The best venues to enjoy jazz music in Johannesburg

This new kid on the block came in like a wrecking ball and quickly became one of the hottest spots in town. Named after the iconic Hugh Masekela, the premium lounge was opened in January this year. In the words of jazz maestro Billy Monama, artists appreciate this space because of its intentionality about putting their money where their mouth is in terms of supporting musicians.

At Hugh’s, historic heritage is elevated by high-end contemporary designs on the 13th floor, which just adds to the heightened experience. One wouldn’t typically expect exclusive elegance in Braamfontein, but to add to the venue’s beautiful decor, the listening experience is immersive because the space is wrapped in acoustic glazing, isolating it from the noise outside.

If you enjoy jazz lounge ensemble session formats, you will enjoy this dedicated space that jazz fans in the East Rand have embraced because of its appreciation for music. At Jazzies, the casual and nostalgic lounge aesthetic seamlessly blends with township culture, attracting hospitable individuals who come not only for the jazz but for human connection as well.

The venue typically attracts the type of crowd that enjoys classic jazz, clarinets, blue notes, neo-soul and old-school R&B to its relaxed weekend wind-down space, and offers both recorded music and live performances.

At King’s Kraal, traditional South African heritage is given a premium approach, resulting in a trendy dining experience. It’s a really great blend of nostalgia and modern contemporary energies. The venue itself is designed to be somewhat of an upscale kraal with woodwork, earthy tones and warm lighting.

Wednesdays are jazz nights that offer soulful, background rhythms, contemporary jazz and Afro-jazz often delivered by the venue’s resident King’s Kraal Band. The addition of comedy and a gourmet culinary menu among a highly social crowd really turns the evening into a full-fledged cultural experience.

The Untitled Basement is an intimate venue that holds space for various music styles, with jazz being very central to its offerings. The upstairs area gives a relaxed vibe where the crowd can unwind after enjoying the music in the downstairs performance venue.

The architectural design is such that the performance space functions as a concrete sound bunker that keeps the street noise and student night life completely outside. Patrons of this venue have described it as a warm, low-lit environment with great sound, and it also doesn’t hurt that there’s a restaurant element so that your audio experience can be accompanied by good food.

Niki’s Oasis Restaurant and Bar is strategically located right across the street from the Market Theatre and Museum Africa, and right behind the bar is the Workers’ Museum. Jazz is an important thread in South Africa’s cultural landscape, so positioning a venue that celebrates this sound at the heart of the city’s heritage hub that is Newtown is a brilliant move.

From live performances inside the venue to impromptu jamming sessions right outside the venue, which the friendly staff at Niki’s welcomes by moving some of their chairs outside, this space is all about community. This is also affirmed by how the founder has retained some of her old staff that have been with her for over two decades, and another element to the cultural offering is her traditional South African menu that keeps older patrons coming back and pulls the new ones in.

The popular Doornfontein spot has packed up, closed its doors and will be opening its new home in Steyn City in November. But it’s just the venue that is moving away. The art, live music and food that Marabi has always been known for will remain part of the venue’s culture.

More than anything, the move is about taking the raw inner-city energy into the luxurious space that is Steyn City and bringing top-tier African jazz vocalists, ensembles and emerging talent into a premium kind of environment with better acoustics. The venue is also introducing a centralised kitchen which invites guests into the cooking experience.

Just Badela is a premium food, wine and cigar lounge that leans into the love of style and luxury that the people of Soweto are known for and brings these experiences right to their doorstep. There’s no need to drive all the way to the north when you can simply save on petrol by enjoying these exclusive experiences closer to home.

The jazz at this venue is accompanied by curated wine pairings and high-end grill dining. Their offerings include live jazz instrumentation and vinyl selectors, with Sundays being positioned as the venue’s signature music, food and wine showcase. Marrying jazz with premium dining really allows the space to take culture to new heights.

Located in the heart of Sandton, Sankayi brings South Africa’s musical excellence into an unapologetically upscale setting. If you are hungry for sophisticated music and Pan-African culture, this is the right place for you. The sound effortlessly carries heavy bass, and the jazz is often accompanied by salsa, rhumba and other musical styles.

In this venue, relaxed lounge-style dining meets the ambiance of live jazz in a trendy Sandton aesthetic built around African accents, neon lighting and leather booth seating. If you’re also interested in making new connections, Sankayi is great because it is frequented by like-minded individuals from across the continent, affluent locals and international tourists.

Sawubona Music Jam is a grassroots, non-profit musical movement where Soweto's underground music community convenes weekly. Instead of a flashy commercial lounge, this is a community space that prides itself on embracing a passionate, living cultural collective.

The energy is raw and unpretentious, the space is intimate and the people are a deeply soulful community with a shared love for the arts. Guests are encouraged to donate a live plant towards the community garden, and once the music wraps, the space turns into a conversational backyard hangout.

Repurposed from a Melville church building that is more than 100 years old, chiesa di PAZZO LUPi loosely translates to “the church of crazy wolves.” The second part of its name is the perfect description for Melville’s eccentric, creative and untamed energy. This is also an LGBTQ+-friendly and transgender-safe space.

An open canteen surrounded by trees in the daytime, the space transforms into a bohemian jazz club at night, attracting a cocktail of Melville locals, artists, musicians, writers and think-tank professionals into its vintage architecture. The jazz offering is spread across seasoned South African jazz musicians and newly emerging voices.