Some of the world’s most celebrated jazz musicians – including Grammy Award winning performers Clarence Carter and Eddie Palmieri; Jamaican legend Monty Alexander and France’s celebrated Manu Katche – join the line-up of artists already announced for this year’s Standard Bank Joy of Jazz

(TRAVPR.COM) SOUTH AFRICA - August 9th, 2012 - Also coming to the jazztravaganza – which takes place in Newtown, Johannesburg, from August 23 to 25 – are the US’s Lizz Wright; Ken Philmore from Trinidad and Tobago who is one of the top steel-drum soloists in the world and France’s innovative Orchestre National de Jazz (ONJ).

Both Palmieri and Katche join an already impressive opening night line-up which includes Sax Summit and the unforgettable Tribute to Miles Davis.

Sax Summit has five of the world’s top female saxophonists playing the music of Kippie Moeketsi. They are American rising star Grace Kelly, Holland’s acclaimed Tineke Postma, British tenor Rosemary Quaye as well as Shannon Mowday (a former Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz) and Nthabiseng Mokoena. The Tribute to Miles Davis features two former Crusader players’ trombonist Wayne Henderson and drummer Ndugu Chancler, trumpeter Tom Browne, saxophonist Everette Harp, pianist Bobby Lyle and bassist Edwin Livingston.

Eddie Palmieri is one of the foremost Latin jazz pianists of the 21st century, blessed with a technique that fuses jazz influences from the styles of Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk and McCoy Tyner into a Latin context. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards.

Drummer Manu Katche blossomed as a contemporary jazz drummer and band leader thanks to his involvement with the touring and recording projects of Peter Gabriel and Sting. He has performed with some of the world's most well-known musicians including Joni Mitchell, Gloria Estefan, Simple Minds, Tears for Fears, Dire Straits, Youssou N'Dour, the Bee Gees and Black Eyed Peas.

In a career that spans more than four decades, Jamaican piano legend Monty Alexander has performed and recorded with artists from every corner of the musical universe: Frank Sinatra, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare to name just a few. Alexander was awarded the title of Commander in the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican Government for outstanding services to Jamaica in his capacity as worldwide music ambassador.

Clarence Carter won legends of fans around the world with songs such as Patches, Slip Away and Too Weak to Fight. He found a new audience with songs such as Strokin' and Dr CC in the 1990s. Strokin' was also used in the Eddie Murphy film The Nutty Professor. Carter’s strong soul sound also found an audience within the hip-hop community where he is known as Dr CC for his soulful guitar work intertwined with his sexy lyrics.

Lizz Wright’s music is a mixture of jazz, folk, gospel, and R&B. The Georgia-based singer-songwriter is already a celebrated contributor to the jazz world, having recorded four albums.

Ken “Professor” Philmore has performed and recorded with a number of international artists such as Tito Puente, Ella Fitzgerald, Phyllis Hyman, Nancy Wilson, Tina Turner, Andy Narrell, Ralph Mc Donald, George Howard, Lionel Hampton and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Apart from his work in Trinidad, he currently arranges music for steel bands both in US and the UK and lectures at universities worldwide.

Orchestre National de Jazz (under the current leadership of artistic director Daniel Yvinec) has charted a unique musical path over the last quarter of a century, with projects tributes to Billie Holiday and art rock pioneer Robert Wyatt. Their latest offering is the acclaimed Shut Up and Dance.

The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz will take place on eight stages in Newtown including the Dinaledi Stage, the Conga, Mbira, Bassline and The Market Theatre. Other venues include free concerts at Sophiatown, Shikisha and Nikki’s Oasis.

Artists already announced for the festival include Grammy-Award winner Kurt Elling who has been hailed as the jazz male vocalist of his generation; trombone master Wycliffe Gordon; Grammy-winning guitarist Earl Klugh as well as an appearance by the world famous Duke Ellington Orchestra. Luminaries from the African continent include Caiphus Semenya, Bakithi Kumalo, Manu Dibango from Cameroon and Mory Kante from Guinea.

The 2012 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz is produced by T-Musicman and brought to you by Standard Bank in association with the Department of Arts & Culture with co-sponsors The Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture & Recreation; South African Tourism; Gauteng Tourism; the National Arts Council and the City of Joburg.

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