Jazz festivals
Date
2010-03-25T12:58:48Z
Authors
Dancer, Thomas
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Abstract
Abstract
Jazz music is widely accepted as being almost synonymous with ‘heritage’. This fact is
interesting when looking at the construction of many large-scale, international jazz
festivals that take place around the world each year. The majority of these popular
festivals not only present jazz music, but also a wide array of other genres. In many
cases, the music that is included in the festival programmes is linked to notions of local
musical and cultural heritage.
This research report focuses on the subject of South African jazz music as intangible
heritage at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival. This event is held annually in
Newtown, Johannesburg. By studying the construction and programming of this festival,
this report questions the extent to which South African jazz music is considered to be
intangible heritage, where the festival is positioned in relation to its commercial gains and
the social responsibilities of safeguarding intangible heritage, to what extent the
programming choices and positioning of local jazz music at the festival construct the
music as a heritage resource, and how the festival has affected the development of jazz
music in Johannesburg, with regard to smaller, less formal venues.