Jazz festival kicks off in Sandton as fans prepare for all-night celebration

Excitement is mounting as jazz aficionados from around the world gather at the Sandton International Convention Center for the first day of the 26th Standard Bank World Class Jazz Festival.

The festivities are set to kick off tonight and are expected to continue well into Saturday morning, with many attendees prepared to spend the entire night soaking in the music brought by a multitude of highly sought-after artists.

Fans shared their eagerness for the evening's line-up and their hopes for the event:

One first-time attendee expressed high expectations for the experience. "My expectation for tonight is to have fun, the experience, everything, because it's my first time. I'm excited to see Amanda Black and Elaine, our South African [artists], and also get to know new South African artists."

Another attendee, a proponent of local talent, offered a suggestion for the scheduling, saying, "I’m pro-South African though, we love our South African artists, but if ever they can scatter them, not put them in the same block, say for instance 12 Midnight, they can scatter them, then that would be divine, that would be very nice."

Another fan indicated a desire for new discoveries, mentioning some of the international acts. "I haven't heard before like Jazzmiea, Oumou Sangaré, those are the type of artists that I'm expecting to actually watch today and other new artists [who] are performing. So, I'm expecting to hear a lot of new sound."