The Jazz Standard
The adventure of rich storytelling about the world of Jazz continues with Brenda Sisane on Kaya 959's The Jazz Standard.
Phumelele Mzimela on The Jazz Standard with Brenda Sisane
Phumelele Mzimela is a Johannesburg-based vocalist, composer, academic, and educator whose work sits at the intersection of scholarship and sound. A graduate of the University of the Witwatersrand, Phumelele’s creative and intellectual practice spans film scoring, composition, performance, and research. On stage, she is the frontwoman and bandleader of Phumelele…
Bubbles on The Jazz Standard with Brenda Sisane
DJ Bubbles is not simply a selector, but a cultural worker whose fingerprints are all over South Africa’s music landscape. As the founder of Urban Touch Recordings, a veteran of major festival stages like Oppikoppi, MTN Bushfire, Red Bull Music Festival, and a deeply respected music historian, his work has…
Zenzele Mthembu-Salter on The Jazz Standard with Brenda Sisane
At just 24, bassist and composer Zenzele Mthembu-Salter has travelled a musical road that already stretches from Scarborough’s coastal village lessons, to the deep bass traditions of Cameroon, to the improvisational laboratories of Amsterdam. His debut album, Future Kwela, is a vibrant reimagining of our heritage - taking the joyful…
Buntu The Ghetto on The Jazz Standard with Brenda Sisane
More than a DJ, more than a selector, she is a cultural force - a woman who stands behind the decks with intention, with fire, and with a body that refuses to be invisible or contained. Her sets are conversations. Her mixes are manifestos. Whether she is speaking politically or…
Steve Dyer on The Jazz Standard with Brenda Sisane
Steve Dyer is not just a composer or instrumentalist; he is a seeker. A musician who listens as deeply as he plays. Someone who has carved out a sonic language rooted in Africa’s rhythmic memory, yet bold enough to shape new worlds. From his early years exploring Southern African traditions…
Lweendo Humakoma on The Jazz Standard with Brenda Sisane
Lweendo Humakoma is an art curator, a DEI designer, and a cultural weaver whose imprint can be felt across institutions such as the Javett Art Centre and beyond. Her practice asks more of us - more depth, more honesty, more courage and it opens doors for communities to enter the…
Jahari Stampley on The Jazz Standard with Brenda Sisane
One of the defining young voices in contemporary jazz piano, Jahari Stampley’s rise has been extraordinary and marked by major international awards, a Grammy-nominated collaboration, and an artistry that feels at once ancient and futuristic. He comes from a lineage of mentorship, discipline, and deep musical curiosity, and yet everything…
Retsi Pule On The Jazz Standard With Brenda Sisane
Spending time with Retsi Pule, one of the great pillars of South African jazz vocal artistry, today is an honour. Pule's voice has been instantly recognisable for over 60 years; it is warm, lyrical, intensely expressive, and deeply ingrained in the South African jazz tradition. Pule's sound is a mosaic…
Matshidiso Mohajane On The Jazz Standard With Brenda Sisane
As we close today’s edition of The Jazz Standard we are thrilled to welcome Matshidiso Mohajane into the studio - an artist whose voice sits at the crossroads of jazz, soul, folk and poetic storytelling. Matshidiso is a London-based singer, pianist, and storyteller and she is joining us fresh on…
Momo Matsunyane On The Jazz Standard With Brenda Sisane
Playwright, actor, and director Momo Matsunyane, one of the most captivating theatrical voices in South Africa, joins us. Critics are listening, audiences are talking, and the industry is closely observing her work. Momo uses the stage as a mirror reflecting the realities, contradictions, and humour of township life while speaking…
Dudu Sarr On The Jazz Standard With Brenda Sisane
Dakar’s own Dudu Sarr is a cultural worker, booking agent, and one of the key custodians of African artistic mobility. He is an important voice and contributor in cultural diplomacy, exchange and impact in the Francophone Africa Jazz Scene. He is the founder of the Dakar Music Expo, and director…
Guido Spannocchi On The Jazz Standard With Brenda Sisane
Born in Vienna and now based in London, Guido Spannocchi is a saxophonist and woodwind instrumentalist whose journey crosses conservatory training, classical flute, jazz saxophone and post-graduate musicology. In our conversation with Guido, we’ll explore how an independent jazz artist like him navigates creative freedom in a cosmopolitan city, how…
Zukiswa White On The Jazz Standard With Brenda Sisane
A project specialist, social and climate justice activist, cultural worker, and founder of uManyano Lwe Jazz, Zukiswa White builds community through sound using jazz not just as a genre, but as a gathering, a social practice, and a rehearsal for freedom. In this conversation, we unpack what it means to…
Pula Twala On The Jazz standard With Brenda Sisane
A woman whose fingerprints are all over some of South Africa’s most defining musical and cultural moments. Pula Twala has worked alongside icons like Hugh Masekela, Sibongile Khumalo, and Busi Mhlongo shaping stages, festivals, and the business of live music for over two decades. As the heartbeat of SEMOPA Entertainment…
Juan Chiavassa On The jazz Standard with Brenda Sisane
Hailing from Venado Tuerto in Argentina and currently based in Brooklyn, Juan Chiavassa is a drummer, producer, session musician and composer whose career has taken him across continents and genres. His collaborators read like a who’s-who of modern jazz: Mike Stern (he is the current drummer in the Mike Stern…
Sadika (Absa) & Theresho On The Jazz Standard With Brenda Sisane
Sadika (Absa) & Theresho On The Jazz Standard With Brenda Sisane
The Blueprint: Mark Turner On The Jazz Standard With Brenda Sisane
our blueprint interview with American tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, who is renowned for his complex harmonies, depth of composition, and cerebral tone. Turner, who first appeared in the New York scene in the 1990s, became one of the key figures in contemporary post-bop, renowned for his nuanced lyricism, refined musical…
Herbie Tsoaeli On The Jazz Standard With Brenda Sisane [ABSA Jazz Session]
With his distinctive township swing, spiritual energy, and deeply ingrained African sensibility, Herbie Tsoaeli, also known as uMalume Groove, will be the main act at the upcoming Absa Jazz Sessions at Marble. The sound of Herbie is both traditional and modern; it is a fusion of storytelling, rhythm, and freedom…
Ingrid Jensen on The Jazz Standard with Brenda Sisane
Ingrid Jensen has been hailed as one of the most gifted trumpeters of her generation. As a sought-out teacher, collaborator, and soloist, it is easy to see why the New York Times calls her “as versatile as she is vigorous.” Glowing reviews have earned her a loyal fan base around…
Dr. Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane on The Jazz Standard with Brenda Sisane
Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane is a Durban-based, multi-award winning South African pianist and composer of remarkable skill and passion, hailed as an authority on South African music. After exploring his craft for many years, seeking to capture its essence and the feeling of being “at home,” he has a PhD in…