The Crypt

About The Crypt

The birth of The CRYPT Jazz Restaurant is the realization of a dream shared by five people, all of whose love of jazz and good food drove them to open a jazz club in Cape Town. The team is led by entrepreneur Derk Blaisse, along with jazz musicians Mike Rossi, double bass player Wesley Rustin and bassist Spencer Mbadu, as well as Diane Rossi, who brings with her extensive experience in arts and culture administration, both in South Africa and the United States.

Their dream is shared by the Dean of the St George’s Cathedral, Michael Weeder, a jazz enthusiast himself, who has a vision for Cape Town’s Cathedral as the ‘people’s church’ reaching out to diverse communities through The Crypt - and the universal language of jazz music.

Three of the founders of The Crypt are jazz music teachers, including American born Mike Rossi, Professor of Jazz and Woodwinds at UCT and President of SAJE (South African Association for Jazz Education), who is particularly excited about showcasing young talent at The CRYPT, where they will be exposed to a local and international audience. A saxophone artist, Rossi regularly performs at jazz festivals and conferences, and conducts workshops and master-classes in Africa, South America, Europe and the United States.