In the lead-up to Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2026, we look back at last year's festival which took place on 25th and 26th April at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).
More than just a music event, the festival is a celebration of the rich and often misunderstood history of jazz, a genre deeply rooted in global narratives, from political and social movements to religious and cultural transformations.
The 2025's line-up showcased an impressive array of local talent, featuring both rising stars and seasoned performers returning to the jazz stage. Audiences were treated to memorable performances, as South Africans came together to honour the enduring spirit of jazz and to celebrate life through music. The 2025 edition marked 22 years since the festival’s inception, reinforcing its place as a cornerstone of the country’s cultural calendar.
The festival has once again pulled all the stops, with over 30 perfomances over the weekend( 27 & March) and a the lcarefully curated line-up of artists from 10 countries, from legendary jazz maestro, Abdullah Ibrahim to Mali's Fatoumata Diawara, and Seeba Kaapstad, this year’s festival brings together some of the most exciting voices in music today.
We take a moment to reflect and offer a visual glimpse into the highlights of last year’s festival, a celebration of sound, soul, and shared experience.
@mhudi444 No one has ever been hotter @arilennox 😮💨 Cape Town Jazz Festival 2025 #capetown #capetownjazzfestival ♬ original sound - mhudi
The Cape Town International Jazz Festival is taking place on the 27 and 28th of March 2026. Grab your ticket Here
Recent stories by:
Sindeka Mandoyi
Gloria Ndlovu on the women who made and shaped her success
Thando Zide on music, collaboration and her Cape Town International Jazz Festival debut
Mihlali Ndamase celebrates life without kids—Why are women still judged for not choosing motherhood?
South Africa reacts to MaXhosa ‘custard spill’ at Paris Fashion Week
Jill Scott brings “To Whom This May Concern” world tour to South Africa
GLAMOUR Recommends
What to wear to the Cape Town International Jazz Festival
This is what you can expect at the 2025 Cape Town International Jazz Festival
Everything we know about the 2025 Cape Town International Jazz Festival so far
Muneeb Hermans in Quickfire Q&A: Jazz roots, festival feels, and what’s in his gig bag
Man Candy: A closer look at Bongeziwe Mabandla's outstanding discography
Africa’s grandest gathering returns with a spectacular line-up, world-first collaborations, a free concert, and more
5 South African jazz artists on the rise
Thembelihle Dunjana to play sophomore album God Bless iKapa. God Bless Mzantsi at Cape Town International Jazz Festival
