Cape Town

Cape Town Photos

29 Aug 2010

Living Guitar Legends Concert

Living Guitar Legends Concert
Fri-Sat: 20:00
Sun: 18:00
17, 18, 19 September 2010
Joseph Stone Auditorium, Athlone
Bookings:021 6371268



The Living Guitar Legends Concert is a cross cultural performance featuring a stunning lineup of South Africa’s well known soloists: on Guitar, Saudiq Khan, James Grace, Hilton Schilder, Tony Cox, Steve Newman, Greg Georgiadas, Errol Dyers. Cajon player Robert Davids and Bass player Andre Webb, join Khan’s Trio. This concert includes a mixture of guitar styles including original compositions, goema, ethnic,traditional langarm, flamenco, and classical.





The first half showcases the guitarists playing solo revealing the innate history of each player and his journey through time, while the second half is a cross pollination and a coming together of different genres which reveal a kaleidoscope fusion of speed, accuracy and high energy.





Promoted by All Music Promotions

27 Aug 2010

Cape Town Goema Orchestra - Goema Symphony No. 1 update

With names like Mac McKenzie, Rayelle Goodman, Petra Hofmeyr, Sarah-Jane Frith, Vincente Espi, Matthijs van Dijk, Derek Gripper, Natalie Mason, Jeanette Claassen, Robert Jeffery, Theresa Bur...ger, Natasha Otero, Brydon Bolton, Spencer Mbadu, Wesley Valentine, Darryl Andrews, Gerand 'Aykes Swatz, Dave Williams, Heather Roth, Louisa Theart, Jody Engelbrecht, Simon Bates, Ernestine Deane, Hilton Schilder, Eugene Trofimczyk, Brian de Goede and Madosini - this is an event not to be missed.


The Cape Town Goema Orchestra sees the collaboration of a stellar cast of Cape musicians for the inaugural performance of Mac McKenzie's composition "Goema Symphony No. 1" at 8pm on Saturday 28 August 2010. The performance takes place at the SABC Studios Auditorium in Sea Point (Cape Town) and tickets cost R100. For Bookings Please Call 079 7263582.


Promo Video :: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dg-e65r2HU


The Cape Town Goema Orchestra is an ensemble that includes Mac's musical "brother," bandmate from The Genuines and The Goema Captains of Cape Town and long-time collaborator, multi-instrumentalist Hilton Schilder. Mac will be leading the orchestra on electric guitar while Hilton plays percussion, melodica and mouth bow. Also participating are highly-acclaimed bow player, Langa resident Madosini as well as renowned vocalist Ernestine Deane (of Moodphase 5ive and Dub For Mama fame). Experimental classical guitarist Derek Gripper and violinist Rayelle Goodman also feature in the star-studded 25-piece collaboration.


The instrumentation of the symphony includes traditional Khoi-San bows, African mbira and marimba, Cape Malay banjo and a melodica to reproduce the Boere Orkes tones of the accordion/concertina. Mac believes that Goema is the most representative style in South Africa, assembling and reflecting our country’s diverse cultural influences. Mac's Goema draws on the spirit of the moppies and liedjies of Klopse culture but, with his symphonic approach, he illustrates that there is enormous scope for the style to expand. "Goema Symphony No. 1" is expected to spearhead a series of symphonies and performances. Mac's hope is that universities will start paying attention to Goema rather than showing blind preference for European and North American traditions.


More info at http://www.profoundlysouthafrican.co.za/

15 Aug 2010

Percussion & Drums


20 August 2010 · 9:00pm - 11:00pm
Tafelberg Restaurant & Bar
6 Roodehek Terrace,
off 105 Hope Street, Gardens, Cape Town
Please call: 021 465 6852/6864

http://www.thetafelberg.co.za/

http://www.indabamusic.com/people/danielbloem

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyFNuEu_1fQ

Ezra Ngcukana - Funeral Arrangements

Memorial
Wednesday, 18 August 2010, 16:00 - 20:00
Gugulethu Sports Complex

Funeral
Saturday, 21 August 2010 10:00 am
Gugulethu Sports Complex

Please note that from 15:00 until 22:00 there will be some music and cultural activities at the Gugulethu Sports Complex to celebrate the life of the great Ezra Ngcukana.
If you want to partake in the activities please call Ntando

For more info
Please call Ntando: 0786652167
or 0768604980

12 Aug 2010

Cape Town Goema Orchestra - Goema Symphony No. 1

"The Cape Town Goema Orchestra is a 25-piece Mac McKenzie ensemble featuring strings and brass as well as mouth bows, marimbas and mbiras. Mac’s composition 'Goema Symphony No. 1' will be performed at SABC Studios Auditorium on Saturday 28 August 2010 at 8pm. Promo Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dg-e65r2HU"


Yes, a symphony from one of the Goema Captains. It may sound a bit eccentric, but Mac is known to push boundaries, from the music of Charlie Parker to the Goema and Minstrel music of Cape Town.

