Braamfontein has long been a meeting point for ideas, art and resistance, and now the precinct welcomes a new cultural home rooted in sound and legacy. Opening its doors at Level 13, 73 Juta Street, Hugh Jazz Club is more than a venue, it is a living tribute to one of South Africa’s most revered musical figures, Hugh Masekela.
Affectionately known as Bra Hugh, Masekela was a globally celebrated trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer and activist whose music carried the soul of South Africa across continents. From Johannesburg to New York, London, Lagos and beyond, he performed on some of the world’s most iconic stages, using jazz as both a form of celebration and resistance. His work helped define South African jazz, blending township rhythms with global influences while speaking boldly against apartheid and injustice. Through exile and homecoming, his horn became a voice for freedom, joy and remembrance.
That spirit is deeply embedded in Hugh’s Jazz Club. The venue has been created in close collaboration with the Hugh Masekela Foundation, who are responsible for the musical curation. In a meaningful continuation of his life’s work, a percentage of ticket sales goes directly to the Foundation for the benefit of artists and the preservation of Hugh Masekela’s legacy.
Open on show days only, with doors from 18:00 and performances running from 19:00 until midnight on Thursdays, Hugh’s is a sophisticated jazz club and lounge designed for an adult audience. It is strictly 18+, with valid ID required, and encourages smart, stylish attire, think evening elegance rather than casual wear. No sportswear, flip-flops or overly relaxed looks here.
Inside, the atmosphere is intimate and intentional. Carefully considered acoustics allow the music to hold the room in quiet reverence, while a curated food and drinks menu complements the experience. Here, the energy of Braamfontein meets the soul of Hugh Masekela, where lineage becomes present tense, and jazz draws strangers into shared communion.
Guests will be delighted to see Hugh Masekela’s flugelhorn on display, standing in tribute to him, his family, and the immense cultural legacy he left behind.
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