Jazz for the Revolution

An interdisciplinary approach to problems we face, dialogues explore cultural memory through the lens of activism from the perspective of the historian, the social scientist, the artist, the musician, the ethnomusicologist, as a resource for cultural memory, oral history and general knowledge education. 

Discussions, panels and dialogue sessions create an open platform to address and resolve

any issues historical or contemporary that have caused problems in education and development in the music heritage and indigenous wisdom of African music.

South Africa is a driving force for peace, harmony and unity due to the ability to overcome historical inequalities and outdated systems through the restoration, repatriation and recreation of learning resources, through oral history, archiving and creative collaboration.

Social Cohesion and Nation Building is enhanced from the grassroots and community level upwards into the education and entertainment sectors. Regular gatherings empower multiple participants across many sectors of the creative economy including industry of creative professionals, community centres, teachers, emerging professionals, professional artists, feeder businesses, scholars and students.

A growth path for the holistic development of future generations is provided through access to education, knowledge, platforms, activities and mentorship. Skills transfer includes the skills for self-development through self-reliance in spirituality, health, technical ability, mental wellness and business acumen.

The Mentorship programmes include access to documentation, archives and the interactive and participative multi-media workshop gatherings. Skills and opportunities in capacity building and creative industries are providing equal access to education for youth from undeserved communities in all provinces of South Africa.

Dialogues are transcribed, edited, archived and published as part of the Music and Heritage Education NPC new Afrocentric resources for culture and reach school classrooms, community centres, academies and universities and further development. These resources are well managed so as to create permanent databases for long-term accessibility to archive and networks. These resources are addressing the gap in quality free Afrocentric music education for syllabus Grades 10 – 12, community centres and tertiary education.

Revival through collaborations

IMVUSELELO is a revival of the cultural riches of the Eastern Cape. Envisaged by former South African exile in Germany and rural development practitioner, Professor Peggy Luswazi from Mthatha now 85 years of age, Imvuselelo is a continuation of the highly fruitful Eastern Cape Germany co-operation around arts, culture, heritage and education. Luswazi enjoyed a direct interaction with the Jazz Against Apartheid project during the many active years of study and work in Berlin, at the peak of the anti-apartheid struggle.

She is the founder of the ILIMA LABANTU movement in Mthatha which aspires to contribute to the Reconstruction and Development of post-apartheid South Africa with special focus on the rural areas. A point of focus for her is establishing a system and chain of art academies in the Eastern Cape.

Luswazi believes a process of rural industrialisation, based on naturally available resources, could create job opportunities and contribute to arrest the massive brain drain of thousands from rural areas to find no employment in urban South Africa.

In 2024 at the 30^th anniversary of Democracy and 35^th anniversary since the fall of the Berlin Wall, as a recognition of the formation of the Government of National Unity, Jazz for the Revolution asks what can Jazz do for Rural Advancement?  

Taking its core focus as “Nachwuchsforderung” – the conscious policy and practice of transferring societal values, knowledge and skills to the next generation, the events provide a unique meeting of liberation and legacy, a platform for self-reliance through music, and an opportunity to build the future you want.  

The core focus is youth development through arts education, access to opportunities and economic emancipation through on-the-job training.

Special access is provided for youth, women and disabled from community centres, to benefit from this skills transfer programme and new education resources, opportunities and collaborations.

Workshops are goal oriented, supervised and assessed ensuring every artistic child in the programme is well engaged, occupied and trained. It is not a once off training but a long-term skills development.  

Community centres and academies receive year-round skills via an online hub. Freely accessible virtual dialogue sessions and oral history projects to restore the cultural memory, Knowledge exchanges and invitations to all workshops provide valuable opportunities. And the Afrocentric arts programme is a multiplier effect, meeting the needs of artists and learners from multiple disciplines.

Skills transfer is outcomes based, musical students go through the training with direct outcomes of performance, expression and self-development.

Dialogue Sessions 

Dialogues support multiple programmes including: Artists in Schools workshop with professionals and students from a network of academies in Gauteng including Steve Biko Centre, Gompo Arts Centre, Mdantsane Arts Centre, Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre, Music Academy of Gauteng (MAG), CAFCA (Committed Artists for Cultural Advancement), International Library of African Music and multiple other music schools in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Soweto and Krugersdorp.