January Jazz at the Cape Town Jazzathon

Cape Town's V&A Waterfront welcomes locals and visitors alike to enjoy the delights of the 2009 Cape Town Jazzathon, a free, four-day jazz festival

The 13th annual Cape Town Jazzathon is a four-day jazz festival that features top South African jazz musicians and provides an excellent platform for local and international exposure. The festival is free to the public and the programme includes a variety of special workshops, including drum circles and dance workshops at various venues (to be announced).

JCQ Productions celebrates the 13th anniversary of the Cape Town Jazzathon at the V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre from 8th to 11th January 2009.

As usual, this Cape Town jazz festival will feature an amazing line-up of African and South African artists from all over the continent and many of the live performances will feature Cape Town artists.

The Cape Town Jazzathon is sponsored by the City of Cape Town, the provincial government of the Western Cape, the Department of Arts and Culture, Heart 104.9FM and Cape Town Tourism in association with The Cape Town Summer initiative.

The most exciting feature at the upcoming Jazzathon is the way the producers have managed to trace the journeys of artists who performed at the festival over the past decade.

The Jazzathon’s aim is to prove that music and musicians have grown tremendously over the past 13 years, by highlighting artists who have previously performed either as session or backing musicians, but grown to recreate their own individual talents, presentations and projects.

The festival, which is well-known for introducing the Cape Town public to young and upcoming musicians, will start at 13h00 and end at 21h00 daily.

The programme features a diverse line-up of community artists, well-known musicians and celebrities, and is one of the only festivals to include a special day dedicated to a full programme of female musicians on “Jazzathon Diva’s Day” (Fri 9 January).

The Cape Town Jazzathon has been instrumental in public awareness of local music and performers since 1997. Musicians like the young Camillo Lombard, Allou April, Judith Sephuma, Jimmy Dludlu, and Women Unite have not only became household names but they have also inspired a whole new generation of musicians.

“The most beautiful thing about the Jazzathon,” says Craig Parks, festival director, “is that every year a few superstars are discovered at this showcase”. The words of bass player and composer, Jonathon Rubain, suitably sum up the dynamics of The Cape Town Jazzathon: “For a few years I sat watching my heroes on stage. Now I am able to share the stage with my heroes.”

Cape Town Jazzathon 2009:

Date: 8 – 11 January 2009
Venue: V&A Waterfront Ampitheatre
Location: V&A Waterfront | Cape Town
Time: 13:00 – 21:00
Price: Free

For more information on the times and programme please contact: +27(0)83 340 8904

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