"If it's music, sweet music, let it play," is the philosophy of Jamaican-hailing reggae band Third World - one of the headline acts. Originally formed in 1973 in Kingston, Third World has over its three-decade-spanning career interwoven subtleties of funk, soul, R&B and rock into reggae music, releasing 23 albums in total.
Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist and producer, Marcus Miller is another major artist who headlines the festival. While Millers' main instrument is bass, his prolific work started in the late 70s. He has worked as an arranger, songwriter, film score composer, keyboardist, clarinetist and saxophonist. A live set from Miller can include an odd mix of anything from The Talking Heads to John Coltrane and The Stylistics. Some of his best known work is with Miles Davis during the early 80s.
Harlem-born songwriter and vocalist Patti Austin and her trio will perform hits ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to Avant Gershwin. Austin has a legacy of 16 solo albums that cross musical boundaries.
Completing the headliners of international performers is Kansas City-born vocalist Kevin Mahogany. Starting off his career as an instrumentalist, Mahogany has focused his career on being a jazz vocalist in the style of Joe Williams. Currently he runs his own label called Mahogany Jazz.
Quincy Jones is responsible for discovering and introducing Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez to the festival organisers. The impromptu performance of Rodriguez in Jones' lounge for organisers Rashid Lombard and Billy Domingo convinced the pair that Rodriguez was a natural fit for the festival.
Other international performers at the festival include Chinese minimalist solo pianist Xia Jia and French bossa nova-meets-nu-wave act Nouvelle Vague. Joining them is Allen Stone, a storytelling guitarist and singer from Washington who could be described as a funky white boy with soul. Angolan afro-funk singer and composer Gabriel Tchiema complete the line-up of international acts.
South African trumpeter and bandleader Hugh Masekela returns to the festival and presents a special project for the first time on local shores. Masekela will rally up an army of musical giants for Mama Africa, a tribute to the great songbird Miriam Makeba. Masekela as musical director joins forces with a powerhouse trio of vocalists: Vusi Mahlasela, Thandiswa Mazwai and Zolani Mahola. The show made its debut at the Rio Loco Festival in Toulouse, France in June, 2010, and has since travelled to Barcelona, London and Berlin.
Dorothy Masuka will also perform at the festival. Masuka rose to fame in the 50s as a struggle artist as a singer alongside the likes of Masekela and Makeba.
HHP, aka Hip Hop Pantsula, and Cape Town's Ill Skillz, aka Ill Literate Skill, join the line-up. HHP is a multi-SAMA award-winning rapper and alongside Ill Skillz represent fresh and youthful South African voices.
There is a huge focus on African roots and rhythms on the festival line-up this year. Pietermaritzburg-born saxophonist Steve Dyer has been on the South African music scene for some time but he has constantly evolved musically. His latest project Ubuntu Music will be released as an album this year and performed at the festival for the first time. His band features pianist Bokani Dyer, bassist Shaun Johannes, trumpeter Lwanda Gogwana and drummer Andre Swartz.
In a similar vein, South African bassist Herbie Tsoaeli will be presenting his debut album "African Time". Harmonica player Adam Glasser has spent significant time between South Africa and the UK, collaborating with major artists from both countries, such as Dudu Pukwana and Toots Thielemens. Glasser will present his latest album" Mzansi" at the festival. Cape Town-based saxophonist Victor Kula grew up in Rylands and now resides in Gugulethu. He has kept his musical associations proudly local and is greatly influenced by the late Winston 'Mankunku' Ngozi. Hassan'adas led by percussionist John Hassan experiments with Marrabenta and African jive rhythms.
Old-school glitz and glamour diva Sophia Foster, one of SA's sisters of song also joins the line-up. Another kind of diva, ex-fashion stylist Lindiwe Suttle initiated her career as a vocalist with Rus Nerwich and The Collective Imagination in 2008. Now Suttle has returned from Berlin with a more electronic focus on her debut album "Kamikaze Art", courtesy of engineer Dave Kutch whose previous work includes Al Green and Alicia Keys.
Zakes Bantwini has himself confessed that his live performance launches a wilder alter-ego, "Zakhele Madida (his real name) is actually a shy guy and a bit reserved. When I 'm on stage I am in a trance and the Zakes Bantwini character takes over. He just comes out". Bantwini is one of the few South African artists who has managed to cross the boundary of afro-house and live jazz. Radio personality, Idols judge, singer and songwriter Unathi will also perform at the festival. Fans can expect new material from Unathi since she recently released her third album "With Love".
Tickets for the festival are R400 for a single day pass and R550 for a two-day weekend pass. As in previous years, there is an additional fee of R30 per act for performances at the Rosies stage.
Tickets are available at Computicket and Shoprite-Checkers stores.
For more information, go to www.capetownjazzfest.com
