The annual Cape Town Jazzathon will light up the V&A Waterfront again after three years of absence. The popular three–day event attracts thousands of music lovers who share a passion for jazz.
Craig Parks, the festival Director and founder of JCQ Productions, sat down with IOL Entertainment ahead of the event taking place from January 13-15.
“It feels absolutely amazing to be able to bring Jazzathon back to the V&A after a three-year break from Covid.
“The fact that Jazzathon is now in its 26th year is proof that the festival is one of the premier events on the Cape events calendar.
“JCQ Productions, the producers of Jazzathon, have embarked on monthly workshops around the Western Cape, where we find amazing talent in rural areas.
“Our plan is to ensure that these upcoming musicians will rise from grassroots level to eventually perform to an international audience. Jazzathon has evolved from being a showcase of local musicians only to becoming an internationally recognised festival.”
A proud Parks explained: “Jazz is alive and well, it's a sound that will never die.
“Despite the curve balls that the pandemic threw at us and the great musicians lost, the industry is sustaining itself by empowering new generations of jazz music all the time.”
Also fondly known as “The Peoples Festival”, the iconic event will feature at least six performances daily, between 12pm and 10pm.
Parker announced that the festival adds a different format from this year on.
“JCQ Productions, producers of the Cape Town Jazzathon, will host two festivals – a free festival in January and a ticketed festival in July 202.”
“The Cape Town Jazzathon Summer Showcase – Amphitheatre, V&A Waterfront, January 13-15, and then Jazzathon Jazz & Jams in July – The Grand Arena, GrandWest on July 28, 29, 30.”
The line-up for Friday includes: Artscape Youth Jazz Band, IMAD KhayeliTsha, Ocean's Riff, Young Visitors, The Fantastics.
On Saturday: Mitchell's Plain Music Academy,Catapult Foundation, GL Music Academy, Weskus Maestros, CW Music Foundation, Jazz Yard Academy.
On Sunday: Bottelary Blokfluit Blasers, Quintessence, African Soil 4 Jesus, ArtWorks, The Little Giants and concluding the festival is The Lekker Crew.