From vinyl sessions to vocal traditions, this year’s festival expands beyond performances to explore jazz as a living conversation

The Journey to Jazz festival is set to offer much more than just stellar performances this year, with an exciting programme of talks and masterclasses running alongside the main events from Thursday 30 April to Sunday 3 May in Prince Albert.

Presented by the Prince Albert Community Trust (PACT), Journey to Jazz continues positioning itself as more than just a festival – it’s a space where music, learning and lived experience intersect, opening conversations around jazz to everyone, not just experts and performers.

Anchored at the PACT Centre in Noordeinde and venues across town, the festival will bring together musicians, cultural practitioners and music lovers to explore jazz as both history and living practice.

Learning to listen differently

At the heart of this year’s offering is a powerful concept: that listening is something we can learn and develop. Festival organisers have designed the programme around the idea that jazz extends far beyond the stage, creating spaces for meaningful exchange between artists, audiences and ideas.

One of the standout sessions features DJ Bob’s masterclass, where vinyl records become both archive and creative instrument. With over three decades in record culture, DJ Bob will guide participants through the art of music selection and sharing, encouraging them to build their own listening journeys.

Tracing jazz roots across continents

The talk series places strong emphasis on exploring jazz lineage, from its deep cultural roots to contemporary expressions across Africa and beyond.

Key highlights include:

• A conversation between Zawadi Yamungu and Italian violinist Anaïs Drago, examining the dialogue between traditional African and European string traditions;
• A vinyl-based sonic lecture by Ntone Edjabe, founder of the Pan African Space Station, mapping jazz evolution across the African continent;
• A panel with Paul Hanmer and Lynette Petersen unpacking the Karoo Jazz Project’s journey from grassroots development to festival stage.
  

Celebrating South African musical heritage

Saturday 2 May will focus specifically on South Africa’s rich musical traditions. Jonathan Rubain and Don Veno Prins will explore the influence of Koortjies on Cape Jazz, revealing its spiritual and melodic foundations. A vocal traditions panel featuring Amy Campbell, Nomfundo Xaluva and Yonela Mnana will reflect on musical forms spanning classical, indigenous and urban traditions.

The day concludes with Vusi Mahlasela in conversation, discussing music’s role as a force for connection, healing and social change.

ALSO READ: Jazz education strikes a chord ahead of Journey to Jazz Festival

Full programme details

Friday 1 May:

10:00 – 11:00 | Zawadi Yamungu & Anaïs Drago – PACT Centre

11:00 – 12:00 | DJ Bob Masterclass – PACT Centre

11:30 – 12:30 | Karoo Jazz Project Panel (Hanmer & Petersen) – PACT Centre

12:45 – 13:45 | Jazz in Africa (Ntone Edjabe) – The Showroom Theatre

Saturday 2 May:

10:00 – 11:00 | Jonathan Rubain & Don Veno Prins – PACT Centre

11:30 – 12:30 | Vocal Traditions Panel – PACT Centre

12:45 – 13:45 | Vusi Mahlasela in Conversation – The Showroom Theatre

13:00 – 17:00 | DJ Bob Vinyl Sessions – Prince Albert Market

Tickets are available via Quicket.