The K Jazz Show Podcasts

Travelling 10 years back in time, we open a very special chapter in the story of one of South Africa’s most distinctive musical voices. Ten years ago, Siya Makuzeni released Out Of This World — an album born of spirit, imagination, collaboration and a fearless search for her own musical language. A decade later, we return to that music with the woman who created it. We talk about where the album began, the extraordinary musicians who helped shape its sound, the stories hiding between the notes, and what ten years of life has revealed to Siya about the music she made then. But we don't stop at the anniversary. We get to know the woman behind the trombone, the voice and the stage — and look ahead to the music, ideas and possibilities beginning to gather on her horizon. It's intimate. It's reflective. It's joyful. And there are a few things Siya shares that I think you'll want to hear.

Because talent may introduce you to the world, but knowledge, ownership and the right connections are what allow you to stay in the room. This September, the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz is making space for the next generation of African music makers through Jazz Wise—a powerful conversation about the business behind the music and the tools young creatives need to build careers that last. And joining us this morning is a woman who knows that journey intimately. A celebrated vocalist, curator, creative entrepreneur and the force behind the Folklore Festival, she understands the artistry, the hustle and the architecture behind a sustainable creative life. Pilani Bubu is in the house on The K Jazz Show.

There are conversations you have because, for a moment, you want to sit down and listen to a life. Since April, The K Jazz Show has been taking you on a journey towards this year's Standard Bank Joy of Jazz — introducing you to the musicians, the composers, the voices and the stories that will make Johannesburg sing when the festival arrives. We have travelled across borders and musical traditions. We have spoken to artists about legacy, reinvention, resistance, rhythm, hope and that beautiful, slightly mysterious thing that happens when musicians from different worlds meet on the same stage. And today, we arrived at our final artist conversation.

This Sunday, The Jazz Circuit welcomes Linda Sikhakhane home to The K Jazz Show, as he opens the door to LINDA, his fifth album: a deeply personal meditation on purpose, belonging, ancestry, love and the making of a man. From Umlazi to KwaNongoma, from the memory of those who came before to the restless sound of what comes next. Linda brings the whole journey with him. A saxophone. A lineage. A searching soul. And a conversation about what happens when a man stops trying to become something else… and begins to compose himself.

A voice from Benin. Five Grammys. One Hollywood star. But first enter the fire. Angélique Kidjo arrives on The K Jazz Show.

There are conversations you have with an artist because there is a new record to talk about. And then there are conversations you have because, somewhere along the way, the music has changed and so has the musician with it. As for our guest, he and I have shared this space before. We've listened together. We've talked. We've followed the music as it has moved from one place to another. We've watched the collaborations and the performances, including the ideas coming to life. And yes, we've also watched a very public chapter of his journey come to an end. A chapter that generated its headlines, its opinions, and its conversations, some informed, some perhaps less so. However, this Sunday, we're not going back to reread those pages. Some stories are certainly not meant to be lived backwards. We're turning the page.

On The K Jazz Show, we open a new chapter with bassist, composer, and educator Timothy Joseph Norton, a musician whose journey has carried him through some of the world’s most revered stages, alongside extraordinary voices in jazz. And in a very special K Jazz Show moment, his new musical world brings him into conversation with South Africa’s Bokani Dyer and Siya Charles. We go beyond the credits. Beyond the album. Beyond the bass. We go back to the beginning and listen for the man becoming the musician.

Some artists leave us humming a melody. Others leave us thinking long after the music has ended. Our next guest has spent decades doing both. With a voice of rare depth and unmistakable elegance, he has carried stories of identity, humanity and hope onto some of the world's most prestigious stages, becoming one of contemporary jazz's most compelling vocalists. Ahead of his return to Johannesburg for the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz 2026, it is a real privilege to welcome a true gentleman of song to The K Jazz Show. Please welcome the remarkable Ola Onabulé.

