The National Youth Jazz Festival (NYJF) returns to Makhanda this year with a programme that boldly celebrates the history, and looks to the future of South African jazz. Running adjacent to the National Arts Festival, the NYJF gathers over 300 of the country’s most promising young musicians alongside an all-star line-up of professional jazz artists for a week of musical exchange and development, supported by the FirstRand Foundation. And audiences get to see the works too.
This year’s programme features a range of unique collaborations and powerhouse debuts, and includes a blend of South African and international influences. Among the standout performances is trombonist Siya Charles, who takes the stage as the 2025 Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz. An NYJF alumnus who first performed at the Festival at age 15, Charles now returns fresh from completing her Master’s at Juilliard in the USA on a FirstRand Foundation scholarship. Her performances on July 4th at the DSG Hall and July 5th at Thomas Pringle promise to be soulful, high-energy celebrations of South African and global jazz traditions.
2025 Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz, Siya Charles will be on the NYJF programme.
Other acts to add to the watch-list include the boundary-breaking music collective Kujenga, the experimental pairing of avant-garde Swiss percussion with the emotive bass playing of Carlo Mombelli in The Gong Project – and the Blue Notes Tribute Orkestra which, led by Trumpeter Marcus Wyatt, pays homage to pioneering South African jazz band The Blue Notes. From Durban comes the Riley G Collective; from Johannesburg Nhlanhla Mahlangu’s DaniMali, Vimbs Mavimbela and Robin Fassie’s Resurgence. Swedish master saxophonist Fredrik Kronkvist leads a South African quartet and joins Gabi Motuba while Vuma Levin brings an ensemble of leading European musicians. Lumanyano Mzi brings his ensemble from New York. Drummer Sphelelo Mazibuko has spent decades as a leading sideman and this time shows off his chops as a band leader.
Younger musicians will take the spotlight on July 5th, with the Youth Jazz Vocal Celebration and performances by the National Schools’ Jazz Band and National Youth Jazz Band, directed by Ramon Alexander and Sisonke Xonti respectively. These performances will showcase some of the best young jazz talent from across the country.
Siya Charles is a South African tenor/ bass trombonist, composer and arranger based in New York City.
Now in its 33rd year, the NYJF remains a critical meeting point for jazz musicians across generations and borders. “The NYJF is a place where young people are inspired by the jazz they hear and the people they connect with in Makhanda,” says Festival Director Alan Webster. “It is music produced largely by younger artists, as befits a festival that celebrates and encourages youth development and the hope it brings for the future. We are grateful to the FirstRand Foundation for their assistance in making our festival possible.”
The 2025 edition features over 55 professional musicians — many of whom once performed as students at the festival — and includes guests from Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, the US and beyond. With performances, jam sessions and mentorship opportunities packed into each day, NYJF 2025 is more than a festival — it’s a living, evolving reflection of the country’s jazz story.