Jazz @ The Grahamstown National Arts Festival

The country's biggest arts festival, the The National Arts Festival (also know as The Grahamstown Arts Festival) kicked off officially on Thursday 3rd July. This year's jazz festival lineup also features a stellar lineup of local and international jazz musicians, including the 2014 Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winner for Jazz, Kyle Shepherd, and the South African jazz legend Bra Hugh Masekela.

Since I will not be attending this year's festival, I decided to dig out some of the shots I took at last year's festival and share them with you - to give you a glimpse of what happens at the jazz halls of this wonderful festival that celebrates all forms of creativity. Enjoy...

The return of Jazz Nights @ Bassline, Newtown

Bassline first opened its doors as a live music venue in 1994, providing platform for South Africa’s finest jazz acts to showcase their craft, in the Melville suburb (Johannesburg). The venue then closed down in 2003 and was re-opened in 2004 in the arts and cultural precint of Newtown.

This year Bassline celebrates its 20^th anniversary at their renovated Newtown venue, with some of the décor taken from the original venue in Melville. What caught my eye was the innovative drum-kit chandelier in the centre of the room, and the general décor on the walls, which add to the magic once the lights are dimmed and the music starts.

As part of their celebrations, Bassline will be running a series of jazz performances for the next six weeks, with a stellar line-up of artists who polished their craft on the old Bassline stage over the years. The series kicked off with master bassist Herbie Tsoaeli and his African Time Quartet on the 25^th of July, and will feature Paul Hanmer, Musa Manzini, Tlale Makhene, McCoy Mrubata and Lucas Senyatso, in the subsequent 5 weeks.

For more details on the series, and other shows at Bassline, you ca visit their website : http://www.bassline.co.za

 

African Time Quartet on the end of the opening night of the Red Hot Jazz Nights

 

Talented pianist, Nduduzo Makhathini 

The Orbit Experience with Jimmy Mngwandi

A lot had already been written about the venue and many photographers, professional and social networks hobbyists alike, had sufficiently captured and shared moments from the venue, never to be repeated again. Almost every South African jazz platform, newspaper, blog, and social network group, had had their say. I even heard some artists saying that it was too good… too good to be true. It was still not enough to satisfy my curiosity and desire to experience this apparent live jazz phenomenon personally. 

It finally arrived. On Sunday 6^th April, it was my turn to experience the magic of The Orbit (www.theorbit.co.za ) – A newly opened jazz venue in Braamfontein, that has been at the tip of every live jazz appreciating individual’s tongue, around Joburg. Fitted with high quality sound and lighting to create the perfect ambiance, one would be excused for using the word “perfect”, to describe it. The act on that evening was the South African bass maestro Jimmy Mngwandi, who is now based in New York, playing music from his new album African Desert (recorded in Chicago). He featured Mzamo Bhengu on trumpet, Sphiwe Shiburi on drums, Mdu Mtshali on Piano, and Sax veteran Syney Mnisi. 

Upon arrival I was disappointed to notice that the show was going to be held at the smaller stage at the bottom, as I had heard great stories about “the other stage”, the great 200 seater theatre upstairs. That was about the end of my disappointments though! Everything else was what I expected and a bit more, and the food smelled divine. 

With the ambience set and the audience totally silent, Jimmy and the band went on to put up an impressive show, and the queue at the CD sales desk said it all. He played with great passion and energy, and had not forgotten his sense of humour at home. Mdu caused a few hearts to skip bits with his fast-paced traversal of the black and white keys, and just when I thought he had stolen the show from Jimmy, Sydney and Sphiwe had me thinking twice about it with their interchanges. At some point Sydney nodded convincingly as Sphiwe phrased away. When it was Sydney’s turn to solo, he didn’t hold back on showing why he is one the best sax players SA has ever produced, playing like a man possessed, and only taking split second pauses to fix his spectacles and get some breath. Sphiwe kept the rhythm steady and flawless, completing the magic of The Orbit experience.  

 Jimmy Mngwandi’s African Dessert is available from Jazz Essay Record Bar (https://www.jazzessayrecordbar.com ). Some pics from the show…

 

 

Marcus Wyatt's One LIfe In The Sun CD launch @ St Joseph's Heritage Home, Johannesburg (Sophiatown)

Sophiatown is not only historically rich due to the politics of the 1950’s, like the removal of black people from the suburb to Meadowlands in Soweto, under the apartheid government. It is also famous for the vibrant and unique culture that developed amongst the residents, before the removals, which included an intriguing appreciation of all forms of arts, and for producing some of South Africa’s greatest black musicians, writers, and artists. It comes as no wonder why the South African jazz trumpeter Marcus Wyatt now calls Sophiatown home, and why he chose the St Joseph's Heritage Home, at the heart of the suburb, to launch his latest album One Life In The Sun.

Although the CD launch on the 19^th of April  2013 was not part of the Sophiatown Jazz Encounter Series, a pioneering initiative by the Trevor Huddleston Memorial Centre to restore the “Old Sophiatown style entertainment and live jazz in an intimate setting”, it was nothing less than what the centre aims to achieve. The setting was very intimate, and the patrons were allowed to bring their own food and drinks.

