Jazz fest picks best from near and far
The Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2016 announced the first half of its line-up yesterday. Theresa Smith and Helen Herimbi report
THE CAPE Town International Jazz Festival will take place on April 1 and 2 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre over five stages and will again gather the cream of the contemporary international jazz scene as well as what’s hot on the local scene.
The second half of the line-up will be announced late next month, but tickets went on sale yesterday afternoon. A weekend pass will cost R895 and you will have to pay R590 for one day’s entry. Limited tickets at R30 for the Rosies stage will be available from December 3.
Though up to 37 000 patrons can be accommodated at the Convention Centre over the two days, tickets sell out fast so keep an eye on Computicket or www.capetownjazzfest.com for ticket details.
The first 20 acts to be announced are:
THE SONGBIRDS
MASTER of re-invention, singer, songwriter and producer, Angie Stone, started out in a hip hop group in the 1970s and has since had success in R&B and soul. The evergreen songstress has also starred in the R&B Divas franchise.
SWV, which stands for Sisters With Voices, has seen Coko, Leelee and Taj live up to that name. At the forefront of exceptional vocal harmony groups, expect to hear hits like Weak and Downtown.
Equally adept at jazz standards and R&B sensibilities, Lizz Wright is a US vocalist and percussionist. After releasing four critically acclaimed albums, her fifth album, Freedom and Surrender, was released last month.
South African newbie, Tribute Birdie Mboweni, has quickly risen to stardom. The petite songstress who has a distinctly soulful voice is known for songs like MaGumede and Soul ’n Heart.
Having worked with the likes of Judith Sephuma and Jimmy Dludlu, South African vocalist and pianist, Thandi Ntuli, is in good company. A regular on festival stages, Ntuli is a class act.
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
AFTER having one of the most talked-about comebacks in local history, Mafikizolo have transitioned from Afro-pop darlings to PanAfrican powerhouses. They will take the audience through their repertoire.
BadBadNotGood are a Canadian trio who thrive on letting their music talk for them. Devoid of any vocals except when collaborating with popular acts, the instrumental outfit are known for their take on hip hop tracks.
Drummer Tumi Mogarosi’s music is rooted in jazz, but he sometimes plays around with sounds that don’t traditionally fit that mould. His album, Project Elo, is short for Project Elohim to reflect his spirituality.
Motswakoriginator, Khuli Chana, has been an integral part of mainstream South African hip hop and has often performed with local pop act, Muzart (minus the vocalist) as his band. This time, the new Muzart line-up, including vocalist Rori, will join Chana on stage.
TopDog are a South African band that have performed with Jonathan Butler as well as Peaches and Herb. The 17th annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival will be a big outing for the group on their own.
NOT TO BE MISSED
GRAMMY Award-nominated Malian duo, Amadou Bagayoko on guitar and vocals and vocalist Mariam Doumbia, bring a touch of Afro-blues on their third visit to South Africa.
Santoor player and vocalist, Rahul Sharma, (India) and saxophonist George Brooks (US), fuse Hindustani classical music with modern jazz for a real-time exploration of new musical territory.
Sama-nominee, singer Vusi Nova, and selfmade star, Nathi, started working together when Nova insisted the local phenom record a version of Noma Kanjani with him.They will probably mix up Afro-soul and pop to great effect.
Singer, songwriter, rapper, bassist and vocalist, Meshell Ndegeocello (US), is credited by some as having sparked the neo-soul movement. The multiple Grammy nominee who draws on everything from reggae through funk, jazz and whatever else works for her, released her 11th studio album Comet, Come to Me, last year.
Standard Bank Young Artist (2012) pianist, Afrika Mkize’s compositions are deceptively simple and provide the framework for some magical improv on stage. Both Mkize and British flautist, Eddie Parker, draw inspiration from Bheki Mseleku, so their collaboration
MAESTROS
CUBANfirebrand, Roberto Fonseca, started off being more interested in drums which probably explains the very percussive style he brings to the piano. The pianist last played the festival in 2012 and has been touring as a solo act since 2013, hence the act roberto SOLO fonseca.
Tenor saxophonist, Mark Turner (US), cites John Coltrane and Warne Marsh as influences, but over the past three decades has grown into a steady influence himself, playing with everyone from Aaron Goldberg to David Binney. Hopefully, he will play the Jazz Festival with Avishai Cohen, Joe Martin and Marcus Gilmore, the musicians who recorded with him on the Lathe of Heaven album, but no word yet whether he will come out alone.
Multiple solo bassist, Grammy winner Victor Wooten (US), is considered one of Rolling Stones Magazine’s Top 10 bassists of all time. No details were forthcoming yet about who he will play with.
Jazz Attack will feature founder trumpeter Rick Braun, guitarist Peter White and saxophonist Euge Groove. Now a contemporary jazz trio, Jazz Attack draw on three artists who are very spontaneous so the potential for mindblowing improv is there.
Locals, the Benjamin Jephta Quintet, are relatively new when compared to the preceding maestros, but have the potential to one day be counted among the best, mixing up as they do old-school nostalgia and new-school innovation. Double bassist Jephta leads a particularly talented crew in Kyle Shepherd on piano, Sphelelo Mazibuko on drums, Marcus Wyatt on trumpet and Sisonke Xonti on saxophone.