Cape Town - Africa’s grandest gathering and South Africa’s original and much-loved jazz fest – the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) – is back with a bang.
After a three-year break due to Covid-19, the CTIJF will continue its 21st anniversary celebrations that were postponed in 2020, with a line-up, new look and several surprises, that celebrate its roots but with a nod to the future, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, on Friday March 17 and Saturday March 18, 2023.
South Africa’s queen of Afro-jazz Judith Sephuma is thrilled to be returning to Cape Town to entertain festival goers.
“The Cape Town International Jazz Festival holds a special place in my heart. I performed at the very first one and am happy to be at this, the 21st event, to share my music with Festinos again.
There has been a definite gap in the music festival calendar without the CT Jazz Fest these past couple of years, so I am delighted it is back, and it promises to be amazing – as usual. I hope to see you all there,” Sephuma said.
The stages for 2023 are: Rosies, which jazz purists will appreciate for the exceptional audio quality of the acoustics complementing the performers’ sound; Kippies retains its position in the main mall on the ground floor and will be the place to groove to more familiar names, while the open-air Downtown stage (formerly Manenberg) will be the place to discover new beats, names, and jams.
The festival also announced that highly respected music impresario, Billy Domingo, and the festival director for many years, has retired from espAfrika, the organisers of CTIJF. .
New chief executive of espAfrika, Amit Makan said: “The CTIJF has grown to embody the diverse talent and star power of South African artists, while also providing a platform for residents to experience international music performers they would not usually be able to see.”
In keeping with the Afri-Futurism theme for the 21st anniversary and looking to the digital future, the festival will also launch a new audience engagement platform (AEP) and Festino experience app.
The app, which will go live later this year, will allow festival goers to stay up to date with what’s happening, navigate the festival on the day, as well as enter competitions and spot prizes.
Tickets are available from www. ticketmaster.co.za
Costs: Day Pass – R750 per person per day
Weekend pass – R1 200 per person
Rosies stage –R30 additional cost to ensure seating
Cape Times