Kenyan neo-soul fans should start taking the long walk to Cape Town today if they want to see the multiple Grammy award winning Jill Scott who is one of the main international acts at the annual jazz fest this year.

Scott’s name was added onto the list last week along with another Kenyan favourite James Ingram and American hip hop big gun Pharaohe Monch.

Apart from music, Jill Scott is also well known for acting, and she is currently in a HBO/BBC production known as The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency – which was filmed on location in Bostwana.

It will be Scott’s first performance at the growing jazz fest, which has hosted the likes of Rahsaan Patterson, Earth Wind and Fire, Bebe Winans, Esperanza Spalding, and Dave Koz.

The musican/actress/poet will be on the Kippies Stage, known for unconventional jazz.

On the local front, the long list talents have included Simphiwe Dana, Gazelle and the legendary Hugh Masekela. ‘Bruh’ Hugh as he is referred to usually takes time to show off new kids on the block on the numerous times he has graced the jazzy stage. This year however, he has lined up a performance called Tribute to Mama Afrika performing alongside the ever impressive Thandiswa Mazwai and Zolani Mahola (Freshlyground).

Another act to watch is rapper HHP (Hip Hop Pantsula) who is a common feature on Trace, Channel O and MTV Base.

As if that were not enough Texas-born jazz vocalist and popular standard singer Steve Tyrell also joins the bill. He is known for the self-produced and critically acclaimed album A New Standard, released by Atlantic in 1999.

This year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival will be the 13th edition, and take place on March 30-31. To compliment the festival is The Duotone Photographic Exhibition which commemorates prolific jazz photography to educate people about the power of art & photography. This year the works of Nuno Martins (Angola); Sipho Maluka (SA) and Shelley Christians (SA) will be showcased.