Jazz festivals

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.