Birthed from the desire to celebrate the legacy of the legendary 1960s South African jazz sextet The Blue Notes, the Blue Notes Tribute Orkestra, led by trumpeter Marcus Wyatt, aims to revive and preserve the free jazz traditions of The Blue Notes for South African audiences while featuring some of the country’s most exciting contemporary musicians. The original Blue Notes – Chris McGregor (piano), Dudu Pukwana (alto sax), Nikele Moyake (tenor sax), Mongezi Feza (trumpet), Johnny Dyani (bass) and Louis Moholo-Moholo (drums) - were pioneers who brought South African jazz to the global stage, blending free jazz with African styles like Kwela and Marabi. Its members were drawn predominantly from the Eastern Cape and, as a mixed-race band under apartheid, they were part of the cultural emigres who were exiled abroad in order to be true to their musical and human connections. The Blue Notes had a significant impact on the development of British jazz in particular. The BNTO in turn serves as a living historical institution, honouring the cultural identity shaped by The Blue Notes’ members.

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