The final announcement of artists for the 2012 Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF2012) was recently announced at Katzy’s in Rosebank, Johannesburg.
This year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival will take place on March 30 and 31. In its 13th year, the festival continues to titillate South African audiences with the finest in local and international performers at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). The headliners reflect the festival’s philosophy of broadening audience’s perspectives of what is understood as ‘jazz’.
Marcus Miller
Marcus Miller is another major artist who headlines the festival. While Millers’ main instrument is bass, his prolific work started in the late 70s. He has worked as an arranger, songwriter, film score composer, keyboardist, clarinetist and saxophonist.
Patti Austin
Patti Austin and her trio will tour her Grammy award-winning jazz program which includes hits ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to Avant Gershwin. Austin has a legacy of 16 solo albums which cross musical boundaries.
Kevin Mahogany
Completing the headliners of international performers is Kansas City-born vocalist Kevin Mahogany. New Yorker Magazine has labelled him “The standout jazz vocalist of his generation”. Starting off his career as an instrumentalist, Mahogany has focused his career on being a jazz vocalist in the style of Joe Williams.
Alfredo Rodriguez
The legendary Quincy Jones is responsible for discovering and introducing Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez to the festival organisers. The impromptu performance of Rodriguez in Jones’ lounge for organisers Rashid Lombard and Billy Domingo convinced the pair that Rodriguez was a natural fit for the festival.
Other international performers: at the festival include Chinese minimalist solo pianist Xia Jia and French bossa nova meets nu-wave act Nouvelle Vague. Joining them is Allen Stone, a storytelling guitarist and singer from Washington who could be described as a funky white boy with soul. Angolan afro-funk singer and composer Gabriel Tchiema completes the line-up of international acts.
The Local acts will include: Hugh Masekela, Vusi Mahlasela, Thandiswa Mazwai, Zolani Mahola. Steve Dyer, Lindiwe Suttle, Sophia Foster, Victor Kula, Herbie Tsoaeli, Adam Glasser, Rus Nerwich, Dorothy Masuka, HHP, Ill Skillz, Zakes Bantwini and Unathi.
The gold sponsor for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2012 is the Department of Arts and Culture. Other sponsors include Provincial Government of the Western Cape, The City of Cape Town, Cape Town Routes Unlimited, Oude Meester, Hansa Pilsner, Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Cape Town Partnership and the Western Cape Education Department.
Tickets for the festival are R400 for a single day pass and R550 for a two-day weekend pass. As in previous years, there is an additional fee of R30 per act for performances at the Rosies stage.
Tickets are available at Computicket and Shoprite-Checkers stores.
For more information visit www.capetownjazzfest.com
