Bra Hugh’s spirit lives at Cape Jazz Fest
THE Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) has announced four new, exciting acts for its upcoming 19th edition. Leading the announcement is a timely tribute to Africa’s greatest jazz icon and long-time friend of the festival, the late Hugh Masekela. Celebrating his long history with the CTIJF, from performing at the very first festival in 2000, to his many on-stage appearances over the years, this emotional tribute, The Boy’s Doin’ It: A Celebration of Hugh Masekela’s Life & Music (SA), is endorsed by the Masekela family.
Concluding the 2018 line-up are emerging global artists Tank and the Bangas (US), Masego (US) and South Africa’s own Black Motion (SA), offering a mixture of fresh and influential sounds and live performances.
CTIJF festival director Billy Domingo sums up this year’s line-up: “The 2018 offering encompasses the full scale of the jazz genre. This line-up showcases diverse cultures and musical styles to reveal the complexity of the music… This year, it is only natural that we pay tribute to the great Bra Hugh.”
Few African musicians have captured the essence of the continent’s sound as did Masekela, who died last month. For 78 years, South Africa was gifted with a phenomenal innovator who impacted African jazz with a unique brass tone and storytelling style that transcended the societal divide. Some of the country’s best players will present the tribute, highlighting the genius of this influential trumpeter, flugelhorn-player, singer and composer. The tribute will revisit the work of this remarkable showman, showcasing his succinct lyricism. Festival-goers can expect evergreens from the Masekela songbook – township anthems that carry the weight of our history but live on to inspire.
New Orleans act Tank and the Bangas (US) has a knack for combining styles – fiery soul, deft hip hop, deep-groove R&B and subtle jazz – into one dazzling, cohesive whole that evokes the scope of New Orleans music while retaining a unique feel of its own. “It’s music that can’t really be put in a box,” said singer/poet Tarriona “Tank” Ball.
“One show will feel very electronic or hip hop, and another will feel slow and vibey, and then another will just be poetry and off-the-cuff riffs,” said drummer Joshua Johnson.
Southern swagger, Jamaican blood with a South African name, Masego (US) is a gumbo of culture and creativity. His music is best described as trap/house/jazz. Masego’s journey began on YouTube. His soulful singing caught the attention of many producers like Kaytranada, Sounwav, and new greats like KRS-One and Medasin.
The house and hip-hop rap of dance/electro duo Black Motion (SA) has clinched Sama Awards for Best Duo/Group of the Year and Best Dance Album. Smol and DJ Murder teamed up to form Black Motion in 2010. Their breakthrough came when they joined Spirit Motion and produced the hit single, Banane Mavoko.
The CTIJF 2018 artist line-up includes Alistair Izobell (SA), Amanda Black (SA), Corinne Bailey Rae (UK), esp Young Legend 2018 Jarrad Ricketts (SA), Incognito (UK), and Simphiwe Dana (SA), among many others. Visit www.capetownjazzfest.com for more information.
● The 19th Cape Town International Jazz Festival takes place on 23 and 24 March 2018 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Day passes are still available at Computicket: http://bit.ly/2ziapOM