Some albums announce themselves with noise. Others arrive quietly, settle into your spirit, and refuse to leave." We've had the privilege of watching Ingoma Busuku make exactly that journey, from an extraordinary debut to one of the defining South African jazz recordings of its generation. Today, its creator joins us not simply to celebrate an award-winning album, but to reflect on the road it has travelled, the people who shaped it, and the stories that continue to live within its songs. It's always a pleasure to welcome a friend of the show. Paras 'Sibalikhulu' Dlamini, back to The K Jazz Show

Some voices don't simply sing. They remember. They heal. They carry home wherever they go. This Sunday on Hour Africa, we welcome back our brother, Dumza Maswana, for one of our most heartfelt conversations yet. From Ngqushwa to India, from Celebrating African Song to the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz stage, we reflect on music, purpose, radio, legacy and the stories that continue to shape a remarkable career. Some conversations deserve your full attention.

Back on #TheKJazzShow, Somi joins us to reflect on Zenzile, the meaning of homecoming, mutual friends, and her beautiful new album, What Does It Take to Bloom? An honest conversation on artistry, belonging, and becoming. #WhatDoesItTakeToBloom #JazzCircuit #TKJS

This Sunday on #TheKJazzShow Alternative, French-Congolese artist Anaïs Rosso joins the #JazzCircuit. We talk about her Joy of Jazz debut, Paris’ vibrant jam session culture, and the fearless creativity shaping her sound, a conversation that looks beyond the music. #TKJS #JazzCircuit #JoyOfJazz

This week on The K Jazz Show, we sit with the extraordinary Kamasi Washington, saxophonist, composer, visionary, and one of the defining voices of contemporary music. From The Epic to Fearless Movement, from Kendrick Lamar’s GNX to the upcoming Joy of Jazz Festival 2026, a journey into the mind of an artist who continues to redefine the possibilities of jazz. #TKJS #SBJOJ2026 #KamasiWashington

Passport ready? We’re taking your ears to Germany as Sebastian Studnitzky joins us on The KJazz Show. He brings bold sounds, brilliant stories, and musical magic ahead of his Standard Bank Joy of Jazz performance this September. This Sunday. #TKJS #SBJOJ2026 #STUDNITZKY

A new voice. A heartfelt tribute. A future shaped by jazz. Rising trombonist and composer Thabone Masilela joins to share his journey, his vision for the next generation of South African jazz, and the story behind his new single, making its radio debut.

Before the lights rise at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival 2026, we voyage through borders, memory, and sound with Ibrahim Maalouf, a trumpet storyteller carrying Beirut, Paris, jazz, folklore, and the future in a single breath. This Sunday on the K Jazz Show. Music without borders. Spirit without limits. #JazzReIgnited #TKJS #TakeMeThere #SBJOJ2026

This Sunday, we journey across oceans and frequencies with the radiant Nubya Garcia. From London’s pulse to Johannesburg’s embrace, the sound returns home in a different light. We begin the road to Standard Bank Joy of Jazz with one of the defining voices of her generation. The art of becoming, again and again… #TKJS #NubyaGarcia #JazzReIgnited #TakeMeThere

This Sunday on the weekly jazz circuit feature , appears Kabelo Mokhatla, a drummer whose journey from Johannesburg to New York has become a quiet, powerful meditation on identity, discipline, and sound. Now, as one chapter closes, another begins… Grace. A moment shaped by growth, memory, and the spaces in between with a subtle unveiling of something not yet fully heard… including a reimagining of “Kuzodlula” from Nduduzo Makhathini’s The Myth We Choose. Not everything will be said. But if you listen closely… you’ll hear it first. #15YearsOfKofifi #KabeloMokhatla #TheJazzCircuit #TKJS

This Sunday on The K Jazz Show, a voice returns not to where she started — but to where she has always belonged. Twenty years carved in sound, spirit, and memory. With Ilitye (stone) she offers us something grounded, something eternal… a love letter to self, a quiet homecoming. Humaning out loud. #HourAfrica #TKJS #Zu #JazzAppreciationMonth

