Arts, Culture and Sport
South Africa: Cape Town International Jazz Festival kicks off
The Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF), one of the largest jazz festivals in Africa kicks off today in South Africa. The festival will feature South African, African and international artists. Affectionately referred to as “Africa’s Grandest Gathering”, the CTIJF will run for two days with a mix of jazz performances from stars including Manu Dibango (Cameroon), Jonas Gwangwa (SA), Judith Sephuma (SA), Kamasi Washington (USA), and Andra Day (USA), among others.
One of the biggest festivals in Africa, the annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) started today at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in South Africa. The festival, which is now its 18th year brings together a mixture of remarkable big names and newcomers.
Affectionately referred to as “Africa’s Grandest Gathering”, the CTIJF is one of the largest musical events in sub-Saharan Africa, and also one of the biggest jazz festivals worldwide, and it will run for two days with a mix of local and international jazz performances.
The festival brings together from around the country and region musicians, and artists, exposing the public to a great mix of South African, regional and international jazz artists. The programming – unique to the CTIJF is made up of a 50/50 split between South African artists and international artists respectively.
Artists such as Darren English, Deepak Pandit, Dope Saint Jude, En Vougue Dan Brubeck, Dave Koz, Lauryn Hill, James Ingram, Jonas Mosa Gwangwa and Friends, Judith Sephuma and many big artists will be performing at the festival. More than 40 contemporary artists will grace the five stages and thrill the estimated 37,000 music lovers from across the worldwide expected to attend the festival.
Manu Dibango Photo: Flickr/ Sonia Ponzo
This year 83-year-old Cameroonian legend Manu Dibango will grace the stage, teaming with Sama-winning Mozambican Moreira Chonguiça. Dibango is arguably one of Africa’s best jazz saxophonists.
According to CTIJF, today (Friday), multi-award winning reedman Kamasi Washington (USA) shares his vast expertise in jazz and music composition with young fans and jazz enthusiasts in a rare, intimate setting that’s open to questions and audience participation.
Read: FESPACO: Celebrating Pan-African Film and Television Festival
The festival will also serve as an important marketplace for many young up-and-coming artists to meet and liaise with leading artists, and performers to inspire dialogue and explore musical opportunities.
The inaugural CTIJF took place in 2000, and over the years the attendance has increased tremendously from 14,000 to about 37,000 in recent years.
The festival attracts big names from across the world, and it’s now ranked as one of the top jazz festivals worldwide competing with Switzerland’s Montreux and Holland’s North Sea Jazz festival.
If you are in #Cape Town this weekend this is a festival that you can’t afford to miss out on.
Read: Old language, dazzling sounds at Cape Town World Music Festival
Africa's Grandest Gathering is finally here! #CTIJF2017 pic.twitter.com/uphDMeNbgx
— CAPE TOWN JAZZ FEST (@CTJazzFest) March 31, 2017
Thank you #CapeTown for showing out last night at #GreenMarketSq! We're looking forward to tomorrow's show! #EVOnTheRoadAgain #CTIJF2017 pic.twitter.com/2VSy2tv8BW
— En Vogue (@EnVogueMusic) March 30, 2017
Rehearsing with Skyjack, catch us on Saturday night at the @CTJazzFest on the Rosie's Stage pic.twitter.com/zZlnQJrMJG
— Shane Cooper (@shanecooperbass) March 30, 2017
