Al Jareau winds up Cape Town Jazz Festival on a high note

By Kalungi Kabuye in Cape Town

The American Jazz singer was the last of more than 40 artists that put up some very inspiring performances in the 16th edition of the Cape Town Jazz Festival.

And he had the biggest crowd of the two-day event as people left the other four stages and congregated on the Kippies stage, where he performed.

But before that fitting finale, South African award winning singer Ringo Madlingozi took to the stage. Like Chaka Chaka on Day One, he really doesn't do jazz, but the people were happy to see one of their own on stage.

But it was the bald-headed Dee Dee Bridgewater and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra that took the cake. This is probably what most jazz purists were waiting for all along; the sounds of New Orleans filled the Cape Town International Convention Centre, although the sound was not really up to it.
 

Ringo Madlingozi performing on Day Two. (Photo credit: Kalungi Kabuye)

The Delft Big Band performing. (Photo credit: Kalungi Kabuye)

The Delft Big Band, made of former street children, was a blast and deserved the several standing ovations it got. Naima Kay, another award-winning South African singer, also wowed the crowds with her vocals.

Other performances came from Mike Perry, who delivered a tribute to Winston Mankuku, a famous South African tenor saxophone player.

Others were Dirty Loops, Pacific Express, Amel Larrieux, Banz Oester and the Rainmakers, and Victor Masondo and Friends. Yet others included the Wallace Roney Quintet, Claude Cosens trio, and Carlo Mombelli & the Storytellers.

Just before Jarreau took the stage, High Masekela and Zimbabwe's Oliver Mtukudzi raised the stakes to a crowded emporium. B the time ended well after 1am, the thousands of jazz lovers from all over the world had got what they came for, and much more.


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