On today’s edition, wherever in the world you may be listening from, this is The K Jazz Show — your Sunday to everyday favourite, where the music breathes, the stories matter, and the artists who are shaping the sound of now find a home. Today we welcome a pianist, composer, sound architect and musical storyteller whose music has been described as ethereal, heavy-hitting, extremely funky and completely infectious. Born in Detroit, forged in the Midwest, sharpened in New York, and now moving across the global stage — this is a musician who is not just playing the piano, but redefining how the instrument speaks in modern music. He has worked with artists like Topaz Jones, Cleo Reed,, Amanda Barise including Tivon Penicott — and somewhere between touring, music directing, sound designing and composing, he is quietly becoming one of the most sought-after pianists of his generation. Kofifi FM, The K Jazz Show introduces Idris Frederick.

There are voices in jazz that arrive like a whisper on a late evening breeze—intimate, luminous, and timeless. Voices that don’t simply sing songs but inhabit them. This Sunday on The K Jazz Show, we welcome one such voice. For over three decades, the Grammy-nominated vocalist Stacey Kent has shaped a singular musical world—one where jazz meets the romance of chanson, the elegance of the Great American Songbook, and the quiet poetry of everyday moments. From her celebrated collaborations with saxophonist Jim Tomlinson to her award-winning interpretations of composers like Antonio Carlos Jobim and lyricist Kazuo Ishiguro, Stacey has crafted a sound that feels both classic and entirely her own. With albums such as Breakfast on the Morning Tram, The Changing Lights, and I Know I Dream: The Orchestral Sessions, she has traveled the world carrying songs like postcards from distant emotional landscapes. And now, that voice journeys to South African soil as one of the headlining artists at the inaugural Montreux…

Lit Culture, an independent bookstore and cultural space in Johannesburg, has honored us with an invitation into their Brixton home to share our work as the Dawjee Trio. ‎On Friday evening, 06 March 2026, إِنْ شَاءَٱللَّٰهُ, we gather some lines & other notes in the presence of Lit Culture’s deeply considered collection of art, politics, music, and African thought. ‎The Jozi Jazz Plug took a look.

Bisoux’s quintessential sound is a cross-over fusion of elements that reinvent the sound of cool jazz, swing, hard bop, modal jazz and the avante garde. Imagery of Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock are reflected in the arrangements and improvisations. The fusion of various elements evolves to create an organic sound with a myriad of soundscapes, swing & deep soulful groove. Vocalist Wendy Allen Twyford is our guest.

Bandleader. Composer. Living Legend. McCoy Mrubata doesn’t follow the rhythm; he creates the heartbeat. His latest offering, Children On The Frontline, is more than an album, it is a manifesto. South African jazz in its purest, most provocative form. This Sunday.

“Today, The K Jazz Show doesn’t just fellowship with the artist—we enter a living archive. We are surrounded by paint, memory, vinyl, silence, and sound. This is where Jazz listens back. Sitting with me, is one of South Africa’s most revered visual storytellers, the man whose art hums, swings, remembers, and refuses to forget… Welcome, Sam Nhlengethwa.

On the K Jazz Show, This Sunday, we wrap up the year that was, and we find ourselves in Italy with a renowned bassist and composer who has received multiple awards for his exceptional talent. Michelangelo Scandroglio an artist whose journey has taken him from Europe’s great jazz stages to the world’s most respected festivals… and now, fresh from his inaugural visit to South Africa. From Umbria Jazz to the Kennedy Center, from fearless collaborations to bold new musical visions, we unpack the story, the sound, and the spirit behind the music. It’s a global reflection. A year-end pause. And a celebration of jazz without borders.