SABC Studios Auditorium
209 Beach Road, Sea Point, Cape Town
Saturday 28 August 2010, 20:00
Entrance: R100
For Bookings Please Call 079 7263582

More info at http://www.profoundlysouthafrican.co.za/

10 Aug 2010

Hamba Kahle Music Giant Ezra Ngcukana

Music Giant, Ezra Ngcukana passed away yesterday, 9 August 2010. A well educated musician, with two degrees and who had a big influence on his peers and young musicians. A man who unselfishly paid his dues over and over.

Hamba Kahle Ezra Ngcukana.


Tributes:

sad news again: Ezra Ngcukana died yesterday morning in his sleep. This is
a big loss for South African Jazz. He was a brilliant musician with a good
sense of humor, "let's Rock 'n' Roll" his motto. And he was also an
outstanding educator: without him no award winning "Little Giants". Ezra,
we will sorely miss you.

We send our most heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

Regards

Andreas, George and Regina and all musicians of Jazz Potjie Projects

http://www.jpp.co.za

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John Edwin Mason

Ezra Ngcukana, South African Jazz Great, 1954 - 2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I knew Ezra’s work with Cape Flats youth musicians. "Why don’t I see you performing these days, Ezra?" "I asked a few months ago. "Because I prefer to just spend my time grooming the youngsters. I’m tired of playing, I don’t need to play anymore", he answered. Irony strikes when he appears in Grahamstown this year playing with another late-great Robbie Jansen, and in July on 10 July 2010 at Nikki’s Oasis in Johannesburg!

I found out about his death from Thando (‘Earnest’) Ngodwane whose Black Stars Production group had benefited greatly from Ezra’s mentorship. This young and zesty entertainment-preneur had added Ezra to his board of directors. Ezra spent most of his time just advising and encouraging. Ezra, of course, is no new Mentor to youth groups, having co-created The Little Giants with pianist George Werner. I remember driving Ezra and several 'little giants' to Grahamstown for their very first participation with the National Youth Jazz Festival sometime 2001. And that was my first visit, also, to Grahamstown. It was a long drive, but Ezra and I had long chats along the way. His humility and dedication to youth exuded forth his desire to see the underclad and less known talents enabled and exhibited.


"But I miss hearing you, Ezra," I pined when I next saw in sometime in March 2010. "Nah, I enjoy just working with these young ones – so innocent," he replied with his usual understanding smile.

"Bra, I truly miss you now!" I am saying in my alone state. Those who learned from this music educator, with his own magical informal style of operating, will show forth to our communities what Ezra really meant to them. Let the gongs bong!

Posted: Carol Martin, Capetown, 11 August 2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My first exposure to live jazz was at about 12 years old with the Henry February band who at the time boasted a frontline of Ezra on tenor, brother Duke on trumpet, Winston on tenor and later Willy Haubrich on trombone. In the rhythm section was the man, Mr Feb on piano, my Dad, Robert Davids was on percussion, Max Diamond on drums and Basil Moses on electric bass. A few years later my forays into the world of the professional musician came courtesy of Ezra Ngcukana. I was his self appointed, or might it have been, self inflicted roadie, this at the still naive age of 19 years old. Man did I get into trouble, but wow, did I learn a lot!

Everything I got to know about the great horn men of the period and bebop both historically and its musical language was through Ezra and drummer Max Dyamani, aka Max Diamond. I also got the taste of the life of the jazz muso, the women, the booze, the hard edged lifestyle. The three of us travelled to and from gigs in Gugs, Manenberg, Lansdowne and Mitchells Plain in my little Mini which often threatened to topple over because of how much it listed to one side due to Ezra's disproportionate weight! As I drove they navigated me through the harmonic language, stylistic nuances and phrasing of the masters, Parker, Gillespie, Powell, Monk, Miles, Roach, Philly Joe Jones et al. Just as well that they navigated musical language because Ezra never drove and Max always got us lost, even when it was directing you to his pad in Gugs!

