In celebration of South Africa’s jazz heritage, the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, in collaboration
with the ZAR Jazz Orchestra led by celebrated South African trumpeter, conductor and SAMA Award
winner Marcus Wyatt, will be presenting the Symphonic Jazz Concert. The concert takes place on
Thursday 21 September at 19h30 the Linder Auditorium.
The repertoire is drawn from The Songbook – a collection of some of the most iconic and important
South African jazz songs from the last half a century – orchestrated for a full orchestra with big band and
rhythm sections.

You will hear the Marabi and Mbaqanga influence in Dudu Pukwana’s ‘Mra’ and ‘Angel nemali’, the
more avantgarde approach to Louis Moholo’s take on one of our best-loved ballads ‘Lakutshona ilanga’
and the pop/ soul influence of ‘Stimela’ (Masekela’s deeply tragic ode to the continuing problem of
forced migrant labour in South Africa) and Jonas Gwangwa’s ‘Diphororo’.

There are strains of Tyner and Trane in Bheki Mseleku’s breathtaking ‘The Age of Inner Knowing’ and
Winston Mankunku’s iconic ‘Yakhal’ inkomo’, while the sound of the Cape Town minstrels’ carnival
music shines through Wyatt’s ‘Anneke tassou’ and Zim Ngqwana’s ‘Bantu’. Abdullah Ibrahim’s frenetic
‘Bombella’ is juxtaposed with Miriam Makeba’s most famous of songs ‘The Click Song (Qongqothwane)’. 
This songbook was performed as part of the 2022 BBC Proms at the iconic Royal Albert Hall under the
baton of Marcus Wyatt, with the Grammy award winning Metropole Orkest.  While the ‘Songbook’ has
been performed in many countries, the collaboration between the JPO and the ZAR Orchestra exposes
the beauty and power of this music to a South African audience for the first time.

The JPO is proud to be performing with the ZAR Jazz Orchestra to celebrate our jazz heritage and pay
tribute to the legendary jazz musicians who have made an indelible mark on South African music.

Book tickets through Quicket.

Safe parking is available.

The adjoining restaurant is open for dinner from 17h00.

Regrettably, no under-3’s.