Cape Town International Jazz Festival celebrates ten years of success

The Cape Town International Jazz Festival has proved many sceptics wrong. When the organisers launched the event in 2000, many felt that the description of the festival as Africa Grandest Gathering was a bit precocious. Others thought that the event, like other previous attempts to have an annual international jazz festival on the African continent, would fizzle out. In April 03-04 2009, the festival which attracted 33 500 people in 2008, turns ten.

Over the years the festival has evolved into something more than a musical event. In addition to the music workshops and clinics that take place during the festival, for many attendees what counts is the whole experience of coming and being in Cape Town.

“This event has also raised the global profile of Cape Town, helping to build our reputation as an attractive destination and a centre of cultural excellence in Africa and the world. Our city’s tourism and hospitality industries are indebted to the festival for bringing in larger numbers of national and international visitors than virtually any other event in the city”, said Mayor of Cape Town, Helen Zille.

Reading from the first half of artists announced for next year, there will clearly be no departure from programming that has made the Cape Town International Jazz Festival where jazz sits comfortably with other jazz-related genres such as Afro-pop, soul, funk, blues, Latin and hip-hop. Next year’s headliners will include award-winning jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, jazz-funk king Maceo Parker and smooth jazz guitarist Peter White. Legendary South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela will join the three also as a headline act. His appearance at the festival forms part of his 70th birthday celebrations.

Those who prefer straight-ahead jazz sounds can look forward to John Coltrane’s disciple Dave Liebman, Miles Davis’ drummer Al Foster, a cappella group called New York Voices, local veteran drummer Maurice Gawronsky Quartet and Clint Eastwood bassist son Kyle Eastwood.

To expose local talent, festival organisers have contracted vocalist Emily Bruce and bassist Jonathan Rubain, both from Cape Town.

One of the trademarks of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival is to honour groups that display longevity as well as young African musicians who are making it big internationally. To be honoured next year for their staying power are The Stylistics whose sound goes back to 1968, acid-jazz group Incognito and Loading Zone; a Cape Town-based that celebrates twenty years of the group’s existence in 2009. As for bands who currently hold the African flag high, we have a cappella quintet Zap Mama, South African master balladeer Ringo Madlingozi, indomitable Freshlyground and Rus Nerwich’s collective imagination.

The success of the festival would have not been possible had it not been the generosity of sponsors. The gold sponsors for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2009 are, South African Broadcasting Commission (SABC), South African Rail Commuters Corporation (SARCC) and the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC). Other sponsors and/or funding principals include Grolsch, RGBC, The City of Cape Town, Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sports, Cape Town Routes Unlimited, Cape Town Central Improvement District, Cape Town Partnership, Cape Town Tourism, SA Tourism, Peninsula Beverages, Transnet Port Terminals, Alliance Francais, Embassy of Spain, French Republic, IFAS, Flemish Representation in Southern Africa, Samro Endowment for the Nation Arts.

Ticket prices for the 2009 Festival are: single day passes will be R330.00 and full weekend passes will be R485.00. As in previous years, there will be an extra fee of R25 for patrons wishing to attend concerts on the Rosies stage.

Tickets are available from Computicket and Shoprite-Checkers stores.

Telephone Number: 021 422 5651
Client's name: Cape Town International Jazz Festival
Website: http://www.capetownjazzfest.com