Thandiswa Mazwai ended the 2022 Joy of Jazz on Saturday night with a thrilling performance.

The event, which started on Friday night, took place at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

King Tha, as she is affectionately known, was among the local stars billed for this year’s international event. The annual jazz event returned this year after two years’ break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The past two days saw music lovers arriving in droves at Sandton Convention Centre to soak deep into local sounds. The event had three stages where artists such as Ringo Madlingozi, Mandisi Ndyantyisi, Bokani Dyer, Sipho Mabuse, Dr Sello Galane and the Jaziel Brothers shared the stage. Brenda Mntambo kicked off the night at the Mbira Stage, setting the bar very high for others. Lwando Gogwana gave music fans a taste of his song book at the Conga Stage. At the Naledi Stage, Wouter Kellerman opened things up.

By the time Mazwai came on stage at 11pm, music fans had been eagerly waiting for her performance. They left other stages just to watch Mazwai doing her thing. Full of energy, she started her set even though the sound was disappointing during her first three songs. Fans at the back struggled to hear her properly. After 30 minutes, things settled for Mazwai. She got music lovers dancing and singing along to her hit songs.

Meanwhile, Gloria Bosman led an all-female band at the Naledi stage. The all-girl band had Titi Luzipho on vocals, Aus Tebza on bass, Bosman on acoustic guitar, Lindi Ngonelo on piano, Neo Motsatse on violin and Jude van Der Wat on harp. They gave a breathtaking performance.

At the Mbira stage, Msaki performed with a full band with horn and string section. The fans waited for almost an hour for her to come on stage. When she did, she did not disappoint. The Eastern Cape-born singer gave a highly entertaining performance.

Mandisi Dyantyisi gave music lovers a taste of his version of gospel according to jazz. Dr Sello Galane was another marvel to watch as he introduced audience to beautiful indigenous sounds.

The proceedings began on Friday night with Zamajobe proving that after 10 years of absence, she still has it. She had everyone on their feet especially when she performed her famous song Ndawoyami.

The legend Ringo Madlingozi, who started slow, sounding very tired, thrilled music lovers with popular live songs. Madlingozi’s set was not complete without him performing classic songs like Buyisa.

Selaelo Selota, featuring Xoliswa Dlamini, killed it on stage. Dlamini, who has an amazing vocal range, showcased her vocal abilities.