Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Jazz on the Rocks promises to be a party of note with its extensive line-up of local and international performers.
The concert takes place in Tietiesbaai in the Columbine Nature Reserve on the West Coast later this week.
Included in the line-up are international musicians such as US saxophonist Elan Trotman, while local acts include The Rockets and Dr Victor and the Rasta Rebels. Also in the line-up is saxophonist Don Vino, who has made an appearance at the festival every year since its inception.
“It has evolved only in positive ways,” he said. “Since the very first one, it had a really small crowd, it was still just a party. They’ve evolved in terms of crowds and musicians.
“People can expect a good time from each and every band that performs on that stage, from jazz to pop to R&B to reggae. They made a good choice by not boxing the thing in with one genre of music.”
Vino will be performing as part of a trio of saxophonists in a performance called Sax on the Rocks, with Liverpool saxophonist Andrew Young and emerging Cape Town saxophonist August West.
Don Vino will perform with Andrew Young and August West in ‘Sax on the Rocks’. Picture: Supplied
“People can expect some beautiful balance,” said Vino. “I mean, we’re all saxophone players. We’ll play beautiful ballads, love songs and stuff like that. And at the end of the set, we’ll just go all out and have a party on the stage.”
There will be an open-mic contest, with the winner being given the chance to return to the following year’s festival.
“It’s a space where thousands of people come together, they share this space,” said festival organiser Lovetta Bolters. “People’s attitude to each other, their approach is just amazing to witness and it’s driven by the music and the surrounding beauty.
“In the beginning, there wasn’t a cellphone signal, so it forced people to interact a little more than usual.”
Bolters said the festival attracted up to 20 000 attendees over the course of the weekend.
“The impact on the environment must be contained,” Bolters said. “We offer nature walks in which we identify fynbos, so that young people can get to understand the nature of that particular environment. At the same time we’re enjoying the festival, we must be attentive and aware. Before we depart on Wednesday morning, we conduct environmental checks, and we do the same once we pack up and leave.”
Jazz on the Rocks will take place from February 27 to March 1.
Here's the line-up
Thursday 27th February 2020
- 16h30-17h30 Fingertip Band St Helena Bay
- 18h00-19h00 Heart & Soul Paarl/Kraaifontein
- 19h30-20h30 VJR ft Richard Ceasar Cape Town
- 21h00-22h00 Stanley Engelbrecht Paternoster
- 22h00-23h00 Tieties Divas feat. Salome, Karin & Vuvu Mitchells Plain/Grabouw/Kraaifontein
- 23h00-00h00 The Rockets CapeTown/Springbok/Cape Flats
- 00h00-01h00 Early B & Uncle Cal Port Elizabeth/Matroosfontein
Friday 28th February 2020
- 16h00 17h00 The Pedestrians Cape Town/Cape Flats
- 17h30 18h30 Lady Litsa & Lorendo Brown Cape Town/Cape Flats
- 19h00 20h00 Public Opinion feat. Lee Stagg Paarl/Atlantis
- 20h30 21h30 Ladgens Tribute Band Vredendurg 22h00 23h00 Dr. Victor Kimberley
- 23h00 00h00 DJ Superfly (Le Club Sessions) Athlone 00h00 01h00 DJ Rory Cape Flats
Saturday 29 February 2020
- 10h30-11h15 Jazz Yard Academy Bonteheuwel
- 11h30-12h30 Chadleigh Gowar Kuilsriver
- 13h00-14h00 Sax on the Rocks ft DonVino, Andrew Young & introducing August West Elsies River/Liverpool
- 14h30-15h30 Candice Thornton & Brown Sugar Cape Flats
- 16h00-17h00 Sons of Sellassie Lotus River
- 17h30-18h30 Elan Trotman USA
- 19h00-20h00 Elritmo Cape Flats
- 20h30-21h30 Zami and Fancy Gugulethu
- 22h00-23h00 Jeodhouse Cape Flats
- 23h00-00h00 DJ Marius Westcoast
Sunday 1st March 2020
- 11h00-12h00 Jodi Hendricks Cape Town
- 12h30-13h30 Hassanadas tribute to Moses Taiwa Molelekwa Mozambique
- 14h00-15h00 Dolce Vita Johannesburg
- 15h30-16h30 Neville Nash & Friends feat Sandra Butler & Molly Barron Johannesburg
- 17h00-18h00 Mo Funk Cape Flats
- 18h00-19h00 Alistair Izobell Mitchells Plain
- 19h00-22h00 Brian Bohorne & Ernie Payne Athlone/Cape Flats
Weekend passes can be purchased at the Paternoster Community Hall from February 27-29 or at 0215915208.