sheetmusic.co.za

14/04/2026

Dr. G

01/04/2026

Today the University of Cape Town (UCT) conferred an honorary doctorate (Doctor of Music, honoris causa) on George Werner, one of the team behind The South African Jazz Real Book Vol.1 "Jika". George has long been recognised by many in SA Jazz as a leading educator, despite himself having had no formal music training.

Having performed with many of our top jazz artists, his greatest contribution has been his tireless efforts working with young musicians across all communities, often providing opportunities of learning to talented youngsters who would otherwise not have had them.

He was also honoured for his role in preserving our jazz heritage, his contribution to The South African Jazz Real Book Vol.1 "Jika" being a prime example of this work.

Congratulations "Pappa G", and well done UCT for recognising this enormous legacy.

27/02/2026

George Werner, co-author of "The South African Jazz Real Book Vol. 1 Jika" leading a discussion today on "Documenting SA Jazz", at the 16th annual conference of SAJE (South African Association for Jazz Education), taking place this week at the UKZN Centre for Jazz and Popular Music in Durban.

03/06/2022

George Werner and the Little Giants

This short film documents The Little Giants' recording process for their album "Songs of our Fathers". Enjoy meeting some of the characters behind the music ...

31/05/2022

Then we also got wind of Ellwood Epps, improvising trumpeter & teacher from Boston (USA), who prepared a playlist for "Jika: The South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1)" on Youtube

Del dine videoer med venner, familie og verden

31/05/2022

Here's a nice touch for owners of "Jika: The South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1)":

Pianist and UKZN jazz educator Neil Gonsalves prepared this iTunes playlist in preparation for his teaching year incorporating the repertoire from Jika into his classes:

Playlist · 80 Songs

23/05/2022

George Werner in East London this week with the Umtiza Jazz Ensemble performing tunes from "Jika: The South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1)”, Umtiza Arts Festival East London Guild Theatre Stirling Music Centre & Auditorium

Umtiza Jazz Ensemble is a fitting tribute to Jazz Heritage in the home of legends and South Africa at large. This concert is carefully tailored for the jazz enthusiast. It celebrates the South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1), Jika”, a collection of leadsheets covering 116 compositions by 86 South African composers.
The book, fondly named "Jika" after an album of Winston "Mankunku" Ngozi, was put together over several years by two Cape musicians, educators and band leaders, namely trombonist Jannie "Hanepoot" van Tonder and pianist George Werner, who have both shared the stage with many of the musicians whose work is included. The book will also be featured on the Umtiza Books and Press Fair which will run at the EL Museum on Thursday and Friday in partnership with the South African Cultural Observatory. Umtiza Arts fest is delighted to welcome pianist to George Werner from Cape Town to work with the Ensemble and conduct a jazz workshop for local youth and artists. The selection of tunes will foreground the work of composers from the home of legends. Be sure to catch this concert which is a true celebration of our Jazz Heritage and the Umtiza way of celebrating Africa Day 2022.
All the info on poster below.

27/04/2022

Friday 29 April- Jazz Education resources

Jazz musician and educator, Natalie Rungan chats to George Werner, Jannie van Tonder and Billy Monama about their recently- released publications, as well as Pete Rosser, UK-based ABSRM examiner about their graded jazz syllabus.

27/04/2022

26/04/2022

Jazz-liefhebbers kan vandeesmaand uitsien na uitvoerings van musiek uit die eerste Suid-Afrikaanse bladmusiekbundel vir jazz op die Suidoosterfees.

26/04/2022

George 'PappaG' Werner is a true legend in SA Jazz. His work with The Little Giants and IMAD has inspired and enabled many a youngster to take up and instrument and get serious about playing. Several Little Giants alumni are now music lecturers at Universities in SA and overseas, and many of them have gone on to make a living playing music. He will be performing with the "Jika" band this weekend launching the South African Jazz Real Book at the Suidoosterfees in Cape Town, together with Hilton Schilder, Tete Mbambisa, Ramon Alexander, Tony Cedras, Muneeb Hermans, Byron Abrahams and Jannie Hanepoot van Tonder.

George Werner studied music under Merton Barrow at Cape Town’s Jazz Workshop in the early 1980s before becoming a professional musician in 1983, performing with numerous bands on the casino hotel circuit in Southern Africa and in musical theatre. He has performed and record with the likes of Winston Mankunku, Robbie Jansen, Duke and Ezra Ngcukana, Errol and Alvin Dyers, Sathima Bea Benjamin, Sylvia Mdunyelwa, Thandie Klaasen and Don Tshomela. Internationally he has performed in Germany, France, Japan, USA, Bahrain and Brazil.

George started teaching at the Jazz Workshop in the late 80s, MAPP, in the early 1990s. In 1999 he co-founded The Little Giants Youth Band with sax legend, Ezra Ngcukana. In 2006 he co-founded The Institute for Music and Indigenous Arts Development(IMAD) to address the lack of music education in the townships of Cape Town and the Western Cape.

Other music education program he has been involved in are “Music is a Great Investment” (MIAGI), Artscape, the National Youth Jazz Festival, TOMECY, COMART, schools such as Alexander Sinton, South Peninsula and Christel House, and the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) and University of the Western Cape where he still teaches, at present. He is the recipient of the 2012 South African Association for Jazz Education (SAJE) Distinguished Teacher Award and in 2018. November 2019 he received an Image award for Music.

He has produced albums for the Little Giants and the five-volume “Jazz Potjie” series on jazz in Cape Town. He continues as a professional pianist, Music Director of the little Giants and as co-founder and director of IMAD, the Institute for Musical and Indigenous Arts Development.