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Cape Town – The second batch of artists for the 18th Cape Town International Jazz Festival was announced by organisers on Tuesday.
espAfrika, the organiser of the country’s longest running jazz festival, has pulled out all the stops to ensure that the 18th Cape Town International Jazz Festival exceeds the expectations of its devoted fans.
The billing, highlights Festival Director Billy Domingo’s insights into the current musical renaissance around the world, where collaborations are producing unique sounds that are gaining new audiences. The second batch of stars for this year’s CTIJF - which takes place on 31 March and 1 April 2017 - speaks to this movement and adds even more richness and diversity to the event’s reference library of jazz, soul, African and contemporary music.
Introducing the official #CTIJF2017 Second Artist Announcement, proudly produced by @espafrika pic.twitter.com/cgrVIUhZ1j
— CAPE TOWN JAZZ FEST (@CTJazzFest) January 24, 2017
The second batch of artists are:
Saxophonist, producer and composer Kamasi Washington (USA) and his release The Epic shook up the jazz critics’ pick lists in 2015 and won the 2016 American Music prize, earning new fans across the world in the process; Grammy-nominated songstress Andra Day (USA) whose song Rise Up has been adopted as an anthem for change throughout the world; vocalist, pianist, composer and music educator, and two-time Metro Music Award winner Nomfundo Xaluva (SA); and, the multi-award winning saxophonist, composer and arranger Buddy Wells, who will lead his own band in a sensitive yet blistering set as the Buddy Wells Sextet (SA).
Those who favour urban sounds and hip hop will find appeal in these artists who offer everything from the fresh, dreamy inspiration of a British producer in his early 20s to the harder-edged, funky flavours of a trio of respected (and long-missed) Brooklyn veterans: Alternative hip hop trio Digable Planets (USA); dance/electronic music producer Jameszoo (NL); STTA (SA) – a live concept band and City Festival Battle of the Bands 2016 winner, comprising of drummer Jstar, turntablists DJ Raiko and DJ P–Kuttah, three live beat machine samplers, versatile vocalist/ Nasty J aka Joniq; and singer/composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Tom Misch (UK), who leaves his London bedroom studio to head to Cape Town for the first time in March.
Those seeking the ancestral roots of jazz and hip hop in African music will be captivated by these artists, offering music from the deserts of Mali, Morocco and the Kalahari: Jokko is a supergroup of African instrumentalists that brings together five top-ranking players of traditional instruments, all fluent in the modern languages of pop, dance and jazz. Renowned balafon (wooden xylophone) player Aly Keita, stringed instrument (guembri and ghayta) player Mehdi Nassouli, Foulane Bouhssine “the Mozart of the ribab”, bassist Childo Thomas and, Senegalese drummer Sega Seck.
Also announced in the second half of the CTIJF 2017 line-up, are some of our country’s greatest talents, from big local names to rising stars: South Africa’s ‘unofficial minister of music’ whose social commentary takes root in preserving the heritage of indigenous music, the legendary composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer “Pops” Mohamed (SA) will be gracing the CTIJF stage.
Another South African great, the multiple award-winning and platinum-selling group Mango Groove (SA) whose unique ‘Maribi-Pop’ sound has been delighting world audiences since the 80’s; Khayelitsha-based Arts & Culture Focus School Chris Hani High School (SA) will bring the talents of young past and present students to the CTIJF stage, including students from the CTIJF’s Training & Development programme, with a mix of jazz and African influences; this year’s special performance by Camillo Lombard presents a Cape Town Showcase (SA) will profile consummate Cape Town legends who have made their mark in the music industry for over four decades. The line-up will include Sophia Foster, Terry Fortune, Sylvia Mdunyelwa, Sammy Webber and Songstress Vicky Sampson. The Cape Town Showcase also boasts a stellar 14-piece band that comprises a six-piece rhythm section, five horns and three backing vocals.
Festival-goers will be delighted by performances from multiple award-winner vocalist and songwriter Thandiswa Mazwai (SA); SAMA-winning, Congolese-born, Cape Town-based vocalist/composer Tresor (SA); and Sonik Citizen (SA) one of the many musical identities of multi-talented performer, composer and teacher, and multiple award winner Mark Fransman, who will showcase his “lyrical-soul-rock” style at the CTIJF.
Previously announced artists include:
Jazz supergroup Jazz Funk Soul with Everette Harp, Jeff Lorber & Paul Jackson Jr (USA); En Vogue (USA); Ernie Smith (SA), VuDu (SA); Rudresh Mahanthappa Bird Calls (USA); Gretchen Parlato (USA); Siya Makuzeni (SA); Skyjack (SA/ SWISS); Tune Recreation Committee (SA); Darren English (SA/ USA), Jonas Gwangwa & Friends (SA).
Taylor McFerrin and Marcus Gilmore (USA); Dope Saint Jude (SA); Laura Mvula (UK); Judith Sephuma (SA); The Rudimentals (SA); Sekunjalo Edujazz Band (SA); Manu Dibango (Cameroon) and Moreira Chonguica (Mozambique); Deepak Pandit (India); Marcus Wyatt (SA) and Ranjit Barot (India); Escalandrum (Argentina); and Soweto String Quartet (SA) .
Tickets:
Weekend Passes: R1190 available from Computicket.
Day Passes: R690 available from Computicket.
Follow CTIJF on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more info.