This Sunday on The K Jazz Show… The future calls, and it swings. The Cape Town born, Amsterdam based bassist takes the chair, unpacking his powerful debut album, Future Kwela. From township grooves to global jazz language, from inherited rhythm to bold new imagination this is kwela remembered forward. Join us for a conversation about heritage, movement, young voices shaping the horizon, and music that knows where it comes from… and where it’s going.

This Sunday we welcome an artist who lives beautifully in the in-between —that luminous grey space where jazz, soul, folk, poetry and memory weave themselves into something entirely her own. London–Johannesburg–Paris based singer, pianist and storyteller Matshidiso Mohajane joins us fresh on the show, carrying with her a new body of work that feels at once intimate, brave and borderless. Her new album, IDKL — I Didn’t Know Love, is a genre-blending tapestry of truth, tenderness and radical honesty Matshidiso is one of those rare boundary-pushers who honours the improvisational fire of jazz while stepping boldly into new sonic frontiers.

We welcome back a profound musical thinker, a sonic architect, and one of the most quietly influential forces in contemporary South African jazz. He last graced our airwaves when he gifted us Baba in 2016 and since then, his artistry has only deepened, sharpened, and expanded. Pianist, composer, bandleader, scholar, and collaborator of the highest order… Yonela Mnana returns to The K Jazz Show with a brand-new offering, "Echoes of Marabi "— a bold, beautiful collaboration with Swiss saxophonist Benedikt Reising and the transcendent Soultee Sisters.

It’s always special when we welcome back the giants of our sound, the elders who continue to move the language of jazz forward. Our guest needs little introduction; he’s a saxophonist, composer, producer, cultural thinker, and one of the most profound creative voices in South African music. The last time we spoke, he had just released Enhlizweni, a record that dug deep into our spiritual and musical connectedness. And now, he’s back with Multipolar, his 11th studio album, a sonic meditation that jazz writer Gwen Ansell describes as ‘not American, copycat, or retro,’ but absolutely of this place and of this time.

This Sunday on The K Jazz Show, we’re taking a trip that begins on the banks of the Bosphorus, glides through the cobbled streets of Florence, making its way to Johannesburg — where jazz meets joy, culture meets curiosity, and rhythm knows no borders. An extraordinary young voice in global jazz — Hakan Başar, the 21-year-old Turkish piano virtuoso whose elegance, maturity, and flair have been making waves since his debut On Top on the Roof,. He was recently in Johannesburg for the Joy of Jazz Festival, where his trio’s performance left audiences breathless — not just for their technical mastery, but for their unmistakable warmth and cultural openness. Together, they’ve crafted a stunning new album, Maiden Voyage — a nod to Herbie Hancock’s classic, but with a fresh, youthful vitality that reminds us that jazz, much like travel, is about rediscovery.

It is always a joy on The K Jazz Show to bring you the sounds and stories of artists who are not just shaping the present, but also defining the future of jazz. This Sunday, we are honored to welcome one of the brightest rising stars on the global scene — a 25-year-old Haitian-American baritone whose voice is as rich in depth as it is in vision. Tyreek McDole is no stranger to acclaim — in 2023 he won the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, becoming only the second male vocalist in its history to do so. And now, he gifts us with his long-awaited debut album, "Open Up Your Senses", a project that is both bold and tender, rooted in jazz tradition yet expansive in its exploration of spirituality, self-reflection, and social consciousness.

South Africa’s jazz story is a living archive, and each artist adds a new chapter to this ongoing melody. Today on The K Jazz Show, as we open our Heritage Month series, I am truly delighted to be joined by a pianist whose music is both rooted and boundless, deeply African yet universally resonant. He is internationally acclaimed, a winner of the Central Music Awards for jazz, and a nominee at the Mzansi Jazz Awards. He has taken his music to the stages of Europe, India, and across our beloved South Africa — all while shaping the next generation through education and mentorship. Thapelo Khumisi was on The K Jazz Show

So this Sunday, you and I connect with a young drummer from Tel Aviv in Israel by the name of Ofri Nehemya, who has shared stages in collaboration with incredible artists has marked himself as one of the most prominent Israeli drummers in the global jazz scene, collaborating with world wide known artists including Avishai Cohen (bass), Ben Wendel, Shai Maestro, Omer Avital and many others. He is our cover story artist in the 3rd hour this week and we also get to listen to some of his composition and talk to him about his walk with Jazz.

