Oh what a night: Masego and Incognito electrify audiences at CTIJF's first night

From the moment he started, the Cape Town crowd matched the electric energy that Masego brought to the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) stage. 

Men and women alike shouted, smiled and fed off his energy as the multi-instrumentalist moved around the Kippies stage.

"Can I do it in the slippers?" he asked, before answering, "I'm out of them (the slippers)", and then he moonwalked across the stage, which had the audience cheering.

Masego, a master of the “trap house jazz” genre, effortlessly fuses jazz, R&B, and hip hop in his music. Born Micah Davis, this Jamaican-American multi-instrumentalist shot to global fame with the viral hit "Tadow" alongside FKJ, amassing over 200 million views on YouTube.

His performances are immersive experiences, seamlessly blending live looping, saxophone mastery, and smooth vocals, and his set at the CTIJF was no different.

Earlier, he mentioned that his return to the CTIJF stage was his first performance in a while, but he seamlessly engaged the crowd. 

Masego even brought out gigantic beach balls for the audience to bounce around and lead an impromptu sing-along of “Marco-Polo”. 

One moment that had the ladies screaming was when he walked around with flowers and flung them into the crowd. Those who were quick enough to snatch them were jumping up and down enthusiastically. 

Ntokozo Fuku was in the audience for Masego's performance and said it was amazing. 

“I'd have to say that that was one of the most amazing moments of my life. I've never been so happy.

“It's honestly so mind-blowing (to see him). His energy was over the top - phenomenal… Like he is singing to me, which he was,” Fuku said.

A little later in the evening, Incognito brought their signature blend of jazz, funk, and British acid jazz to the CTIJF stage. 

Since their inception in 1979, the band has defined the acid jazz movement, delivering global hits like "Still a Friend of Mine" and their legendary rendition of Stevie Wonder’s "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing”.

Bandleader Jean-Paul Maunick said that the performance at the CTIJF stage in Cape Town was in some ways a homecoming performance for him, as he was born in Mauritius. 

The band drew a large audience of young and old people who came to listen to their hits. Several politicians and the chairman of the Sekunjalo Group, Dr Iqbal Survé, were spotted among the crowd.

 At last year's festival, the Survé Family announced its further commitment of R100 million to the festival's sustainability and long-term cultural investment.

Dr Survé, along with many others in the crowd, was grooving along and enjoying the intricate musical arrangements, which had infectious grooves.

“Incognito was simply marvellous — their performance was nothing short of captivating. Seeing them live and in person was an absolute treat; the energy, the talent, and the vibe they brought to the stage made it an unforgettable experience,” Dr Survé said.

One of the other audience members at Incognito's set, journalist for The Cape Argus Genevieve Serra, said that the band was able to forge a connection with the crowd.

“I thought they brought back some magic with the old-time favourite, 'Still a friend of mine'. Even if you weren't born during the 70s or 80s, you could relate with the music. They kept engaging with the crowd while it was great, so there was a connection with the audience and them.”

While night one was a success, audiences will still be able to see other incredible artists performing on night two of the CTIJF such as the likes of Thandiswa Mazwai, Ari Lennox, Lira, Kelvin Momo, and many more performing on historic stages called Kippies, Manenberg, Rosies and Moses Molelekwa.

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