Watching Marcus and his band performing songs from the new album, and some from the previous albums, I could not resist imagining what it was like to watch such quality live jazz in Sophiatown back in the 50’s. For me watching this world-class South African jazz show in Sophiatown was an inexplicable experience, with mixed feelings of excitement, sadness and appreciation, and you will have to experience it to understand.  

On Trumpet and Flugelhorn Marcus played soothing melodies that were conversational in nature, almost like he was speaking a foreign language and yet we all understood the message. He also played some played some muted tunes, which left a warm feeling and an instant desire to get a copy of the new CD from the back of the hall, where they were sold. 

Besides Marcus’ great compositions and the band’s world-class performance, there were other highlights during the performance, amongst them an enchanting “joint solo” by the two bassists, Romy Brauteseth and Amaeshi Ikechi - something I had personally never seen before.  Mthunzi Mvubu on alto saxophone was captivating as always, and it was also great to finally get to watch Buddy Wells live, whom I had listened to on many South African jazz albums. Justin Badenhorst’s energetic solos were also something to take note of. A great experience overall!

Many thanks to Marcus Wyatt and his band, and Khosi Hlatswayo of the Trevor Huddleston Memorial Centre, for making this post possible.  Photos from the show are included below… Enjoy!

                                                      Marcus Wyatt on Trumpet.

                                                             The full band.

                                                 Mthunzi Mvubu on Alto Saxophone.                                  

                 

                                                Romy Brauteseth on Bass.

                                               Buddy Wells on Tenor Saxophone.

                                                 Amaeshi Ikechi on Bass.

                                               Justin Badenhorst on Drums.

Jazz In The Craddle : Tribute To Zim Ngqawana

When the NIROX Foundation and Gallery Momo came up with the concept of jazz concerts in the outdoor amphitheater of the NIROX Sculpture Park following an intimate performance by Zim Ngqawana at Nirox's music room, there was no way of telling that the second concert would be a tribute to the man who inspired the initiative and that he would no longer be with us.

On June 2nd 2013, the spirit of Zim Ngqawana lived on, when five of South Africa's finest jazz musicians performed live in the second Jazz In The Craddle concert, themed "Tribute To Zim". The musicians were Ayanda Sikade(drums), Feya Faku(Trumpet), Herbie Tsoaeli(bass), McCoy Mrybata(Saxophone) and Nduduzo Makhathini(Keys), who have all played with the late Zim Ngqawana in the past.

The concert was preceded by an exhibition in the sculpture park, and a performance by the Young Lions Love Ensemble. The event was well-attended by people of all ages, and every ticket came with a complimentary bottle of wine. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon : Well-behaved crowd, good wine and world-class jazz, in the Cradle of Humankind.

 

 

 

  

McCoy Mrubata and Friends @ Niki's Oasis, Johannesburg (Newtown)

McCoy Mrubata performed with his band of long-term friends at Niki's for the first time on this Good Friday night, 29 March 2013. The venue was not as busy as it usually is due to the performance being on Good Friday, but the band delivered a high-quality, intimate performance nonetheless. They played two definitive sets, including in them the popular Jo’burg Mountains, which McCoy said was inspired by the mine dumps in the City of Gold, the “Yellow Mountains”. They also included in the sets Icamagu Livumile from the album with the same title, that won a SAMA(South African Music Award) in 2004 for Best Traditional Jazz album, and my personal favorites Entlombeni and Mr and Mrs Adonis - I can hear you scatting “daabee-daabee-dee-bee-daa” to the mere mention of this one !

There are very South African jazz artists who have managed to steer clear of the pure American and European jazz sounds, opting instead to predominantly fuse jazz elements with indigenous South African elements, in their music, like the chants and drumming of traditional healers, the Xhosa rhythms and sounds, and the elements of Mbaqanga and Goema music. McCoy Mrubata is one of those artists. Other artists that have followed this route are piano maestros Abdullah Ibrahim and Themba Mkhize,  the late Zim Ngqawana and the 2013 South African Music Award winner for Best Jazz Album, Herbie Tsoaeli, to name but a few.

The McCoy and Friends sextet was made up of McCoy Mrubata on Flute and Saxophone, Paul Hanmer on Keys, Andre Abrahamse on Bass Guitar, Jabu Magubane on Trombone, Bernice Boikanyo on Drums, and Prince Lengwasa on Trumpet and Flugelhorn.

A big thanks to Bra McCoy and Sis Niki, for making this South African Jazz Experience post possible. Below are some photos from the show, do enjoy !

 

McCoy and Friends.

 

McCoy Mrubata on Saxophone.

The horn section.

Then horn section in dance.

McCoy Mrubata on Flute.

 

                                                Prince Lengwasa on Trumpet and Flugelhorn.

                                                       Jabu Magubane on Trombone.

Paul Hanmer on Keys

 Andre Abrahamse on Bass Guitar.

                                                          Bernice Boikanyo on Drums

                                                        "Icamagu Livumileeeee...... "
                                                                                 

Happy International Jazz Day

Happy International Jazz Day my dear friends, keep creating the music, keep collecting the music, keep supporting live jazz, and ... keep it really jazzy ! *Photo taken at the Marcus Wyatt "One Life in the Sun" CD launch*