On The K Jazz Show today, we welcome one of the great voices of our time on trumpet—Sean Jones. He’s a celebrated bandleader, composer, and former lead trumpeter of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. As Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Jazz Orchestra, Sean is shaping the next generation of jazz ambassadors, taking this music across the globe. He joins us to talk about the powerful new live album Live in Johannesburg, recorded at the iconic Market Theatre here in city. This is a story of music, history, and cultural exchange told through the spirit of jazz.

The second hour of The K Jazz Show, we welcome a phenomenal artist whose journey is a story of passion, excellence, and jazz brilliance. She is the 2025 Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz, a trailblazing trombonist, composer, and arranger whose music has graced global stages from Montreux to New York’s Blue Note. This includes performances alongside legends like Hugh Masekela and Ulysses Owens Jr., including the formation of her own sextet, she continues to push the boundaries of South African jazz on the world stage. As she prepares for her much-anticipated debut performance at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, we are thrilled to have her with us.

As we are firmly into the second hour of our show and today, we’re thrilled to welcome an incredible talent as part of our “Road to the Joy of Jazz 2025” series. From electrifying saxophone solos to her soulful compositions, Lakecia’s music has captured hearts around the world. And now, she’s coming to Johannesburg for the Joy of Jazz Festival—and we couldn’t be more excited to have her stop by our way as part of her journey to our favourite festival.

When we say Page Three on The K Jazz Show, we’re talking about those artists who don’t just play music – they live it. We have a guest who has taken the cello – yes, the cello – from the township streets of Sebokeng to the world stage. He is a man whose music breathes, dances, and prays across continents and centuries. On the K Jazz Show, we welcome the extraordinary Abel Selaocoe, here to talk about his current project “Hymns of Bantu” and the upcoming live debut solo offering “Four Spirits”, which show cases music that is already shaking the global scene with its deep rhythms, chants, and spiritual truths.

Now, every so often, we get to witness an artist whose very being feels like music. Someone who doesn’t just play jazz — but breathes, bends, reshapes, and reimagines what’s possible within it. And when that artist happens to be a four-time Grammy Award winner, an inventive bassist, a luminous vocalist, a fearless composer, and one of the most captivating live performers of our time —as music lover you are compelled to make space, to lean in, and certainly listen deeply. It is my absolute pleasure and honour to welcome to The K Jazz Show — a global icon and this year’s Joy of Jazz headliner, Esperanza Spalding.

This week on The K Jazz Show, we were thrilled to welcome a phenomenal saxophonist, composer, and bandleader whose sound resonates across continents – Karl Martin Almqvist is known for his soulful tone, inventive improvisation, and deep collaborative spirit, and has carved out a global presence in jazz. He is coming to South Africa as part of the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz 2025, performing with his powerhouse ensemble – the Ababhemu Quartet – a group rooted in trust, brotherhood, and a bold vision of unity through music.

From the streets of Italy to the very core of New York City’s jazz pulse, Daniele Germani has carved a sonic path that speaks of fearless innovation and tender homage. Whether he’s navigating the intimate harmonies of jazz or flirting with the gloss of pop influences, Daniele’s sound remains sincere, searching, and soul-deep. Saxophonist, composer, and restless creator, Daniele Germani spoke to us.

on The K Jazz Show, and today we tune into the rhythm of resilience, the sound of soul, and the voice of a nation — all wrapped in one mighty bassline. Joining us live from Russia is a multi-award-winning composer, producer, and bassist whose musical passport has stamped some of the world’s finest stages — from Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw to the King’s Castle in Sweden. He’s orchestrated for the BBC Proms, worked with legends like Hugh Masekela, McCoy Mrubata, Zoe Modiga, and Wouter Kellerman, and scooped Naledi and Mzantsi Jazz Awards along the way. His third album Black Child is on the horizon — and it’s more than music, it’s a message.

