Montreux Comes to Africa: First Artists Revealed for Franschhoek Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek (MJFSA) presented by Nedbank, today announced the first phase of artists for its inaugural African edition, marking a defining cultural moment as one of the world’s most respected music festivals makes its debut on African soil.
This opening announcement reflects Montreux’s enduring commitment to artistic depth, global exchange and African excellence, presenting a programme that bridges generations, geographies and musical languages. From legendary voices to bold contemporary composers and unexpected collaborations, the first artists set the tone for a festival shaped by intention rather than scale.
Mark Goedvolk, founder of Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek.
“This first announcement reflects the spirit of Montreux at its best – where 60 years of legacy meets Africa’s artistic flair on the continent for the first time, and where African voices are central to the global musical conversation.”
The Arches | Main Stage
Headlining the first phase on The Arches, the festival’s main outdoor stage, is the legendary Salif Keita. Widely regarded as The Golden Voice of Africa, Keita is one of the most influential artists in African music history, with a career spanning more than five decades. His appearance at MJFSA is both rare and resonant – a master artist whose presence embodies the festival’s belief in musical legacy, cultural truth and artistic courage.
Also taking centre stage is Mandisi Dyantyis, one of South Africa’s most compelling contemporary composers and bandleaders. Known for his deeply expressive trumpet work and genre-fluid compositions, Dyantyis represents the evolving language of African jazz today – sophisticated, emotive and unafraid to draw from classical, folk and modern influences. His performance underscores Montreux’s commitment to artists who are actively shaping the future of global music from the African continent.
Adding to the spirit of collaboration is Billy Monama’s Guitar Convergence, brings together acclaimed musicians Moss Mogale and Vusi Mahlasela. This rare convergence of guitar voices promises a powerful and unexpected musical dialogue – rooted in African storytelling, social memory and shared virtuosity. True to the Montreux spirit, this collaboration exists specifically for the festival, offering audiences a moment that cannot be replicated elsewhere.
Setting the Tone: The Kesivan amaBig Band Experience
A bold collaborative statement led by acclaimed South African drummer and composer Kesivan Naidoo, based between Switzerland and South Africa, brings together a 26-piece ensemble of South African and European musicians, with strong Swiss representation.
The project reflects the deep and longstanding musical exchange between South Africa and Switzerland – a relationship central to the Montreux story. Reimagining Amapiano, traditionally electronic and groove-driven, through the language of a large acoustic jazz ensemble, the performance establishes a rhythmic and collaborative foundation for the festival.
Featuring lead vocalists Boohle, Stogie T and BONJ, the ensemble is anchored by Boohle’s unmistakable voice – one of the most emotionally resonant in contemporary Amapiano. Her presence provides a vital connective thread between the genre’s electronic origins and its orchestral reinterpretation, grounding the collaboration in authenticity, intimacy and feeling.
These projects function as a musical statement of intent, signalling Montreux’s confidence in contemporary African innovation and the visionary power of cross-continental collaboration.
The Jazz Village | NG Church Complex
The Jazz Village programme offers an intimate and exploratory counterpoint to The Arches – a space dedicated to deep listening, conversation and jazz in its many evolving forms. Designed for audiences who value proximity, nuance and discovery, Jazz Village foregrounds musicianship, lineage and experimentation.
Among the first confirmed artists is a rare and meaningful collaboration between Madala Kunene and Sibusile Xaba. This meeting of generations fuses Kunene’s masterful maskandi guitar tradition and Xaba’s exploratory, genre-fluid approach, creating a dialogue that bridges past and present, heritage and innovation.
Also appearing in the Jazz Village is ensemble Kwanti Leeh!, comprising exceptional artists Herbie Tsoaeli, Andile Yenana, Ayanda Sikade and Sisonke Xonti. Together, they represent a powerful cross-section of South Africa’s contemporary jazz excellence – musicians celebrated for their sensitivity, depth and collective improvisational strength.
With performances ticketed per show, Jazz Village invites audiences into an environment rooted in discovery, musical intimacy and shared experience set within the grounds of a vibrant, social and flexible space.
Lindsay Rhoda, Artistic Curator: Music & Programming for MJFSA, said:
“Jazz Village is where we allow the music to breathe. It’s a space for lineage, collaboration and experimentation – where artists can take risks and audiences can truly listen. These are conversations across generations and genres, and that dialogue is at the heart of what Montreux stands for.”
Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek’s African journey is now on its way. Further artist announcements will follow weekly, leading up to the full programme reveal in early March. As a taste of things to come, this first unveiling sets the scene for a distinctive edition of Montreux, grounded in African expression and global exchange.
Taking place from 27–29 March 2026, Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek presented by Nedbank brings a globally revered cultural institution to Africa for the first time – not as a replica of its Swiss counterpart, but as a thoughtfully curated edition shaped by context, collaboration and place. Designed as an intimate, hospitality-led experience, the festival offers audiences the rare opportunity to engage deeply with music, artists and environment.
Performances will be staged on The Arches (from lunchtime to midnight) and at Jazz Village (from 3pm to midnight) on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the festival embraces the Sunday Slowdown with several music offerings in the village throughout the Montreux Mile. Stay tuned for further details.
The festival will also support community organisations including FRANCO and Franschhoek’s Uncorked Music Academy, ensuring that its legacy extends far beyond the stage.
Tickets are live on Ticketmaster now for The Arches Stage – see Salif Keita, Mandisi Dyantyis, Billy Monama’s Guitar Convergence, The Kesivan amaBig Band Experience and a selection of artists at the Jazz Village. Ticket sales for Jazz Village will open once the full line-up for this stage is complete.
For more information visit the website here.
The Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek debuts in Franschhoek from 27–29 March 2026, uniting world-class musicians and artists in a boutique setting that celebrates Africa’s creative brilliance.
Event Details:
- Dates: 27–29 March 2026
- Venue: Huguenot Monument, Franschhoek
- Tickets:
- The Arches Stage: Friday & Saturday R2250 available via Ticketmaster
- Sunday Slowdown: Unticketed with more details to follow
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