SOUTH African jazz legend Abdullah Ibrahim, Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Terrence Blanchard and piano maestro Ahmad Jamal are on the bill for the opening night of this year's Standard Bank Joy of Jazz.

Johannesburg's answer to the world-famous Cape Town Jazz Festival takes place between August 22 and 24. The line-up was announced yesterday by Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile and several local jazz musicians will form part of the bill.

Those present included veteran musicians Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse and Ray Phiri, as well as Sibongile Mngoma. The organiser T-Musicman's chief executive Peter Tladi introduced the 2013 line-up.

Other international acts will include vocalist Carmen Lundy, saxophonist Donald Harrison and Japanese pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, among many others.

Among the local acts will be Zonke, Afrotraction, Kabomo, Jeff Maluleke, Adam Glasser and Concord Nkabinde.

Mashatile said his department was fully behind the Joy of Jazz and development of local talent. He said he would soon announce the establishment of a National Skills Academy for the Arts.

"I believe South African artists can compete with the best in the world," Mashatile said, adding that his department was facilitating partnerships with other countries. He said the partnerships would see local artists visiting other countries to showcase their talent.

This year, 100 local artists across several disciplines are being taken on a tour of Europe in a partnership with France, he said. "All we can do is to open the window of opportunity," Mashatile said. "Artists must go and showcase their talent."

• Tickets are now available at Computicket. - ngubanes@sowetan.co.za