International jazz festival to set Cape swinging

FOR the first time in its illustrious 25-year history, the world's largest and most prestigious jazz festival will be presented away from its permanent home in Holland, and Cape Town will be host. The North Sea Jazz Festival 2000, which takes place on March 31 and April 1 at the Good Hope Centre, boasts a high-profile line-up including Herbie Hancock, Youssou N'Dour and the Courtney Pine Band, said organisers ESP Afrika. Following the huge success of SA artists such as Jimmy Dludu and Miriam Makeba at previous North Sea Jazz Festivals, international jazz fans are expected to travel to SA then to Holland for the three-day continuation at its spiritual home in The Hague starting on July 14. Festival director, Theo van den Hoek, said the Dutch government is co-sponsoring the event in line with their bilateral agreement to promote arts and culture between SA and Holland. Local jazz celebrity Rashid Lombard spent three months in Holland last year to lobby for the event. North Sea Jazz Festival directors then came to Cape Town and after inspecting sites and meeting key government officials and prospective sponsors gave the go ahead. "It will be the largest and most successful jazz concert ever held on African soil," said Van den Hoek. Swing, be-bop, jazz-dance, New Orleans jazz, free jazz, blues, fusion, gospel, funk, soul, hip hop and drum-bass among other styles will be performed and so far some 18 artists are signed up, say promoters. The festival will help SA artists penetrate abroad, and could help SA become a permanent venue within five years. (Simon Farrell)