Cape Town - The Cape Town International Jazz Festival has released its third artist reveal, offering traditional jazz, hip hop and experimental sounds.
Collaborations also feature prominently with this batch of artists, as musicians from various nationalities will share the stage.
Blurring genres and upending expectations is Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles (US), led by organ virtuoso Cory Henry.
For starters, the Mike Rossi Project featuring John Fedchock (SA/US) will have Rossi, a professor of music from UCT, and two-time Grammy nominee Fedchock, an established world-class trombonist; and London- based saxophonist and composer Nubya Garcia (UK), who is one of the leading forces behind the resurgence of jazz-influenced sounds, take the stage.
The South Peninsula High School Band was also chosen from a selection of school bands who participated in the festival’s annual Sustainable Training & Development Music & Career programme.
One of India’s greatest masters of the tabla, Bickram Ghosh Quartet; Oliver Mtukudzi with special guest Vusi Mahlasela (Zimbabwe/SA), two of southern Africa’s greatest musicians and songwriters; and the Reza Khota Quartet (SA), led by Khota and including well-known local musicians, offering a range of experimental sounds, will come together to wow audiences.
Weaving swing, blues, avant garde jazz, bebop and African rhythms is how Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble (US) will bring Eastern modes and Western classical sounds.
Alfa Mist (UK), a self-taught pianist and rapper drawn to jazz and world music, who blends melancholic jazz harmony with alternative hip hop and soul, will feature.
The Mill, a South African/Swiss collaboration, will offer a mish-mash of horn arrangements, piano and razor-sharp guitar; Los Angeles-based musical duo Knower (US), featuring drummer-producer Louis Cole and singer Genevieve Artadi, and Keyon Harrold (US), whose music draws on elements of jazz, classical, rock, blues, and hip hop to create something uniquely modern.
Festival director Billy Domingo said: “For years, the festival has been known as Africa’s Grandest Gathering, and now our slogan has come home.
“It’s amazing that after all these years, our host city has become the events capital of the continent.”
“The growth of this festival has always been dependent on critique from our audience.
“We’ve listened, and next year we aim to deliver.
“In the last few years we’ve focused on artist collaborations instead of solo acts in order to offer our festinos a truly unique entertainment experience, encompassing more than one artist or group at a time,” said Domingo.
* Ticket sales for CTIJF 2019 are open at Computicket.