Jazz musician Gloria Bosman loves the direction in which jazz music is going in South Africa and has no fears for its future.
"You know that there is always speculation that jazz music is going to die someday; there is no such thing as any genre of music dying," she told HuffPost on Wednesday evening.
"Having young people in the audience is a blessing. I feel like jazz has always been looked at as the kind of music to be listened to by elderly people, but when you can capture a young person's heart, you have something special," she said.
Bosman was one of the musicians announced as a performer at this year's Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival on Wednesday evening.
I feel those artists who are more daring, younger and bolder. I see some of myself in them; a younger me.
The legend says jazz has been kind to her.
"With our push and pull relationship, I still love it. It is still and will always be my first choice," she said.
Bosman says she has always been open to blending jazz with other genres to keep her music current.
"I feel that it has grown through the sounds that were brought in by Courtney Pine, with people like Miles Davis with the acid jazz. Jazz is getting more open to such things. That is why I also use house music in my jazz," she said.
She notes Thandi Ntuli and Zoe Madiga as the upcoming young jazz musicians that South Africans should look out for.
"I feel those artists are more daring, younger and bolder. I see some of myself in them; a younger me. The way they are just doing what they are doing is the most powerful thing you can encounter," she said.
Ntuli's music was used in the Netflix series "She Has Got To Have It" by Spike Lee.
"This was very exciting for me, because it brought in a lot of new followers from around the globe," she said.
The Joy of Jazz Festival will take place in September, with international acts performing alongside local stars. Ntuli said she can't wait to see Spanish vocalist Buika perform.
"I just love the texture of her voice," she said.