We’re joined by South African-born, New York-based drummer, composer & visionary Lumanyano Mzi as he takes us deep into his sonic journey! From his Cape Town roots to international stages, we unpack his inspiring career, global collaborations, and what it means to carry Ithemba Elisha – A New Hope into the world. PLUS: We debut exclusive tracks from the brand new album, and get the scoop on his much-anticipated South African tour! A kind of slick, global futurism. This Sunday.

This September, José returns to South Africa for The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival 2025, and this time he’s bringing us a stunning tribute to the queen of neo-soul, Erykah Badu, from his bold and beautifully reimagined project, José James Sings Erykah. We’ll also dive into his latest album 1978, an autobiographical triumph that’s turning heads across the globe.

This Sunday, The K Jazz Show returns with front-row flair and rhythm-rich coverage of the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival. Now, when it comes to world-class groove, finesse on the kit, and a keen ear behind the studio desk, our next guest wears many hats — all stylishly tilted towards excellence. Joining us for the very first time on Kofifi FM 97.2 is a man who keeps time like it’s a fine wine — matured, bold, and full of notes. He’s not just a drummer; he’s a rhythm sculptor, a sonic craftsman, and a creative force who’s been shaping the sound of South African jazz for over a decade. Whether he’s leading his acclaimed Peter Auret Trio, laying down tracks for legends in his Sumo Sound Recording studio, or collaborating with jazz giants both local and global — one thing’s for sure: when Peter Auret is involved, the music doesn’t just play… it speaks.

This Sunday on The K Jazz Show, we welcome back a powerhouse of South African jazz—a trumpeter, composer, and bandleader who plays with the fire of revolution and the grace of heritage. From the Johannesburg streets to global stages, his sound is as fearless as it is fluid. He’s the force behind unforgettable projects like Bhekisizwe, Born to Be Black, and Oratorio of a Forgotten Youth—and he's not done shaking the jazz world. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the ever-evolving, always electrifying, Mandla Mlangeni!

This week on The K Jazz Show, we’re thrilled to be joined by the inimitable Brenda Sisane — broadcaster, cultural curator, creative director, and part of the driving force behind the Journey to Jazz festival. As the festival turns three this year, we take a moment to celebrate its growth, its grounding in pure jazz, and its growing impact from the small town of Prince Albert to the broader South African cultural landscape.

We are joined by none other than the legendary Hilton Schilder — a man whose music is as layered and soulful as the city he hails from. Born into rhythm, raised by Goema, and armed with a playful spirit including 16 instruments (yes, sixteen!), Hilton is Cape Town’s very own sonic alchemist. From Punk to Classical, Rock to Cape Jazz, his fingerprints are all over the South African music landscape. And now, as he prepares to release his 46th — project, he’s still full of fresh stories, sounds, and surprises. A true “mind freedom fighter” if ever there was one.

We’re thrilled to celebrate the 2025 recipients of the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards (SBYA) — an initiative that, for 40 years now, has honored creative excellence and fearless innovation in South African art. Among the six remarkable trailblazers is Siyasanga “Siya” Charles, a Juilliard-trained trombonist whose global career and bold artistic voice have earned her this prestigious accolade. Known for her powerful work with the Siya Charles Sextet and collaborations with legends like Hugh Masekela, Siya is redefining the future of South African jazz.

We’re joined by a collective that’s as much about movement as they are about music. With their brass-heavy sound, genre-defying style, and infectious energy, they’ve made waves across South Africa and beyond. They say they play intelligent music… they play dumb music… and they play whatever they want—because you come anyway!