Licensed to Play September 2014

Historically, jazz began in shebeens, nightclubs, and various spots for popular gatherings. Today clubs such as Kippies, Katzy’s   and The Rainbow are some of the finest jazz clubs in South Africa.

Kippies International Jazz Club – Joburg

Kippies International Jazz Club is named after legendary saxophonist and jazz musician Kippie Moeketsi. He was one of SA’s best and a member of one of the first South African jazz bands, Jazz Epistles, launched in the 1950s.

Kippies closed in 2005 due to structural problems; but reopened in 2009.

Kippies was the home of seasoned musicians such as Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse who in an interview about the iconic club with Newtown Heritage Trail described it as is the hub of jazz music in Johannesburg. ”When you walk onto the stage at Kippies for your first set as an aspiring musician, you know you have made it,” he said.

Mabuse’s words sum up how the place managed to stay at the top of its game. It was home to some of the best musicians and the Mecca of jazz in Johannesburg.

The club was declared a heritage site in 2005 for its iconic contribution to jazz music.

Katzy’s – Rosebank 

Katyz’s offers jazz audiences a mature blend of great jazz music, good whisky, the most stylish dining and the perfect view of Jozi nightlife.

According to Lebo Ndlovu, Katy’s General Manager, as audiences evolve, venues must also evolve.

He said, “ In order to keep up with our audience needs, five years ago we extended Katzy’s  – thereby launching a new Katzy’s from the original venue which was launched in 1994.”

Ndlovu noted that, “Part of what makes a great jazz venue is the ability to evolve as audiences and performances evolve, and in this industry keeping with the time play a big part towards the sustainability of any venue, especially niche venues, such as jazz venues.”

After revamping five years ago, Katzy’s has been able to maintain their role as one of the best locally acclaimed jazz clubs. Ndlovu explained that one of the things that make Katzy’s such a great place for jazz musicians and audiences, is the combination of whisky and jazz music.

“Getting comfortable in this industry has seen a lot of venues go under,” said Ndlovu.

“We’ve made it our mission to give both musicians and audiences a great place to have a good time,” he added.

Katzy’s has hosted some of the greatest South African jazz musicians, such as Lira and Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse among others.

With over 20 years in the industry, the venue has a lot to celebrate.

Rainbow – KZN

Rainbow Restaurant in Durban is another jazz venue of distinction. It is one of South Africa’s longest running live music venues. It was launched in 1981 and originally owned by Ben Pretorius and Billy Mthembu, who were involved in South Africa’s political struggle. Its broad approach to music has seen the promotion of a unique genre of music that is an offshoot of Afro Jazz. With performances that include some indigenous sounds such as isicathamiya and mbaqanga, Rainbow has positioned itself as the home for Afro Jazz and Afro sounds in KwaZulu-Natal.

Tips on how to create a great jazz atmosphere

•Don’t allow a performance to be interrupted.

•Give audiences the opportunity to interact with performers and express their appreciation of the music.

•Offer something unique in order to stand out

•Passion is everything.

•Satisfy the needs of both audience and performers.

Q: Music is a big part of the South African heritage, what do you think makes South African music stand out?

A: I think it’s our uniqueness. In South Africa we have eleven official languages. That on its own makes our music unique and stand out.

Q: What does music and heritage mean for you?

A: I cannot imagine my life without music. Over the years we have inherited a rich treasure chest of music in our country; diverse, enormous and unique. Heritage should be respected and celebrated especially through music, given our diversity.

Q: How would you define or describe your music?

A: I am a poet/singer/actress. I write about ordinary things and issues that affect us all. I am not a commercial musician and I am immensely grateful that I have survived in this industry for 36 years without selling my soul.

Q: What does Heritage Day / Heritage Month mean for you as a musician?

A: I remember performing in the Royal Carré Theatre in Amsterdam a few years ago to celebrate South Africa’s Heritage Day. I shared the stage with Freshly Ground and Tina Schouw.  Nick Rabinowitz was the MC. The theatre was packed to the rafters with expats from all over. It felt like my heart was going to burst with pride when we heard the rapturous applause during and after songs. People were singing along, screaming and cheering. They were cheering for their heritage and we gave it a voice. I will never forget that night. It’s wonderful that we can celebrate our heritage, even in troubled times we find ourselves and comfort in music.

Q: Do you feel that the South African music captures our diverse heritage? 

A: Yes it does. We have such a diverse range of music from all the different cultural groups in our country. I just wish that there was the same support for the arts in our country that sport is given. There are so many struggling, brilliant musicians in our country that just don’t get a break. It’s always a question of a lack of financial support, but we have a lot of talent, and representation.

Q: What are some of the noteworthy changes that you have seen in Afrikaans music in the last 20 years? 

A: It has been quite a journey. I love the original musicians, the poets who weave this beautiful language with music that touches the heart. There is a huge commercial side to Afrikaans music, but I prefer the musicians who chose the road less travelled. Afrikaans music took a turn for the better when musicians like Anton Goosen, David Kramer, Koos Kombuis, Johannes Kerkorrel, Karen Zoid, Valiant Swart, Fokkof Polisiekar and the likes started rocking in a language people thought was not possible to rock in. They also shed light on injustices. The same goes for our great poet/songwriters like the late Koos du Plessis, Gert Vlok Nel, Chris Torr, Coenie de Villiers, Lize Beekman and countless others. There is much more to Afrikaans music than “sakkie-sakkie” and “doef-doef” music!

Q: Twenty years from now, what would you like so see in South African music?

A: In 20 years’ time, God willing, I will be 78. I hope that when I switch the radio on I will still hear original South African music. I hope that our musicians will still be breaking new ground and playing their music on world stages.  I would like to see respect and support for musicians, songwriters, singers from our government. Music will never die. Musicians, singers, songwriters who die, live on through the music they created. That is our beautiful musical heritage.