Women of the World (from the Berklee Indian Ensemble), Skyjack and break-out star, Giuliette Price, will join the prestigious Journey to Jazz line-up 1 – 5 May in Prince Albert
The second annual Journey to Jazz festival (1-5 May 2024), is shaping up to be a world of fabulous music, right in the cultural capital of the Karoo – Prince Albert – with several new artists added to the previously announced stellar billing.
Artists joining the line-up and set to thrill are:
Being accustomed to presenting her craft in different formats, the much loved and highly respected South African jazz vocalist, pianist, and composer, Thandi Ntuli, who will present a Swiss/SA collab band: “A Million O Clock”, a special ensemble comprising some of the artists she met whilst on her studio residency in Switzerland in 2019. Much like the Art Ensemble project, which she recorded at the Jazzwerkstaat Bern festival, Ntuli and her Swiss band member Benedikt Reising, will be putting together a set of compositions and arrangements curated exclusively for the Journey to Jazz programme.
Women of the World is an exciting unity of voices and part of the Berklee Indian Ensemble that was founded by bandleader Annette Phillip in 2011. “There is a unique power when musicians from different cultural and musical backgrounds make art together with vulnerability and openness in a space that celebrates their similarities and differences,” says Philip.
“The music that gets created in this space comes across viscerally and allows a song in a foreign language to feel completely relatable because of the human connection, making you want to be part of it.” The ensemble for Journey to Jazz comprises: Ayumi Ueda (Japan), Annette Philip (India), Stacy Rene Erenberg (USA) and Heiraza (Turkey) with, Hinako Sato (Japan) on piano and keyboard.
Requiring no introduction to jazz fans in South Africa or in the multiple European cities that welcome them, Skyjack is all set to play at the second Journey to Jazz festival and will be debuting in South Africa, their brand new release entitled: ‘Light Cycle’. According to the album’s description, Light Cycle is a multidimensional creature with a big heart and a powerful imagination. Part sciencefiction adventure, part sentimental journey, ‘Light Cycle’ reconciles expansive cosmic soundscapes with a solid grounding in memory and folklore.
The quintet comprises Marc Stucki (saxophone), Andreas Tschopp (Trombone, Kudu Horn), Kyle Shepherd (piano), Shane Cooper (double bass) and Jonno Sweetman on drums.
In keeping with the festival’s ideal of grooming young talent, the Artistic Director’s choice for 2024, Kyle Shepherd, has selected vocalist and songwriter, Giuliette Price to perform at this year’s Journey to Jazz. Price, who was part of last year’s UCT Little Big Band who played at the inaugural festival, returns to Prince Albert as a bandleader in her own right.
One to watch, Price’s outstanding talent and vocal range will invite festival goers to an evening of brutal honesty, and original music exploring her musical navigation around life, relationships, love, lust, and heartbreak. Price’s music is jazzy and soulful with a touch of “sad boy-bedroom pop”. Giuliette is set to breathe new life into the genre, making it accessible to a wider audience, and is accompanied by an incredible band that includes some of South Africa’s most exciting young talent.
Azuke Ntapane, the CEO of the Prince Albert Community Trust (PACT) remarked: “The first Journey to Jazz was unknown territory for us, we had never staged a music festival of this nature, nor used our youth to help co-produce it. It was an enormous success, which puts us under a little pressure to deliver the second iteration with as much aplomb to match our discerning festivalgoers’ expectations.
“I can safely say that this line-up is outstanding, and I would like to thank Kyle Shepherd and Brenda Sisane, our creative director, for their tireless and joyful efforts in curating this year’s musical offering. Gratitude also to Pro Helvetia who have come on board to support the realisation of our dream of cross-cultural unity through music, with their generous contributions towards Skyjack and Thandi Ntuli’s ensemble.”
Other artists featuring at the 2024 J2J include:
- Afrika Mkhize Quartet (SA)
- Adam Zanolini’s Heliacal Rising of Sothis (USA)
- Cameron Ward (SA)
- Darren English Quartet (SA and USA)
- Giovanni Guidi Trio (Italy/USA)
- UCT Little Big Band (SA)
- The Karoo Jazz Project – Directed by Ramon Alexander (SA)
- Jonathan Rubain en die Koortjies Band (SA).
Being a festival, Journey to Jazz also offers festivalgoers to opportunity to indulge in a variety of supplementary activities including sunrise yoga, guided walks in the Swartberg pass and Wolwekrans, ghost walks etc. Details and ticket prices to be released soon.
Event Details:
Dates: 1 – 5 May 2024
Venue: Multi-venues throughout Prince Albert, Karoo, Western Cape
Tickets: Available on Quicket
Prices: Range from R100 per person per single performance, to day passes at R610 (Friday) and R830 (Saturday), and Weekend Passes at R1430.00.
Website: www.journeytojazz.co.za
Journey to Jazz is produced by PACT, an NGO based in the remote Karoo town of Prince Albert that is focused on youth development – skills and training – as well as job creation. The 2024 J2J will be co-produced by more than 80 youth from Prince Albert, Leeu Gamka and other surrounding areas. All monies raised through Journey to Jazz go towards PACT to ensure it continues to provide for the youth of the town including practical opportunities to apply the skills they learn.