Publications
Partners
- The Cape Town International Jazz Festival had its free concert on Thursday night.
- The line-up featured local and international acts, including Judith Sephuma, Matt Bianco and Kujenga.
- The free concert comes ahead of the festival's official proceedings from 3 to 4 May.
The Cape Town International Jazz Festival marked a long-awaited return with its free concert at Green Market Square on Thursday night.
The concert takes place before the festival's main proceedings from 3 to 4 May at the Cape Town Convention Centre.
Despite numerous postponements, the concert and festival had good timing since International Jazz Day took place earlier this week on 30 April.
The free concert's line-up consisted of DJ Autto, 10-year-old DJ Sophia, Jerome Rex, Micaela Kleinsmith, Kujenga, Judith Sephuma and Matt Bianco.
The night was hosted by radio personalities Megan Edwards and Bobby Brown. DJ Easy ensured all the hits were played in between the artists' sets. The concert also had impromptu dance competitions that saw a few attendees win free festival tickets.
One of the winners, Mercia Rhoda from Mitchells Plain, said, "This is my first time winning anything ever. I enjoyed the dancing and I wouldn't mind doing it someday again… This is my first time at the concert."
As the night progressed, the square filled up, and the crowd enjoyed the stellar line-up of musicians.
DJ Autto and DJ Sophia opened the concert; their two sets warmed up the early arrivals ahead of the night's headliners. The crowd was treated to yaadt classics and nostalgic needle drops.
READ | Cape Town International Jazz Festival set for grand return this year after several postponements
Arendsvlei actor and musician Jerome Rex then took to the stage with a funk and hip-hop-infused performance. He dropped Afrikaans and English lyrical stylings over jazzy instrumentals provided by a live band. As the night's first live performer, he brought the energy that the night needed.
SA country singer Micaela Kleinsmith gave a soulful performance that opened with a cover of Lira's Feel Good. She also did a few of her original songs, which really showcased her top-notch songwriting.
Kleinsmith won Apple TV's first season of My Kind of Country in 2023 and performed her original song Stupid Love, which was featured on the show.
Seven-piece jazz fusion band Kujenga blew the crowd away with a mostly instrumental performance. They didn't miss a beat while playing their complex compositions. Individual members also showed off their technical skills.
With their high-energy music also came a political message, with bassist Zwide Ndwandwe saying their music is for "all oppressed people" worldwide and extending their support to Palestine.
Kujenga's modern and rollicking sound brought a refreshing balance to a night that was heavy on nostalgia, and their entire set was genuinely thrilling.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis also made an appearance, walking on stage while his April Fool's song played. He introduced one of the night's biggest acts - Judith Sephuma.
The crowd was all warmed up when SA music legend Sephuma took the stage - and she did not disappoint. She had the stage presence of a seasoned professional with the audience in the palm of her hand. Her band, which featured three backing singers and two keyboardists, equalled Sephuma's phenomenal vocals.
The selections for her set featured her most well-known songs and some deep cuts. Her immaculate performance of A Cry, A Smile, A Dance was maybe the big highlight of the night. Sephuma thrives on the live stage and she was the perfect choice for the free concert.
The jazz group Matt Bianco was the big headliner of the night with a smooth and sophisticated performance. Known for tracks like Half a Minute and More Than I Can Bare, their sound has dashes of bossa nova and sophisti-pop.
Mark Reilly fronts Matt Bianco, and their live set featured backup singers and an upright bass player. They were clad in suave outfits and ended the main line-up on a debonair note.
SEE THE FULL LINE-UP FOR THE MAIN FESTIVAL HERE:
General admission tickets for the main festival are priced at R950 per night, but there will be surcharges at R30 per show for the Rosies and Molelekwa stages.
Festival goers must purchase a general festival ticket and then buy surcharged show tickets.
General admission tickets can be bought on Ticketmaster.
