Cape Town International Jazz Festival

Cape Town News & Events » Events » Music, Theatre and Dance

Posted for 27 Mar 2012

Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2012 hosts a Sensational Mix Of International Icons For Jazz Festival 2012 which will take place from 30-31 March at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

The Cape Town International Jazz Festival, now heading for its 13th year, is an integral part of South Africa’s cultural landscape and a highly respected global event on the international live music festival calendar. Each year the event attracts a thrilling range of the world’s leading jazz and jazz-related artists, as well as a contingent of top quality local and development acts.
Leading South African event and artist promotion company, espAfrika, today announced the first 17 confirmed acts for next year’s 13th Cape Town International Jazz Festival

For the first time the festival brings multi grammy award-winner and back-to-back platinum gold selling vocalist James Ingram (USA) with hits such as Just Once and I Don’t Have The Heart. Ingram is best known for his hit collaborations such as Yah Mo Be There, Baby Come To Me and How Do You Keep The Music Playing.
Returning to the festival is award winning sensational music icon, internationally renowned jazz saxophonist Dave Koz (USA) with special guest Patti Austin (USA), six-time Grammy nominee and premier jazz and jazz-fusion guitarist Mike Stern (USA) performing with accomplished drummer Dave Weckl (USA), as well as South Africa’s own Virtual Jazz Reality (SA).

Serious jazz lovers can look forward to international jazz veterans the Brubeck Brothers, Darius (piano), Chris (bass) and Dan (drums) with special guest Mike Rossi (sax) playing as Brubecks play Brubeck (USA/SA). Jazz master bassist, Ron Carter (USA), saxophonist Donald Harrison (USA), creator of the the Noveau Swing Jazz style, and jazz fusion drummer Lenny White (USA), from Return To Forever fame, will be cooking up a storm on the Rosies Stage. Other artist to look forward to on the Rosies Stage include the Andre Petersen Quintet (SA) who will be launching their debut album.

Attracting the younger audience is indie hip-hop band Atmosphere (USA), as well as South African born female MC Jean Grae (USA). Other artists included in the first artist announcement include Cape Town electronic duo Goodluck (SA), South African songbird Zamajobe (SA) and local rising soul star Zahara (SA), all set to take the Bassline Stage by storm.
Audiences will be treated to a dynamic performance, by The Jason Reolon Trio (SA), as well as Alfredo Rodriguez (Cuba), a young pianist of astonishing virtuosity and imagination, discovered and introduced to the festival by legendary music icon Quincy Jones, and Grammy award winning tenor saxophonist David Sanchez (Puerto Rico) and Lionel Loueke (Benin), who has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame over the past several years, as his special guest.
Audiences will also see The Moreira Project (Mozambique) fill venues with their unique afro-jazz sounds, as well as youth development band the Alexander Sinton High School Jazz Band (SA) who have been selected to open the festival on the Saturday.

“We are extremely excited about the variety of the line up. Audiences can expect an sensational mix of world-renowned icons and top quality rising stars, both local and international, young and old, and male and female. As usual we have put together a few exciting collaboration performances which promise audiences some spectacular shows,” said Rashid Lombard, festival director and CEO of espAfrika.

The Cape Town International Jazz Festival is managed by leading South African event management company espAfrika. As part of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and espAfrika’s commitment to the sustainable development of the Music Arts industry, from musicians to production personnel, the festival provides a significant platform for development.

The festival proudly presents a series of workshops that take place at various venues throughout the CBD and greater Cape Town area over an 8 day period. This social investment component explores various elements of the jazz world and includes Arts Journalism, Music Workshops, Music Business, Master Classes as well as many other workshops. Another element of the CTIJF is the esteemed Duotone Photographic Exhibition that documents the emergence and growth of jazz globally.

The Community Concert (free to all) will take place prior to the festival on the Wednesday before on 28th March 2012 on Green Market Square and is a showcase of some of the international and local acts scheduled to perform at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.

Ticket prices for the 2012 festival are R400 for a single day pass.
A two-day weekend pass is R550.
As in previous years, there will be an extra fee of R30 per act for patrons wishing to attend concerts on the Rosies stage.
Tickets are available at Computicket and Shoprite-Checkers stores.

The gold sponsor for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2012 is the Department of Arts and Culture. Other sponsors include Provincial Government of the Western Cape, The City of Cape Town, Oude Meester, Hansa Pilsner, Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Cape Town Partnership, and the Western Cape Education Department. The official broadcast sponsor is Mzansi Magic.

For more information on this year’s event go to www.capetownjazzfest.com

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