In the first week of May 2023, the friendly village of Prince Albert in the Karoo will come alive with Journey to Jazz, an event which will be produced with participation by 100 of the town’s youth, through the outreach work of the Prince Albert Community Trust (PACT).
Masterclasses will also be held on Thursday, 4 May, with performances running from Friday, 5 to Sunday, 7 May, 2023.
Journey to Jazz artists
– Celle and Adrian Adriaansen
– Mike Rossi Project: Roots and Routes
– Hassan’adas
– Kyle Shepherd Trio
– Melanie Scholtz, Hein Ven Der Geyn
– Derek Gripper
– UCT Little Big Band
– Amanda Tiffin Trio
– Karien De Waal and friends – strings and guitar
– Ramon Alexander and the Maties Jazz Society
– Karoo Jazz Project with Tribal Echo and Ramon Alexander
– Unity Vocal Quartet with Mads
– Chester Meyer
Creative Director Brenda Sisane says: “Music, has always found a way to unite people and the jazz genre, specifically, has a knack for storytelling and is a style that is recognised and celebrated throughout the world. International Jazz Day is celebrated annually on 30 April, consequently the dates for Journey for Jazz, were chosen with purpose and we can’t wait to share this incredible experience with everyone.”
Festival footprint
Prince Albert’s main road will be the centre of action on the Friday and Saturday to host a series of markets, food stalls and the local restaurants will welcome local music artists, buskers, dancers, painters, and more. Additionally, vibrant local flavour can be experienced on Blues Street, outside the PACT centre in Noordeinde on the Saturday.
Main performances will take place in the NG Church in the main road. Tickets will be sold to each performance. Limited weekend passes available.
But, for festival goers looking for more intimate performances there will be a number of lunch or dinner concerts at restaurant venues in town. Seats for these exclusive ‘in conversation with’ concerts will be up to 50 per performance.
Uniting the town with its feelgood vibes, the townsfolk have also curated several other experiences that will also be on offer on the Journey to Jazz Quicket platform.
J2J Experiences include:
The Premiere of the Strijdom Van der Merwe Film – Sculpting this Earth – an ecology art film
An artisanal pizza and wine pairing and other food and music pairings at restaurants throughout the town
A creative sausage workshop at Jeremy’s
A Southeast Asia Sensory Cooking Journey workshop at Jeremy’s
A Tapas workshop at African Relish
Sunrise Yoga under the open skies
A ghost walk – suitable for all ages
Sleeping out under the stars 4 /5 May
Guided walks through the Wolwekraal Reserve
Guided mountain bike trail through exclusive areas
Guided walks through the Swartberg Mountain Pass
Night at the Museum supper with local storytelling
Walk the word labyrinth on the farm, Aswater, with land art
Prince Albert Gallery Guided Walkabout.
Prince Albert and the Karoo are also known for its hospitality, and the town has a variety of welcoming guesthouses, but locals will also open their doors to visitors looking for a bed for a night or two, along with a glamping option.
NG Church Performances – R220/pp per performance – only 400 seats tickets per show
Gay’s Barn – R425 with a cheese platter, otherwise R275 per show
African Relish – R475 with a set meal
Prince Albert Gallery – R160
J2J experiences –see Quicket
What: Journey to Jazz 2023 Festival
When: 3 to 7 May 2023
Where: Prince Albert Karoo
WS
