The 22nd edition of the festival will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in April.
The Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) recently announced an addition to its line-up for this year's edition. Pictures: Supplied & realblackcoffee/Instagram
It will be a blend of the new and the old at this year’s edition of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) after the organisers announced the second phase of their line-up.
“For us, the magic of CTIJF lies in its ability to bring together artists who honour the legacy of jazz while fearlessly pushing it forward,” said Talent Manager of the CTIJF Lindsay Rhoda.”
In its latest artist announcement, the festival added young, impactful artists to the line-up who are often overlooked by larger-scale festivals in the country.
Trombonist and composer Malcolm Jiyane, singer-songwriter Bongeziwe Mabandla and iPhupho L’ka Biko were the latest recently revealed by the festival.
“This year’s line-up is a testament to that vision, showcasing musicians who embrace their roots while crafting new sonic landscapes,” averred Rhoda.
Western Cape collective, The Ploemies, and Indian band Bombay Lights were also announced recently.
According to the CTIJF these artists share a common thread — they honour tradition while fearlessly forging new sounds, they transcend borders yet remain deeply rooted in their cultural identities, and they push the boundaries of jazz, alternative and fusion music into uncharted territories.
This is the 22nd edition of the festival. It will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on 25 and 26 April.
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Grammy-award-winning producer and DJ Black Coffee and world-renowned South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini were the first artists announced earlier this year.
For the CTIJF, the pair will, for the first time, put together a set that will combine Makhathini’s jazz sounds with Black Coffee’s dance tunes.
Their performance will also feature an orchestra, horns, percussion and some very special guests singing some of the well-known pieces from the duet.
Other more senior performers for the CTIJF include Lira, Thandiswa Mazwai and Victor Masondo Quartet ft. Thembi and Bheki Khoza. US singer Ari Lennox is also due to perform.
The CTIJF’s second phase announcement of artists comes as many international music festivals postpone or cancel long-running events.
At least 25 international music festivals have confirmed they will not take place this year due to rising production and logistical costs. Others have cited the unavailability of preferred artists as a reason.
On what was supposed to be its 20th edition this year, US music festival Pitchfork Music Festival was one of the first to announce that it wouldn’t be taking place in 2025.
“As the music festival landscape continues to evolve rapidly, we have made the difficult decision not to host Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago in 2025,” read the festival’s statement in late 2024.
But the trend is yet to reach South African shores as music festivals such as Hey Neighbour and the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz show their intentions to give South African music lovers festival experiences this year.
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