THERE are less than 1 000 day passes left for this year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival, so jazz lovers better hurry up because the line-up is set.
The second half of this year’s line-up was announced on Tuesday in Joburg, bringing the programme up to 41 distinct acts across five stages on two days.
Three-time Grammy winner, vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, and trumpeter Irvin Mayfield will be accompanied by the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. While she has played in Joburg before, this visit to South Africa will be a first for Mayfield as they present their distinctive New Orleans funk.
For some old-school flavour, Capetonian jazz rockers Pacific Express will be giving us a whole lot of love, reuniting in the spirit of uncommercial bands who find wide appeal because they are good.
Also on the old-school side, Prophets of da City (PoC) will show youngsters Jitsvinger how things are done. Both Cape Town-based hip hop acts join the line-up, probably on the Bassline stage.
Jitsenic are MC, composer and beat-maker Jitsvinger plus producer Arsenic, while PoC’s line-up fluctuates, but be sure that DJ Ready D will not pass up this chance. This will be PoC’s first appearance at the Cape Town Jazz Festival since they first formed in 1982.
The underground hip hop duo from Harlem, New York, Cannibal Ox (Vast Aire and Vordul Mega), will celebrate the reported release of their second album, Blade of the Ronin, at the beginning of March, with a visit to Cape Town and probably the Jazz Festival’s Bassline Stage. New York MC Mr Cheeks (one of the original founders of The Lost Boyz) and DJ Jason Smith will join them on that stage.
Capetonians TheCITY will add urban jazz electronica to the mix, while the prince of house, Donald, will bring his voice and legion of fans bowled over by his great music videos.
Another old hand at the festival circuit is vocalist Al Jarreau, who returns to Cape Town (he played here in 2007 with George Benson). Still a firm favourite on local radio stations, Jarreau is the only person to win Grammy Awards in three different vocal categories – jazz, r&b and pop.
Our own legends will also take to the stage: master trumpeter Hugh Masekela will join forces with Zimbabwean vocalist Oliver Mtukudzi along with Durban bassist Victor Masondo, Capetonian singer Ringo Madlingozi and the Princess of Africa, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, who will each take to stages for solo gigs.
Vocalist, trumpeter, saxophonist and just your basic teenage prodigy, 19-year-old Andrea Motis, and her music mentor and saxophonist in his own right, Joan Chamarro will teach us about Catalan jazz.
Known as Thundercat to fans, multi-genre bassist and vocalist Stephen Bruner (US) doesn’t just stick to jazz but experiments with genres and artists – he has worked with artists ranging from Erykah Badu to Wiz Khalifa.
Keyboardist and composer Jason Miles (US) will present To Grover With Love, a tribute to Grover Washington, with the help of bass guitarist Gerald Veasley and saxophonist Marion Meadows.
On the local side, The Gavin Minter Septet will also fly the flag for Cape Town, while poet and actress Naima McLean will return to the Jazz Festival.
Dutch pianist Mike de Ferro will feature tenor saxophonist Tony Lakatos in his trio, while local pianist Mike Perry will lead his trio (Spencer Mbadu on bass and Richard Pickett on drums) in paying tribute to saxophonist Winston Mankunku
Heathfield High School’s Jazz Band are this year’s lucky teenagers who get to experience the festival from the stage, showing us their big band skills.
The 21 acts join the previously disclosed 20 acts (which include Basia, Melanie Scholtz, Courtney Pine and Sons of Kemet) for the 16th International Jazz Festival, which will take place on March 27 and 28 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.