A transformative experience at the ctijf.
Image: Armand Hough
Dancing, singing, and an electric atmosphere where some of the world’s best musicians performed their hearts out, made the 2025 Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) an unforgettable experience.
The CTIJF roared back to life in spectacular style, drawing around 24,000 music lovers across three incredible days.
The festivities kicked off with a vibrant free concert in the City Centre on 24 April, followed by two electrifying days of performances at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 25 and 26 April.
The free concert left audiences thrilled with performances by The Ploemies, DJ Eazy, a seasoned Cape Town DJ boasting over two decades of experience, alongside the exuberant British-born, Cape Town-raised singer-songwriter Hannah Ray, the dynamic Andrea Fortuin, the much-loved Kwaito group TKZee, British acid jazz pioneers Incognito, and sensational singer Fancy Galada.
As the beats reverberated through the square, attendees of all ages soaked in the vibrant atmosphere, a celebration of not just jazz but the diversity and creativity thriving within the South African music scene.
The festival itself, affectionately known as Africa’s Grandest Gathering, reaffirmed its place as one of the continent’s premier music events, attracting a dynamic, youthful, and diverse crowd from across South Africa and from as far afield as Europe, the UK and the US.
This year’s festival offered a fresh, genre-defying line-up that blended traditional jazz with fusion, soul, R&B and world music.
Performances from global stars like Black Coffee and Nduduzo Makhathini, Lira, Ari Lennox, Igor Butman Quartet, Thandiswa Mazwai, Bombay Lights, and Plurism captivated audiences and set a new tone for the future of the festival.
British acid jazz pioneers Incognito ignited the Manenberg stage during the first night of the CTIJF 2025.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers
Lira in full action at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
Image: Bheki Radebe
TKZee rocked the crowd with their nostalgic tracks and dynamic stage presence.
Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers
The crowd was left speechless as Thandiswa Mazwai delivered an emotional performance on the struggle for freedom at the CTIJF on Saturday night.
Image: Armand Hough
The musical programming resonated with a younger generation while still paying homage to jazz traditions, creating an atmosphere that felt both electric and deeply inclusive.
Attendees couldn’t stop talking about the musical performances. There were also a number of artists being moved to tears by the welcome they received.
The festival's head Shaakirah Adams, who led the all-woman management team behind this year’s event, said: “Our goal was to honour the legacy of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival while boldly stepping into a new chapter that embraces diversity, youthfulness, and innovation.
“Seeing the energy, the passion, and the different faces in the audience made it clear we are building a festival that truly belongs to everyone.”
The City of Cape Town, working closely with SAPS and the security cluster, was integral to ensuring the safety and smooth operation of the event.
Lieutenant-Colonel Kevin Stephens, the head of the Venue Operations Centre (VOC), praised the strong coordination between traffic, safety and security, policing and disaster management teams, highlighting that crowd management was excellent and the event was a resounding success from a logistics and security standpoint.
In addition, social media platforms lit up with praise for the festival offering which included several audience engagement experiences presented by the various partners and associates of the festival.
Many attendees described the weekend as unforgettable and celebrating the diversity and vibrancy of the experience.
One festivalgoer, Brathew van Schalkwyk, 27, said: “You get inspired going to things like this, and that's kind of been the whole thing with the CTIJF.
“Even checking out Thandiswa Mazwai set was like ‘holy moly’. Like live she is on another level man. The way she brings her music to life and the stories she tells.
“Ritmo is just this band, kind of vibing, playing some salsa and samba, and all kind of things,” Van Schalkwyk said.
“It's just so much fun to be at this festival and be inspired by all the music.”
With a rejuvenated spirit, exceptional leadership, and a bold new direction, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2025 not only made a bold statement - it set the stage for an even greater future.