City Of Roses Jazz Ensamble - Nants'inkululeko

The City of Roses (CoR) Jazz Ensemble emerged fortuitously in mid-2022 when a few jazz musicians who are staff members of the Odeion School of Music (OSM) at the University of the Free State (UFS) began to meet once a week to jam Standards from various jazz eras. As these jam sessions further enriched the soundscape at the OSM, suggestions came from other staff members and visiting friends to include the ensemble among OSM’s offerings. The band, now resident at the OSM, began as a trio of a trumpet, drum kit and piano and has since added bass and saxophone.
The members of the CoR jazz ensemble are Joseph Kunnuji (trumpet), Claire Rontsch (alto & tenor saxes), Nicol Viljoen (piano), Marc Rontsch (bass) and John Smit (drum kit). In addition to American jazz standards, the ensemble performs South African jazz pieces and hopes to include original compositions by its members in its repertoire. Jazz enthusiasts may listen to the CoR Jazz Ensemble’s concerts at least twice each semester at the Odeion and the band’s performances at other venues in Bloemfontein and beyond.