International jazz festival.

30 March-1 April 2006. The annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival gets underway with a free concert for Cape Town residents in the central Greenmarket Square on 30 March. Over the following two days 40 African and international jazz and jazz-related artists will perform in five different venues around the citys slick new convention centre, which opened its doors in 2003. The line-up includes Manu DiBango and Soul Makossa Gang, Chucho Valds Quartet featuring Mayra Caridad Valds, Tina Schouw and Friends, Charlie Hayden Quartet, Freddy Cole, Louie Vega and his Elements of Life LIVE featuring Blaze, Anane & Luisito Quintero, Nestor Torres, Terence Blanchard, Tribute to Ray Charles featuring Joe McBride, Gerald Veasley and Kenny Blake, Miriam Makeba, Sipho Hotstix Mabuse, Relax, Omar Sosa Quartet featuring Pee Wee Ellis, RJ Benjamin, Mario Canonge Trio featuring Horacio El Negro Hernandez, Caiphus Semenya, Heads Up Superband featuring Joe McBride, Gerald Veasley and Kenny Blake, Unofficial Language featuring Paul Hanmer, Ian Herman and Pete Sklair. The festival, now in its seventh year, is directed by photographer and jazz enthusiast Rashid Lombard. 31 March from 17.00; 1 April from 15.00. Day pass R260, two-day pass R399. For a detailed line up see the festival website.