JILL SCOTT SET TO HEADLINE CAPE TOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL

 The 13th Cape Town International Jazz Festival line-up has been bolstered by the addition of three exciting internationally acclaimed artists. They are Texas-born jazz vocalist and popular standard singer Steve Tyrell (USA), Hip Hop artist Pharoahe Monch (USA) and master vocalist, poet and actress Jill Scott. 

This year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival will take place on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 March. In its 13th year, the festival continues to titillate South African audiences with the finest in local and international performers at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).  

In 2000 Scott released her much anticipated debut record Who is Jill Scott? Words & Sounds, Vol.1. This double platinum selling album earned Scott several Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist. Two more critically acclaimed albums followed; Beautifully Human: Words & Sounds, Vol. 2 and The Real Thing: Words & Sounds, Vol. 3. Both garnered two more Grammy Awards and spawned multiple worldwide tours. 

Texas-born jazz vocalist and popular standard singer Steve Tyrell (USA) also joins the bill. He is known for the self-produced and critically acclaimed album A New Standard, released by Atlantic in 1999. In 1986 Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram recorded Tyrell’s Somewhere Out There which won two Grammys (including Song of the Year) and received an Oscar nomination. Three years later, Ronstadt recorded Tyrell’s Don’t Know Much featuring Aaron Neville which earned both her and Neville a Grammy win for Best Vocal Performance.  

Hip Hop artist Pharoahe Monch (USA), completes the line-up bringing the total number of performing artists to 41.  Known for his popular hit Simon Says, the New York native was originally part of Organized Confusion with partner Prince Poetry. Today the former visual artist works on his own, recently having released W.A.R. (We are Renegades). The music video for the new single off the album, Still Standing, was released on February 5 and features fellow Jazz Festival performer Jill Scott.  

These three acclaimed performers join an already star-studded line-up of artists, with this year’s headliners reflecting the festival's philosophy of broadening audience's perspectives of what is understood as 'jazz'. 

As previously announced, the rest of the line-up for 2012 is completed by the following artists: James Ingram (USA), Dave Koz with special guest Patti Austin (USA), Mike Stern with special guest Dave Weckl (USA), Virtual Jazz Reality (SA), Brubecks play Brubeck (USA/SA), Ron Carter, Donald Harrison  and  Lenny White (USA), Andre Petersen Quintet (SA), Atmosphere (USA), Jean Grae (USA), Goodluck (SA), Zamajobe (SA), Zahara (SA), The Jason Reolon Trio (SA), David Sanchez with special guest Lionel Loueke (Puerto Rico/Benin), The Moreira Project (Mozambique) and Alexander Sinton High School Jazz Band (SA). Zakes Bantwini (SA); Unathi (SA); Lindiwe Suttle (SA); Sophia Foster, (SA); Hassan'adas (SA); Victor Kula (SA); Adam Glasser (SA); Herbie Tsoaeli (SA); Steve Dyer (SA)’ Ill Literate Skill (SA); Hip Hop Pantsula (SA); Dorothy Masuka (SA); Hugh Masekela with Special Guest ‘’ Tribute to Mama Afrika’’’ Gabriel Tchiema (Angola); Allen Stone (USA); Nouvelle Vague (France); Xia Jia (China); Alfredo Rodriguez (Cuba); Kevin Mahogany (USA); The Patti Austin Trio's (USA); Marcus Miller (USA) and Third World (USA).