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MUSIC
Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2010
Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Tel: 083 915 8000.
Time:
Price: R330 (single day), R485 (weekend pass)
Performances: 3 - 4 Apr 2010
Genre: Jazz
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The festival’s eleventh edition will feature two living
music luminaries; the renowned guitarist/vocalist George Benson as well as
United States (US) saxophonist Charles Lloyd.
The two will share the Cape Town International Convention
Centre (CTICC) stages with headline acts announced at the end of 2009: the
McCoy Tyner Trio which has saxophonist Gary Bartz as a guest; violinist
Regina Carter in her exploration of the music of the African Diaspora with
her Reverse Thread project; the high register-hitting vocalist Rachelle
Ferrell, the older statesman of jazz Toots Thielemans and our Jonathan
Butler who brings with him US trumpeter Rick Braun and Scottish-born
saxophonist Richard Elliot as guests. “As organisers we are thrilled to
have George Benson and Charles Lloyd on this year’s line-up”, says
ecstatic festival and EspAfrika director Rashid Lombard. “As we promised,
the quality of musicianship at the festival won’t be compromised by the
all-round international financial squeeze around us”.
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Known for his splendid and spectacular live performances,
Benson will on both nights of the two-day festival close the main Kippies
stage. On Saturday, he will stage a George Benson: “An Unforgettable
Tribute to Nat King Cole” concert. A 28-piece South African orchestra will
accompany the master guitarist/vocalist in paying tribute to
one of the most important musical personalities of the
twentieth century, Nat King Cole. Dubbed the
George Benson “Greatest Hits” show, the performance the following day will
be completely different. The fans will have the opportunity to hear on
that night all the hits that Benson has belted out over the years. He
promises to dig deep into his musical well for award-winning hits such as
‘This Masquerade’, ‘On Broadway’ and ‘Give Me the Night’.
Cooking up a storm on the Rosies stage will be the Charles
Lloyd New Quartet. Formed in 2007, Lloyd’s new group with pianist Jason
Moran, bassist Reuben Rogers, and drummer Eric Harland has been making
waves with its pristine and beautiful music. With a knack to produce
instant classics, the saxophonist’s latest recording Rabo de Nube with the
quartet, received numerous accolades when it was released and was one of
the best straight-ahead jazz albums in 2008. Like his 1965 Forest Flower
album –one of the first acoustic jazz recordings to sell more than a
million units – the new CD not only opens up new musical vistas, but is a
signpost of where twenty-first century jazz is going. Lloyd who turns 72
in March has a huge fan base in South Africa and jazz appreciation clubs
in the country’s townships regularly play his music. His appearance in
Cape Town is a platform for him to connect with followers of his music.
Like in previous years, the 40-bands who are part of this
year’s bill of artists will share five different stages - Kippies as the
main stage of the festival; Moses Molelekwa stage for less known but very
talented musicians; Basil “Manenberg” Coetzee stage for those that
specialise in fusion and other experimental music; Bassline for
contemporary jazz-related contemporary style such as hip-hop and kwaito;
and the Rosies stage reserved for more acoustic sounds.
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