Cape Town International Jazz Festival

The North Sea Jazz Festival was created by Dutch Jazz promoter Paul Acket, who in 1976, started what would become the most prestigious Jazz festival in the world. From an initial audience of about 9000, the festival has grown into an international spectacle, with 16 stages presenting 220 acts over a period of three days and over 70,000 people in attendance. The North Sea Jazz Festival-Den Haag is regarded as one of the most prestigious Jazz festivals in the world.

Unlike its Dutch counterpart, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival has a unique programming formula. With a 50/50 talent split between Africa and the rest of the world, this South African event allows for local musicians to take their rightful place alongside International musicians, to the benefit of a very dynamic art form. No wonder the media has dubbed the Cape Town International Jazz Festival as Africa's Grandest Gathering. It is certainly regarded as the most prestigious on the continent.

In a little over fourteen years time, Cape Town International Jazz Festival has grown into a hugely successful international event. Attendance figures have increased from the initial 14,000 to 34,000 in the last 13 years. To accommodate this spectacular growth, Cape Town's International Convention Centre (CTICC) hosts the event.

More than 40-acts perform over the two days on five stages at the CTICC. Selected bands also perform at the Free Community Concert to be held at Cape Town's Greenmarket Square. The pre-festival concert has become a permanent feature of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and is the organisers' commitment to community members who cannot make it to the paid sessions of the event.

The 21st annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2020 had scheduled the best local and International Jazz performers including Jonathan Butler, Candy Dulfer, Jacob Collier, Abdullah Ibrahim, Austebza, Birdsong Ensemble, Seba Kaapstad, Elementaal, Femi Koya, Gabi Motuba, Kwetu Trio, Aaron Rimbui, Herbie Tsoaeli, Ayanda Sikade, Lady Zamar, Lira, Mandisi Dyantis, Nduduzo Makhathini, Mf Robots, Pj Morton, Reising, Ntuli, Cooper, Baumann, Samthing Soweto And The Ndlovu Youth Choir.