In less than a fortnight, hordes of jazz freaks and blinged-up schmoozers will descend on the Mother City for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. Percy Mabandu picks the acts they should not miss
AMEL LARRIEUX
The US singer-songwriter comes two decades late for many who first fell for her music in the mid1990s. Back then she was part of the duo Groove Theory, and released Infinite Possibilities, her debut album in 2000. It featured the chart-topping hit Get Up. Larrieux’s husband is her producer, Laru Larrieux, with whom she founded the independent label Blisslife Records. It has since released five records displaying a depth and diversity that should make her show in the Mother City refreshing.
COURTNEY PINE
The purists are in for a rare treat — an appearance by Britain’s most exciting veteran reedman. Pine has made more than 15 records as leader and sideman. And he brings a complex rhythmic palette, with a dexterity that makes him a joy to watch, whether playing bop or modal.
Local jazzheads will remember Pine’s work on Bheki Mseleku’s 1991 album, Celebration — and this connection gives Pine’s visit a special appeal.
GERALD CLAYTON
This 30-year-old pianist offers more evidence that a great jazz ear is a heritable gene: Gerald is the son of renowned bassist John Clayton and nephew of Jeff Clayton, with whom he plays a family outfit called Clayton Brothers. His latest album, Life
Forum , has won awed admiration from the new jazz generation. His compositions meld New Age sensibilities with old values, and the diversity of his collaborators says it all: from actor-poet Carl Hancock Rux to trumpeter Roy Hargrove to singers Gretchen Parlato and Sachal Vasandani.
MADALE KUNENE
“Bafo”, as Kunene is known to his fans, comes from a region replete with great guitarists, so it took a special gift to stand out as the undisputed king of Zulu guitar music. His sound combines the hallmarks of maskandi with an awareness of a broader musical landscape. Kunene dips into the ritual sounds of traditional healers to shape a secular, spiritual music that’s as festive as it is sacred. He is expected to bring together discerning audiences of all ages when he ascends to the stage.
BÄNZ OESTER AND THE RAINMAKERS
Each performance by this SwissSouth African jazz collaboration bears witness to the fact that sustained intensity can equal ecstasy. Swiss bassist Bänz Oester and saxophonist Ganesh Geymeier have teamed up with local pianist Afrika Mkhize and drummer Ayanda Sikade, and they’ve been touring together since 2012, recording two albums en route. This band’s vitality and shared passion for playing gives them the rare capacity to make each show an ethereal experience. They describe their exuberant sound as “music of intention”.