The 2009 Cape Town International Jazz Festival that takes place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on 03-04 April will be a "mother of all celebrations". Not only is the Festival celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, other major milestones are also being celebrated and achieved at this year's festival.
Legendary trumpeter and crowd favourite Bra Hugh Masekela celebrates his seventieth birthday on stage with us this year. In addition, Cape Town-based band, Loading Zone is celebrating its twentieth anniversary at this year's festival as well. The two acts are part of the initial nineteen artists announced in December 2008.

From the second list of musicians unveiled today, the celebrations' theme continues. In the new line-up is South Africa's guitar wizard Dr. Philip Tabane as well as award-winning saxophonist McCoy Mrubata. This year, Tabane who uses guitar vamps to create Venda rhythms completes five decades as a bandleader. He formed his first band in 1959. Mrubata who now resides in Johannesburg, turns fifty in this year. What better place to honour him than the city of his birth?

But the biggest celebration that takes place at "Africa's Grandest Gathering" involves suave vocalist Abigail Kubeka. Exactly fifty years ago, saw the opening of South Africa's biggest jazz opera King Kong. Besides being seen in its first year by more than 120 000 people, the musical helped launch international careers of people such as Masekela and Miriam Makeba. Kubeka is one of the few cast members who is still alive. At this year's festival she will give a performance dedicated to Makeba and the music of the King Kong era. "Given the stature of Miriam Makeba it was imperative that we dedicate a performance to her memory. Who else can do this besides Abigail Kubeka", asked EspAfrika and festival director Rashid Lombard.

Not everything will be celebratory or taking audiences down memory lane at the festival that has seen attendance grow from 15 000 in 2000 to 33 500 last year. The organisers are sticking to what is clearly a winning formula: parallel presentation of forty bands on five stages over two days; equal split between African and overseas artists; and programming that puts jazz side-by-side with jazz-related genres. The twenty groups that were announced today are in line with this innovative programming. Like in previous years, there is everything for everyone at this year's festival.

This round, the coup for the festival's booking agents was to secure on their list the guitarist Jonathan Butler/saxophonist Dave Koz-collaboration. Both musicians are leaders internationally in the world of smooth jazz. Since his move to the US, the star of South Africa's guitar virtuoso has been rising. Twice, he has won a Grammy nomination. Known for his vocalising skill, Butler now and again collaborates with the US saxophonist. Koz was a guest in Butler's 2005 CD, Jonathan. In December last year, the two appeared in concerts dubbed Dave Koz & Friends: A Smooth Jazz Christmas. With a huge fan base in Southern Africa, Koz's collaboration with Butler will definitely be a crowd-puller.

Talking about crowd-pullers another act that promises to draw thousands is Shakatak.. Formed in 1980, the group has demonstrated enormous staying power. It continuously releases hits that go the top of billboard charts. The UK jazz-funk band - vocalist Jill Saward, keyboard player Bill Sharpe, bassist George Anderson, guitarist Alan Wormald and drummer Roger Odell - is big all over the world, with its 1980's hits like "Mr Manic & Sister Cool", "Down on the Street" and "Watching You" remaining up to this day hot club favourites.

Festival goers are in for a treat as one of hip hop's most talented wordsmiths, and multi-award nominee Mos Def joins the line-up. Along with Talib Kweli, Def formed Black Star, whose self-titled debut album (1998) is regarded as one of the most influential hip hop albums to date. Further success has followed with his three solo albums, spinning off singles like "Mathematics" and "Miss Fat Booty". Mos Def pushes boundaries as he incorporates jazz, funk, rock and blues into his music. An accomplished actor, Def may also be seen on both stage and the big screen taking part in films such as "The Italian Job", "Monster's Ball" and Be Kind, Rewind".

Another collaboration that is billed as a headline act is between Dutch pianist Mike del Ferro, South Africa's diva Sibongile Khumalo and locally-based saxophone talent Shannon Mowday. In July 2008, the three brought down the house at the National Arts Festival in a show called "Jazz meets Opera". Besides all three growing up in musical families, the trio is comfortable in musical idioms other than jazz. Also present is Cape Town Jazz Orchestra, the first professional and city-wide jazz orchestra in post-apartheid South Africa. The 16-piece unit is a brainchild of the legendary pianist Abdullah Ibrahim. "This initiative is not only to strengthen its standing on the global stage but to create a link between the talented youth and what has gone before and, at the same time, create opportunities for musicians to take their rightful place in society" said Minster Pallo Jordan- Department of Arts and Culture

Other artists announced today are: 340ml (Mozambique); Prisoners of Strange (RSA); Goldfish (RSA); Kyle Shepherd (RSA); Magic Malik (France); Napalma (Brazil/Mozambique); Ndumiso Nyovane (RSA); Pete Philly & Perquisite (Netherlands); Robert Glasper and The Experiment (US); Shakatak (UK); Siphokazi (RSA); Southpaw (RSA) and Stewart Sekuma (Mozambique)

The above artists join an initial lineup of musicians announced in December 2008. These were: Al Foster Quartet, Arturo Lledo (Spain), Dave Liebman Group (US), Dianne Reeves (US), Emily Bruce (RSA), Freshlyground (RSA), Hugh Masekela (RSA), Incognito (UK), Jonathan Rubain (RSA), Kyle Eastwood (US), Loading Zone (RSA), Maceo Parker (US), Maurice Gawronsky (RSA), New York Voices (US), Peter White (UK), Ringo Madlingozi (RSA), Rus Nerwich's collective imagination (RSA), The Stylistics (US) and Zap Mama (Belgium).

The Gold Sponsors for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival is the SABC, SARCC and DAC.

Head: Group Communications of the SABC, Kaizer Kganyago, said: "The National Public Service Broadcaster, as the country's biggest communicator and a responsible corporate citizen, aims to move beyond its mandate and play a meaningful role in our country's economic, social and cultural development. We are therefore extremely proud to be one of the Gold Sponsors of the 10th Cape Town International Jazz Festival. The SABC not only broadcasts quality programmes to viewers and listeners, but also contributes towards a shared South African consciousness through programming that inform, educate, but also entertain. The SABC's sponsorship of Cape Town's "grandest gathering" is based on the fact that the National Public Service Broadcaster believes in supporting and developing the local music industry and talent. We wish to congratulate the organisers on this momentous occasion and pledge our support of the festival."

South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC) marketing manager Zipho Mavimbela said; "The arts and festivals such as the CTIJF, assist us to promote passenger rail, used by millions of South Africans daily. The strategic purpose of government's investment in rail is to ensure that passenger becomes a mode of choice for the traveling public in the long term. The CTIJF gives us an opportunity to demonstrate the continuous improvements in our service. Just as this festival appeals to all, so will our passenger rail service appeal to all in the not too distant future".

Ticket prices for the 2009 Festival are: single day passes will be R330.00 and full weekend passes will be R485.00. As in previous years, there will be an extra fee of R25 per artist for patrons wishing to attend concerts on the Rosies stage.