A spring in your step

Described as a Brazilian classical folk guitarist with strains of Django Reinhardt and Jimmy Hendrix, Egberto Gismonti's music defies conventional categorisation.

This year, the composer and multi-instrumentalist joins 18 other international acts and several local performers for the annual Johannesburg Arts Alive festival, which takes place across the city from Sunday until September 9.

To welcome spring, the festival kicks off with Jazz on the Lake at Zoo Lake, celebrating 21 years of performances by top musicians like Don Laka, Mafikizolo, Brenda Mntambo, Phuzekhemisi, the Satchmo Trumpet Summit from the US and the Sufi Gospel Project from India.

From then on, Arts Alive will take Joburgers on a journey through the city - mixing dance, visual art, poetry and music.

Don't miss the Dance Umbrella celebrating 25 years of performances with a programme that includes five international companies and 15 new works from South African choreographers.

Fana Tshabalala's Indumba (on September 3 at The Dance Factory) is a recipient of the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Dance 2013. The dance is inspired by a cleansing ceremony after the years of civil war that Tshabalala witnessed in Mozambique.

In its eighth year, the Speak The Mind Spoken Word sessions are back at the Bassline, headlined by Natalie ''The Floacist" Stewart, of the group Floetry from the UK.

A highlight of this year's festival is South Meets South: An Evening with the Masters in a one-night only performance on September 7.

Hugh Masekela will perform classical jazz with Gismonti, inspired by indigenous rhythms of the Amazon people and popular Brazilian sounds, and US piano veteran Larry Willis.

Willis is a jazz pianist and composer who has performed and recorded with greats including Dizzie Gillespie.

He was also the pianist for Blood, Sweat & Tears and played in bands led by Nat Adderley and Roy Hargrove.

For a full line up of the events see www.arts-alive.co.za