Text: Live Music Desk | Photographs: Supplied
In a city constantly moving forward, there is a place to return. A space where the rhythm of Johannesburg finds its deepest resonance. uManyano Lwe Jazz has become that essential end-of-year event that everybody looks forward to before leaving Jozi; a final reckoning, a moment of shared sound before migrant labourers return “home” as per the systemic design of land thieves. This ritual of gathering will once again transform the grounds of the Villa Simmone Boutique Hotel in Houghton Estate into a sanctuary of sound on December 6 and 7, 2025. This year’s festival arrives with a declaration that forms its foundation and its highest aspiration: A Lineup, A Legacy, A celebration of defiant creativity.
This theme is the core of the event. It connects to a lineage that traces back to the cultural renaissance of the 1950s, a time when creativity was an act of survival and resistance. Music became a fortress. uManyano Lwe Jazz channels this spirit as a living, breathing continuation of a conversation that began decades ago. It is a gathering that understands the stage as a site of memory and a platform for the future.
The 2025 lineup is a direct expression of this legacy. It is a gathering of storytellers and architects of sound who each carry the story forward. This is not just a list of performers. It is a congregation of kindred spirits, a living archive of rhythm and collaboration. The festival presents the full scope of South African jazz talent:
Msaki, Afrika Mkhize, Benjamin Jephta, Thandi Ntuli, Thandeka Dladla, Linda Tshabalala, Skyjack (featuring Shane Cooper, Kyle Shepherd, Marc Stucki, Andreas Tschopp, and Jonno Sweetman), Gabi Motuba, The Muffinz, Sisonke Xonti, Zawadi Yamungu, Malcolm Jiyane, Ofentse Sebula, Vuyo Viwe, Ovuyonke, Ubuntu Experiment, Jinji, Miss Niksta, Boitumelo Pitso, [kimetsu.], Buhle Mbongwa, and Dindie.
From the profound storytelling of Msaki to the technical mastery of Afrika Mkhize and Thandi Ntuli, from the foundational rhythms of Benjamin Jephta to the collaborative energy of Skyjack and the resonant soul of The Muffinz, every artist on this lineup is a vital part of the music’s ongoing narrative. They represent a continuous line of innovation, a celebration of creativity that defies categorization.
The mission of uManyano Lwe Jazz is both simple and profound. It exists to champion South African jazz as a vital and evolving art form, a crucial bridge connecting past legends to future pioneers. By gathering at the Villa Simmone, attendees participate in more than a performance. They engage in an act of collective affirmation, bearing witness to a legacy that refuses to be silenced. To stand together in this space, surrounded by this music, is to assert a belief in togetherness, in beauty, and in the persistent possibility of joy.
uManyano Lwe Jazz 2025 is a homecoming. It is a return to the source and a powerful demonstration that the most potent acts of creativity are, and have always been, acts of defiance. It is where Johannesburg listens to its own heartbeat, and finds it strong.
Event Details:
Festival: uManyano Lwe Jazz 2025
Theme: A Lineup, A Legacy, A celebration of defiant creativity
Dates: December 6 & 7, 2025
Venue: Villa Simmone Boutique Hotel, 16 West Street, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg
More Information: https://www.umanyanolwejazzfest.africa/
