Cape Town - It was with a last drum beat from Louis Moholo-Moholo that the 2018 Cape Town International Jazz Festival came to a close on Saturday night.
The 19th edition of the annual event attracted approximately 37000 people to watch 41 musical performances on five stages on two nights.
This year jazz enthusiasts took as many videos and pictures as possible and embraced many of the stages that weren’t hosting pure jazz acts.
Amanda Black and Black Motion were particular fan favourites on the first night.
Other Friday night highlights included local favourites Mi Casa and Alistair Izobell as well as The Liberation Project Acoustic Band featuring the legendary Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse. International acid jazz band Incognito entertained the partying crowd with a slick set of their epic anthems.
On Saturday Simphiwe Dana stunned with an amazing performance and a first - her 13-piece all woman band - which showed what woman power can do to up the music stakes - from exquisite flute playing; to supreme sax, drums, bass guitar playing - you name it - all beautifully orchestrated and synchronised.
The audience seemed to know every song by heart and sang and danced and clapped along to the many favourites. Dana also used the stage as a platform to make a call for woman's rights and heeding a call for peace and harmony in this centennial year of Madiba.
One of the highlights of Saturday evening was The Boy’s Doin’ It: A Celebration of Hugh Masekela’s Life and Music performance featuring artists who had worked with the legend who died in January. The extremely moving tribute produced many tears and strong feeling of emotion in the packed auditorium as Putuma Tiso, Tshepo Tshola and Selema Masekela among others performed in his honour.
Ethiopian Mulatu Astatke's unique brand of traditional music fused with jazz was well-received to say the least by an ecstatic audience. Claire Phillips had the crowd dancing in the rain, while Tank and the Bangas and esp Young Legend contest winner Jarrad Ricketts set the Bassline stage alight.
Roll on 2019 CTIJF!