Cape Town Sunday 20 September 2026
Cape Town’s own Hassan’adas Big Band will bring WOMAD Cape Town 2026 to a joyous close on Sunday, 20 September at Artscape Theatre, leading a spectacular celebration marking 30 years of Buena Vista Social Club and the enduring influence of Cuba’s golden era of music.
It is a fitting finale for Hassan’adas, a band whose musical identity has always been about bringing cultures, rhythms and musicians into conversation.
Founded in Cape Town in 2010 and led by percussionist, vocalist and acoustic guitarist John Hassan, Hassan’adas has developed a distinctive sound where African roots meet Latin grooves. Their music moves naturally between samba, Marrabenta, African jive, Afro-Latin rhythms and Cape jazz influences.
For the WOMAD finale, that musical philosophy will be given a very special stage.
From Cape Town to Havana – and Back Again
The Hassan’adas Big Band will take audiences on a journey through the much-loved repertoire associated with Buena Vista Social Club, alongside other Latin-inspired classics.
But this will not simply be a recreation of Cuban music.
Hassan’adas will bring Cape Town and South Africa into the conversation, blending those Cuban influences with familiar South African sounds and songs – including a lively, salsa-infused interpretation of Miriam Makeba’s iconic “Pata Pata.”
The result promises to be a musical meeting point between Cuba, Cape Town, South Africa and the wider world – celebrating how great music crosses borders, evolves and finds new audiences across cultures and generations.
The performance also builds on Hassan’adas’ established exploration of the Buena Vista Social Club repertoire. In June 2026, Hassan’adas and Cito presented a Buena Vista Social Club tribute as part of a live jazz jam session in Cape Town.
At WOMAD, that musical journey now reaches one of Cape Town’s major stages.
Hassan’adas’ history makes them particularly well suited to the occasion. Their debut album Look Now, released through Universal Music in 2011, introduced their energetic combination of samba, jive and African rhythms. Their second album, Asante Sana, released in 2022 and recorded at Milestone Studios in Cape Town, explored a more acoustic approach built around Latin percussion, piano and storytelling.
The band has also performed across South Africa and Mozambique and at Cape Town venues and events including the V&A Waterfront’s Take The Stage series and the Delheim Mini-Jazz Fest.
At the centre of it all remains John Hassan’s belief that music should be a conversation – musicians listening and responding to one another in real time.
That spirit of musical conversation will be at the heart of the WOMAD finale.
A Full Afternoon of Music and Dance
Audiences are encouraged to arrive from 13h30, when salsa schools will take to the dance floor accompanied by a Latin-inspired DJ set.
The afternoon will also feature a special tribute to legendary Cape Town hip-hop pioneers Prophets of da City, adding another important local musical story to a programme built around cultural exchange.
Opening the concert will be Barcelona’s Koko-Jean & The Tonics, bringing their distinctive mix of Latin soul, rhythm and blues energy to the Artscape stage.
WOMAD will also honour Canadian world music pioneer Randy Raine-Reusch with a Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising his extraordinary contribution to global music and cultural exchange.
Then Hassan’adas will take the festival home with a big-band celebration designed to get Cape Town dancing.
This is more than a concert. It is a farewell fiesta, a cultural tribute and a celebration of music that travelled the world – and found another home in Cape Town.
WOMAD Cape Town 2026 Finale
Sunday, 20 September 2026
Artscape Theatre, Cape Town
13h30 – Free DJ and dance set
15h00 – Concert
Tickets: Webtickets. https://www.
More information: WOMAD Cape Town website: http://womadsa.co.za/cape-town/
Hassan’adas official website: hassanadas.com
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