By Lonwabo Mtyeku – GP News Media, Community Newsroom
When the doors of the Sandton Convention Centre opened on Friday evening, September 26, 2025, it was more than just the first night of a music festival — it was the rekindling of a cultural flame that has burned brightly in Johannesburg for over a quarter of a century. The 26th edition of the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz arrived with an air of grandeur, anticipation, and reverence, promising a three-day immersion into the soulful, daring, and border-defying world of jazz.
The first evening did not disappoint. From the very first notes that echoed through the vast halls to the final bows past midnight, Joy of Jazz’s opening day was a masterclass in musical curation, artistry, and atmosphere.
A Prelude of Anticipation
For days, the city had been buzzing with the promise of international stars, groundbreaking local performers, and a festival that once again positioned South Africa as a global jazz hub. By early evening, queues snaked outside the venue as enthusiasts — from seasoned jazz connoisseurs to curious first-timers — eagerly exchanged tickets for wristbands.
Inside, the Sandton Convention Centre had been transformed into a labyrinth of sound. Four main stages — Dinaledi, Diphala, Conga, and Mbira — each offered a distinct world of rhythm and mood. The warm lighting, meticulous décor, and thoughtful staging reflected an understanding that Joy of Jazz is not just about music but about creating an immersive cultural experience.
The Music: A Spectrum of Voices
The night’s performances stretched across continents and styles, yet all shared one unifying thread: authenticity.
On the Dinaledi Stage, the luminous Esperanza Spalding captivated the audience with a set that was as intimate as it was expansive. Alternating between her bass and ethereal vocals, she guided listeners on a journey through improvisation, poetry, and rhythm. Her performance was not simply a concert but a communion — a reminder of why she remains one of the most transformative voices in modern jazz.
Closer to home, South Africa’s own Thandi Ntuli, joined by Blk Elijah & The Children of Moroë, delivered a performance that felt rooted yet exploratory. Her piano lines wove seamlessly with the ensemble’s layered instrumentation, producing a sound both recognizably African and daringly avant-garde. Ntuli’s set reinforced why she has become a leading voice of contemporary South African jazz: unafraid to experiment while holding fast to heritage.
On the Conga and Mbira stages, the festival embraced more rhythm-driven and experimental textures. Smaller ensembles brought warmth and intimacy to their performances, allowing audiences to experience jazz in its rawest form — close, unfiltered, and deeply personal. For those who wandered between rooms, the transitions were like moving through different worlds: from the contemplative lyricism of a ballad to the heartbeat pulse of Afro-Latin percussion.
The Audience: A Portrait of Jazz Lovers
If the music was diverse, so too was the audience. Elder statesmen of South Africa’s jazz scene rubbed shoulders with university students, fashionably dressed young professionals, and visiting international guests. Conversations before sets often revolved around past Joy of Jazz highlights, while intermissions buzzed with excited debates about favorite moments and must-see acts still to come.
The demographic mix spoke volumes about the festival’s reach: jazz in South Africa is not a relic, nor is it confined to an elite. It is living, evolving, and resonating across generations. The crowd’s energy — part reverence, part unbridled enthusiasm — elevated the performers’ craft.
Atmosphere and Experience
The Sandton Convention Centre proved once again to be a fitting venue. Acoustics were, for the most part, finely tuned: the larger halls offered clarity and balance even during complex ensembles, while smaller stages provided an intimacy that invited listeners to lean in and savor every note.
Hospitality areas were well-stocked and managed, providing respite between sets. Guests in the premium lounges enjoyed curated menus and seamless service, though minor delays during peak hours were noted. Navigating between stages occasionally posed a challenge, particularly for newcomers, as signage was not always clear — a small blemish on an otherwise stellar evening.
Yet these logistical wrinkles did little to dampen the overall spirit. The Joy of Jazz has always been more than a concert — it is an encounter, a gathering of spirits connected by music. From the sharp evening attire to spontaneous dancing in the aisles, the atmosphere was one of unfiltered joy.
Strengths and Subtleties
What made the opening night remarkable was not simply the star power of its headliners but the balance of its curation. The festival organizers succeeded in presenting a program that honored jazz’s deep roots in South Africa while situating it within a global dialogue.
The choice to spotlight female performers such as Spalding and Ntuli underscored a powerful theme: the centrality of women in shaping the past, present, and future of jazz. Meanwhile, the juxtaposition of intimate sets with large-scale ensembles created a rhythm to the evening that felt natural and dynamic, never overwhelming.
The festival’s greatest strength lay in its ability to offer variety without sacrificing coherence. Each performance felt connected to the next, as though all artists were in conversation across stages, weaving together a larger story of jazz’s evolution.
A Few Lessons
No festival is perfect, and the first night revealed areas for fine-tuning. The most pressing issue was stage overlap: transitions between acts occasionally left audiences scrambling to choose between equally enticing sets. More staggered start times might ease this tension in future editions.
Additionally, clearer signage and volunteer guides would help first-time attendees navigate the sprawling venue more confidently. These are, however, small adjustments in an otherwise expertly delivered evening.
Closing Reflections
As the last chords faded and the audience spilled into Sandton’s night air, one truth was undeniable: the Joy of Jazz remains a cornerstone of South Africa’s cultural identity. The first night of the 2025 edition achieved what few festivals manage — it honored tradition, embraced innovation, and left its audience hungering for more.
Day One was a triumph not just of music but of spirit. It reminded us that jazz, at its core, is about dialogue: between past and present, between continents, between artist and audience. If the opening night is any indication, the next two days promise to elevate this dialogue into something unforgettable.
The Joy of Jazz 2025 has begun not with a whisper, but with a resounding declaration: that Johannesburg is, and will remain, a heartbeat of global jazz.