Festival set to ‘blow your minds’

FANS will be treated to old favourites and some dynamic new collaborations when the Cape Town International Jazz Festival begins tonight.

The festival, now in its 15th year, is expected to attract more than 35 000 music lovers for two days of jazz and music played across five stages.

UK music veterans Shakatak, who played at a free concert on Wednesday night in the pouring rain, said yesterday that Cape Town audiences were among their favourites.

“We feed off your energy,” bassist George Anderson said before being interrupted by vocalist Jill Saward who said “we have to – we’re so old now, we need something”.

Jimmy Dludlu has teamed up for a guitar quartet with Saudiq Khan, Alivin Dyers and Richard Caesar.

Dludlu said the performance would “celebrate where we are as a country and as a continent at this point in time”. It would push the envelope with guitar versions of songs by legendary South African artists like Brenda Fassie.

“We’re going to blow your mind,” Dludlu said.

In another unique collaboration, young pianists Kyle Shepherd and Bokani Dyer will play on two grand pianos on the Rosies stage.

Other acts include Mozambique-born artist Jaco Maria, pop artist Jimmy Nevis, Sibongile Khumalo, Jamie Cullum and Judith Sephuma.