Journey to Jazz Announces Talks, Masterclasses and Sonic Encounters in the Karoo
At Journey to Jazz Festival, the music doesn’t begin and end on stage. Running alongside the festival’s performance and Greet & Meet programmes from 30 April to 3 May, the Journey to Jazz scheduled talks and masterclasses will open up jazz as a living, evolving conversation – one that connects artists, audiences and ideas in ways that are as meaningful as the music itself.
Anchored at the PACT Centre in Noordeinde, (Prince Albert Community Trust’s operations centre), as well as venues across the town, this year’s series brings together musicians, thinkers, cultural practitioners, festivalgoers and the community to explore jazz as history, practice and shared language.
At its heart of this year’s offering is a simple but powerful idea: that listening is something we learn. Among the standout sessions is DJ Bob’s masterclass, where vinyl becomes both archive and instrument. With over three decades immersed in record culture, DJ Bob invites participants to explore how music is selected, shaped and shared – and how listening itself can become a creative act.
Rather than instruction, the session will open a space for exchange – where participants are encouraged to build their own listening journeys and to imagine new ways of gathering around music.
From roots to resonance
The talk series also places a strong emphasis on tracing the lineage of jazz – from its deep cultural roots to its contemporary expressions.
Highlights include:
- A conversation between Zawadi Yamungu and Italian violinist Anaïs Drago, exploring the dialogue between traditional African string instruments and European string traditions – their construction, playing technique, musical function, and cultural origins.
- A vinyl-based sonic lecture by Ntone Edjabe, founder of the Pan African Space Station, mapping the evolution of jazz across the African continent
- A panel with Paul Hanmer and Lynette Petersen unpacking the Karoo Jazz Project – from grassroots development to the festival stage.
Together, these sessions offer audiences a deeper understanding of how jazz continues to evolve through encounter, exchange and reinterpretation.
Voice, heritage and the South African sound
On Saturday, 2 May, the programme turns its attention to South Africa’s own rich and layered musical traditions.
- Jonathan Rubain and Don Veno Prins explore the influence of Koortjies on Cape Jazz -revealing its spiritual and melodic foundations
- Amy Campbell, Nomfundo Xaluva and Yonela Mnana reflect on vocal traditions that span classical, indigenous and urban forms
- Vusi Mahlasela, in conversation, speaks to music’s enduring role as a force for connection, healing and social change.
Talks & Masterclass Highlights:
Friday, 1 May:
- 10h00 – 11h00 | Zawadi Yamungu & Anaïs Drago – PACT Centre
- 11h00 – 12h00 | DJ Bob Masterclass – PACT Centre
- 11h30 – 12h30 | Karoo Jazz Project Panel (Hanmer & Petersen) – PACT Centre
- 12h45 – 13h45 | Jazz in Africa (Ntone Edjabe) – The Showroom Theatre
Saturday, 2 May:
- 10h00 – 11h00 | Jonathan Rubain & Don Veno Prins – PACT Centre
- 11h30 – 12h30 | Vocal Traditions Panel – PACT Centre
- 12h45 – 13h45 | Vusi Mahlasela in Conversation – The Showroom Theatre
- 13h00 – 17h00 | DJ Bob Vinyl Sessions – Prince Albert Market
Full festival line-up for 2026 includes: Amy Campbell, DJ Bob, Donvino Prins, ¡Gracia! (Drago – Falomi – Beccalossi), Karoo Jazz Project, Kyle Shepherd |William Kentridge Films, Linda Sikhakane and Paras Dlamini, Nomfundo Xaluva, Ntone Edjabe – DJ Set, Vusi Mahlasela, Paul Hanmer, Yonela Mnana and The Soultee Sisters, Zawadi Yamungu, and Jonathan Rubain.
Now in its fourth year, Journey to Jazz continues to distinguish itself through intimacy, authenticity and purpose, offering audiences a deeper connection to music, place and community.
Journey to Jazz transforms lives, celebrates creativity, and ensures that the rhythm of the Karoo will continue to echo far beyond its mountains.
#TrueJazzTrueKaroo #JourneytoJazz2026 #J2J #J2J2026 #PrinceAlbert #PACT #JazzWithPurpose #YouthLed #JazzRetreat #KarooJazzProject
Festival Details:
- Dates: 30 April – 3 May 2026
- Prices: From R250 per person per performance
- Tickets: On sales now through Quicket
Presented by the Prince Albert Community Trust (PACT), Journey to Jazz remains first and foremost a music festival – one that must succeed to sustain its broader social impact. Every ticket sold contributes directly to youth training, skills development and opportunity creation across Prince Albert and the surrounding region.
With its 2026 artist line-up now complete, Journey to Jazz continues to distinguish itself through intimacy, integrity and ambition – offering audiences not only exceptional music, but a deeper connection to place, people and purpose.
The Festival’s supporting annual Greet and Meet Programme was recently revealed – keep an eye out for all the activations and cool things to do in Prince Albert over the festival weekend.
Please visit www.princealbert.org.za for a selection of accommodation options.
For more information, please visit the Prince Albert Community Trust (PACT) and Journey to Jazz Festival.
A small commission from the activity tickets goes towards supporting the Prince Albert Community Trust (PACT) whose work in upskilling and developing the town’s youth is exemplified in the staging of Journey to Jazz.
Connect with Journey to Jazz on social media:
Facebook | Instagram | Hashtags: #JourneytoJazz #pact
Connect with Prince Albert Community Trust on social media:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
