Marsalis and Khumalo's surprise improvisation act on the last day was undoubtedly the highlight of the three-day festival dubbed the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz. Over 20,000 jazz lovers from across the world gathered at the Newtown precinct for some jazz bliss. It was jazz extravaganza featuring a strong line-up of over 30 artists from eight countries performing on seven stages in three days.
Legendary Marsalis was joined by fellow Americans - Dee Dee Bridgewater, McCoy Tyner, Gerald Veasley, Jeff Lorber, Alexander O'Neal and Frank McComb as well as Brazil's Tania Maria, Croatia's HGM Jazz Messengers and Belgium's Brussels Jazz Orchestra. From South Africa there were jazz greats like Hugh Masekela, Khumalo, Mango Groove, Simphiwe Dana, the African Jazz Pioneers, Tu Nokwe, Kwela Tebza, Victor Ntoni, McCoy Mrubatha, Ringo, Julius Schultz and pianist Bokani Dyer, the 2011 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for Jazz. From the rest of Africa were Zimbabwe's Oliver Mtukudzi, Angola's Bonga and Nigeria's Olufemi.
