MAMA JAZ returns this April for its 11th edition, under the theme “The 11th Gate.” Staying true to its spirit of creation and improvisation, this year's festival highlights “Natural Intelligence,” celebrating human creative genius at a time when artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly prominent role in our societies. Concerts, performances and artistic encounters will take place throughout April in Port Louis, with the aim of bringing together a wide audience around a free and universal vision of music. Gavin Poonoosamy, the founder of this now-unmissable event on the local music scene, spoke to Expat.com.
MAMA JAZ returns in 2026 for its 11th edition under the theme “The 11th Gate.” What message lies behind it?
The slogan for MAMA JAZ's 11th edition in 2026 is “Natural Intelligence”, Intelizans Natirel in Mauritian Creole.
Our aim is to highlight the creative genius of human beings and the diversity of their many forms. Quite simply, we want to reinforce the idea that everyone has their own strengths. People should never forget them and, above all, should feel confident celebrating them.
At a time when artificial intelligence is expanding in every direction, it feels important to reaffirm that AI ultimately depends on human ingenuity. It remains a tool, a shortcut, a model of an operating system, nothing more.
Naturally, whenever a form of hegemony begins to appear, we believe it is important to restore a certain ideological balance. The widespread mainstream rise of AI raises a cultural issue for humanity on a global scale.
We should never limit ourselves to what is imposed on us. We must continue to create, innovate and expand our thinking.
What can jazz lovers in Mauritius expect from this new edition, and what about those who are unfamiliar with the genre?
MAMA JAZ is a festival dedicated to musical creation, improvisation and performance, spanning the entire 30 days of April.
While International Jazz Day has been part of the festival's mission from the very beginning, and jazz remains an idiom embedded in our DNA, we are much more than that.
It would be reductive to focus solely on jazz enthusiasts. Instead, we believe it is more appropriate to bring together everyone who respects silence, while welcoming every possible form of human musical expression, whether professional or amateur.
Creation, expressed through artistic intention, research and composition, is what matters most. Improvisation, understood as the ability to adapt or evolve an expression within a given moment, predates any musical categorisation. It will continue to accompany humanity far beyond music itself, because it is a natural human capacity that extends well beyond artistic practice. Finally, performance is a clear and deliberate process that mobilises the vital energy of the person who produces it. It is not simply about playing notes or chords; it is about transcending oneself in the expression of an intention.
So yes, we thank jazz and its many schools of practice and thought. But MAMA JAZ positions itself on a more familiar, simpler and more universal level: creation itself. As a result, everything we present within our different chapters is rare, distinctive and fascinating.
Each chapter of the festival is dedicated to a different theme. Can you tell us more about them?
The festival is structured around four chapters: Minit Mazik, Gran Konser, PARK LA MI FA and Zour Jaz lor Later.
Minit Mazik translates as “Magic Minutes.” It is a series of one-minute videos released throughout April, broadcast publicly and free of charge on social media and national television. These short pieces highlight the diversity, eclecticism and originality of a selection of artists and musicians, mostly Mauritian, who share humanist messages with the world through their words and musical ideas.
Gran Konser means “Grand Concerts.” This is a series of intense concerts with 150 seated places, held every Wednesday in April from 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm at the Galerie du Génie at EDITH in Port Louis. The concerts take place in a carefully curated production setting where rare and unconventional compositions by exceptional artists are showcased. Entry is ticketed, and each grand concert is a unique event.
PARK LA MI FA draws on street language and can be understood either as “Family Park” or “Come and gather here, family!” Every Sunday in April, from midday to 10:00 pm at EDITH in Port Louis, the festival offers free public access to major musical moments built around community, togetherness, good vibes and great food.
This chapter is organized in collaboration with La Scène d'Edith, an artistic programming project taking place in EDITH's inner courtyard. The venue can host up to 2,000 people in a format combining standing, seated, table and chill areas, exactly as envisioned for Park La Mi Fa. As part of the programme, an incredible live artist performance is scheduled at 3:00 pm.
What are your personal highlights for this year?
Simply being able to hold another edition of the festival and stay true to our course already means a great deal to us.
Working in a new space is also exciting. The old quarters of Port Louis have incredible charm, and there is something powerful about the magnetism of 18th-century stone architecture combined with contemporary design.
The grand concerts will once again be wonderful moments.
We love all our artists and every chapter of the festival. It's difficult to highlight one thing above another when everything is unique.
With so many concerts happening across the month, how can people attend?
This April, our activities will be physically centred at EDITH in Port Louis.
The Wednesday evening grand concerts will take place at the Galerie du Génie, while the Sunday public events will be spread across EDITH's inner courtyard and the Galerie du Génie.
For more information or to access ticketing, visit: mamajaz.org.
Tickets for the Wednesday grand concerts in April and for KRI on April 30 cost Rs 800 in presale and Rs 1,000 at the door, if any remain.
The festival pass, called the MAMA KOMBO PAK, grants one person access to six paid events and costs Rs 3,000. It will be available for purchase until April 1, while stocks last.
After 10 years, how would you evaluate the festival's journey?
MAMA JAZ is quite unique. In fact, it's the only festival of its kind in the world. Over the years, it has received support from the National Arts Fund of Mauritius' Ministry of Arts and Culture on two occasions, and it was also awarded the first cultural and creative industries fund from the Indian Ocean Commission, supported by the French Development Agency (AFD).
The festival has also been recognized for excellence in cultural innovation by the Ministry of Tourism, awarded the Made in Moris label, and inducted into the pantheon of the Mauritius Research & Innovation Council. MAMA JAZ is also a partner of the Indian Ocean Music Market (IOMMA) and participates in International Jazz Day under the auspices of UNESCO.
Since its creation, the festival has produced more than 400 performances. Most of these have featured Mauritian artists, but we have also welcomed international performers from South Korea, Greece, South Africa, Mozambique, Spain, England, Bulgaria, Poland, France and Réunion Island.
Today, the festival is connected to a network spanning 190 countries, and our content is followed online in around 70 countries.
Through national television, partner radio stations and social media, what we do reaches a critical audience of more than 800,000 people.
It has been an unconventional yet incredibly rich journey, especially because we continue to maintain momentum year after year. We never allow ourselves to become complacent. We keep evolving and striving to improve.
What I can say is that no two editions are ever the same. Social and cultural contexts are constantly shifting, and global events influence each stage of the festival in different ways.
What have been the greatest challenges and the most memorable moments?
Simply coming into existence and growing over time has already been a challenge, carving out our space while also encouraging others to do the same.
The years 2020 and 2021 were also transformative for us in many ways.
Another deeply significant moment was the passing of Belingo Faro on stage last year, which left a lasting mark.
Each period comes with its own balance, its own obstacles, and its own demands. But every experience also holds something valuable, a lesson or discovery that ultimately allows us to grow.
Gavin, you are now a well-known figure on the Mauritian music scene. Outside of Mama Jaz, who are you in everyday life, and what are your passions?
That's a beautiful question. Right now, I'm actually trying to separate who I am from this “month”, April, that has become so closely associated with me, and it's not always easy.
I see myself as a sensitive and patient person, someone who strives for kindness and stability, and who seeks a natural alignment between inner values and outward expression.
I enjoy contemplating both the tangible and the abstract. I pursue activities that stimulate me physically as well as intellectually. I try to welcome other people's ideas without judgment.
I love learning new things, and I enjoy travelling.
How do you see the future of jazz in Mauritius?
With one less “z.”
