International Jazz Day SA cancelled, organisers to stream artists' solidarity messages

The announcement follows cancellations and postponements of public gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. International Jazz Day was scheduled for Cape Town, South Africa, on 30 April. The Mother City would have been the first African city to host the event.

“Due to ongoing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, the International Jazz Day 2020 global host celebration in Cape Town and other cities across South Africa, including the All-Star Global Concert on 30 April, will not take place as scheduled,” the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, which is the lead partner of International Jazz Day, said.

“This decision has been undertaken in response to guidance issued by the government and public health officials in South Africa and reflects the high priority that the institute, its partners and local organisers place on the health and safety of all participating musicians, staff, affiliates and the public.

“To allow our amazing community of jazz lovers, students and local International Jazz Day leaders a special opportunity to connect with each other, on 30 April, the institute and its partners will be organising a virtual forum featuring acclaimed artists and webcasts of exclusive content, offered free of charge. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks.”

The institute, which is chaired by jazz legend and UNESCO goodwill ambassador Herbie Hancock, said it had extended a special invitation to all partners to “submit smartphone videos, audio recordings and other virtual expressions of participation to show solidarity with everyone affected by this challenging situation."

“Many partners have already rescheduled their programmes for a later date, pending the abatement of the current global pandemic. These postponed events will be gratefully recognised as official celebrations of International Jazz Day,” it added.

Hancock said: “These are unprecedented times for world citizens and we are most grateful for the support, understanding and partnership of our International Jazz Day community. Armed with optimism, patience and grace, we’ll work through these challenges as families, communities, countries and as a stronger united world.

"Now more than ever before, let’s band together and spread the ethics of International Jazz Day’s global movement around the planet and use this as a golden opportunity for humankind to reconnect, especially in the midst of all this isolation and uncertainty.”

Fans and artists are encouraged to upload their videos from 30 April on YouTube and notify the organisers by emailing the link to youtube@jazzday.com. The organisers encourage fans to add the following tags: Jazz, International Jazz Day, Intljazzday, April 30, Jazzday, Jazz Day and UNESCO.