels like the new normal, the organisers are turning to jazz to seek answers to the question: Who’s Got the Map? This year’s theme for Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) 2025, borrows its title from South African jazz pianist Andile Yenana’s seminal 2005 album, an avant-garde landmark that challenged conventions and turned 20 this year.
“Jazz has always been about questions,” says Neil Gonsalves, director of the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music. “Andile Yenana asked the question,’Who’s got the Map”. It’s a philosophical question worth pondering, especially in a time of rapid and unprecedented change. Jazz reflects democracy. It honours the individual, but always in service of the group. Let’s come together through jazz, to remind ourselves of the values it espouses.”

The five-day programme offers a diverse lineup of performances across multiple venues in Durban, highlighting both established and emerging voices in South African jazz. From faculty-led showcases and solo performances to student ensembles and community-driven events, each gathering is a celebration of jazz and its ability to hold and express our pain and sorrow, our joy and our dance, and the myriad questions we have in these troubled times.

As part of the programme, a series of live online conversations will bring together industry experts to unpack topics such as jazz promotion, education, and the evolving role of jazz in today’s cultural landscape. Join the dialogue on Monday 28 April, Thursday 1 May, and Friday 2 May at 11:00am, streamed via the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music’s Facebook page: facebook.com/UKZNJazzcentre

Featured Events

Vocal Showcase | International Jazz Day – 30 April | Centre for Jazz and Popular Music An intimate and powerful performance featuring accomplished jazz vocalist and educator Natalie Rungan, and UKZN Jazz Vocalists, students from UKZN’s Jazz Studies programme. These vocalists trace emotional and lyrical maps through the power of song.

Bean Bag Jazz Club – 2 May: Known for bending time and space through sound, composer-pianist Burton Naidoo offers a solo performance that blurs the line between memory and imagination.

Dukkah – 4 May: Closing the celebrations, student ensembles take to the Dukkah stage in a community-rooted fundraiser for their journey to the National Arts Festival in Makhanda.

Rounding off the programme later in May (date to be confirmed), legendary pianist Melvin Peeters will take the stage at Hue Café for an intimate performance. The Centre for Jazz will also present a Guitar Showcase, spotlighting the instrument’s expressive power and its place in the jazz tradition.

These events are made possible through the support of the KwaZulu-Natal Performing Arts Trust (KZNPAT), reflecting a shared commitment to nurturing the arts and supporting the development of young South African musicians.

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KWANELE NGOBESE

I am a media and communications professional with a focus on public relations and digital content. At After 12 Communications, I manage social media platforms and publish articles that inform, engage, and elevate the brand’s voice. Passionate about storytelling and digital engagement, I bring creativity, consistency, and strategy to every project I work on. Follow me on Twitter: @Kwanele_Coms

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