Sixteen Years ago Herbie Hancock headlined a stellar line-up at the North Sea Jazz Festival at the Good Hope Centre in Cape Town.
Since then the event renamed the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, has grown to become a major event on the World Jazz calendar, the attendance figures also showed tremendous growth from 14 000 to more than 34 000 since 2000. The demand for tickets is so huge that SOLD-OUT are put up soon after they become available, having been snapped up by locals and international Jazz fans alike. The increase in fan numbers prompted the organizers to move the festival from the Good Hope Centre to the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Over the years the Cape Town International Jazz Festival attracted International award winning artists the likes of Patty Austin, George Benson, Norman Brown, Jonathan Butler, James Ingram, The Manhattan Transfer, Marcus Miller, Andy Narrel, Stanley Clarke, Cassandra Wilson, Rick Braun, Al Di Meola and who can forget the Buena Vista Social Club.
The festival has also presented local talent, Miriam Makeba, Kyle Shepherd, Bongani Dyer, Judith Sephuma, Mafikizolo, Mi Casa, Hugh Masekela, Jonathan Rubain, Don Veno and Busi Mhlongo to name but a few.
This year it’s no different with headline acts like Basia, Al Jarreau, Mike de Torro, Courtney Pine, Amel Larrieux with a good sprinkling of local talent like Melanie Scholtz, Claude Cozens, Gavin Minter, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Pacific Express and the 2015 Open Mic competition winner Zoe Modiga to name but a few.
Doors at the Cape Town International Convention Centre open 18h00 on Friday 27 March and 16h00 on Saturday 28 March.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Zoe Modiga kick off the festival on their respective stages on Friday evening and on Saturday evening The Delft Big Band, Claude Cozens and Ringo Madlingozi get the festival underway.
Billed as Africa’s Grandest Gathering, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival is going to be the hottest ticket in Cape Town this weekend but if you have not yet secured yours, you can hope to see some of the artist popping up unannounced at the many Jazz Venues around Cape Town.
Cape Town in Colour 