LOOK: A night of nostalgia as TKZee shines at the CTIJF 2025
CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL
TKZee in action.
Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers
Kwaito sensation TKZee ended the first night of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) 2025 with a bang at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
The pair, which includes Zwai Bala and Kabelo Mabalane, were the closing act and although they only performed after midnight on Saturday, April 26, their electric performance energised the crowd.
Scores of attendees packed the popular Manenberg stage in a bid to witness the musical legends as they invigorated the crowd.
Accompanied by a vibrant stage design, they had attendees of all ages and from all walks of life on their feet as they belted out some of their hit songs which have earned them a place as South African music legends over the past three decades.
TKZee's Zwai Bala and Kabelo Mabalane performing on day one of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
Image: Fuad Esak.
The CTIJF crowd enjoying TKZee's performance.
Image: Fuad Esack
From “Shibobo” to “Fiasco” and “We Love This Place”, these nostalgic hits took festinos down memory lane.
Performing more jams from their discography which they have accumulated since the 1990s, TKZee had the crowd singing along as they danced into the early hours of the morning.
This was the duo’s second CTIFJ performance, having initially set the stage alight at the free concert at Greenmarket Square on Thursday night.
Mabalane’s wife, actress and model Gail Mabalane was spotted at this concert with their two young children.
She beamed proudly from the crowd as she witnessed her musician husband perform and could be seen dancing the night away with her children.
Apart from TKZee, other artists who performed during the first night of the festival included British acid jazz pioneers Incognito, whose jazz-funk, soul and house music sound also had festinos singing and dancing.
Meanwhile, Black Coffee and Nduduzo Makhathini also delivered an electrifying performance on the Kippies stage on Friday night.
Their performance, marked by a rich tapestry of sound, celebrated their musical journey and left an indelible mark on everyone in attendance. It was one of the final performances of the night, but die-hard fans, and jazz enthusiasts from all over the world, were happy to wait until the early hours of this morning to watch the show of their lives.
In addition to the soulful sounds floating through the air and the city’s style icons were in attendance, and so the Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2025 was the place to see and be seen.
From retro-inspired overcoats and bold streetwear to statement accessories and vibrant colours, festival-goers proved that jazz and fashion are the perfect duet.