I loved when Ezra would sing the heads and horn solos of tunes for me like Straight, No Chaser; Four and More; Donna Lee in his soprano voice (hip, if not odd for such a big guy), or Max would explain one drummer's cymbal technique from the other as we drove mindful of the dangers of being arrested for either driving over the limit or worse, breaking the curfew in the townships. We lived dangerously during that tumultuous period of the early eighties and were charged by the political climate and the talk of a revolution and by reading Trotsky, all the while we were feeding our souls with Trane and Miles and Monk. I learned all the jazz standards through these journeyed lessons and would only hear the original recorded versions much later, but by this time, I would have an in-depth understanding of the jazz vocabulary and the exponents that pioneered the bebop movement. This invaluable experience and first hand tutorship gave me my great love for bebop and which was directly attributable to Ezra Ngcukana and Max Diamond.

I worked many times with Ezra through the years and his genius was something he always took for granted. He would musically land on his feet with little effort, regardless of the situation. Ezra was like our Sugar Ray Leonard of the Tenor, he played hard, punched hard and always nailed the song. He could flippantly toss off complex phrases at break neck tempo's with perfect intonation... while being so intoxicated he could not even stand! He was a mathematical genius as well and this made him the perfect improvisor, his knowledge of harmonic motion was far superior to any of his peers at the time.

When Ezra gave that mischievous smile before he soloed, you could swear that this gentle giant was not the same monster about to unleash those fearsome bebop chops. That's how I choose to remember him and not the sad state of the horn man who died in his sleep.

Best Regards

Greg Davids

08 Aug 2010

A PORTRAIT OF HOME - Kyle Shepherd New Album Launch Concert

Renowned South African Jazz pianist, Kyle Shepherd launches his 2nd Album, "A Portrait of Home" at 8pm, Saturday, 14 August 2010 at the UCT College of Music, Rondebosch.

"A Portrait of Home", a 10-track CD, features 9 original compositions of which 7 are brand new, and is a live recording of Shepherd’s Trio in concert at Stellenbosch University’s Music Conservatory in August 2009. The CD features Shepherd on piano, Shane Cooper on double bass and Jonno Sweetman on drums; all of whom will be performing at the launch concert.

"In 'A Portrait of Home' we are painting a picture of ourselves, in our lives, thoughts and emotions. With this offering we are also acknowledging the home of our spirit, the home of our people, our musical masters, the legacy of our country's past, our present and the promise of our future," says Shepherd.

Shepherd launched his debut album, 'fineART' to critical acclaim in January 2009 and earned him two 2010 South African Music Award (SAMA) nominations, for Best Traditional Jazz Album and Best Newcomer!

The launch of his new album comes fresh on the heels of Shepherd's fineART Quartet’s recent tour of Europe where they enthralled audiences at concert performances in Switzerland at The Bird's Eye Jazz Club & in Denmark at the Ã…rhus & Riverboat Jazz Festivals.

The new CD has already received airplay on SAFM, Fine Music Radio, Radio 2000 & UCT Radio and has been met with very favourable responses.

"A Portrait of Home" will be on sale at the launch concert and is also available from most leading CD stores in South Africa such as Look & Listen, Musica Mega Stores, Jive City, Just CD & The African Music Store.



* BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL *
R60.00 (R40.00 Students & Pensioners: proof required)
To book click here or
email info@kyleshepherd.co.za call 079 256 9030

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO & VIDEOS
http://www.kyleshepherd.co.za/

The UCT College of Music is located behind the Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch ie. on the Lower Campus of UCT.

Click on here for a map

07 Aug 2010

GUITAR WORKSHOP, presented by WAYNE BOSCH

Date: 14 August 2010, 14:00 until 15:30
Venue: Church in Parow (white building on corner, same street as Parow Station), Corner Station and Steenbras Roads, Parow, Cape Town

Jazz guitarist WAYNE BOSCH will present a guitar workshop, open to the public, on Saturday 14 August, at 2pm. Admission R20. All welcome.

For more information, call 083 690 8146

Book - "JAZZ, BLUES & SWING - SIX DECADES OF MUSIC IN SOUTH AFRICA"

Jürgen Schadeberg is no stranger to South Africa. He captured some of most important moments in South African history. At a very important time in our history, he became chief photographer, picture editor and art director of Drum magazine.

The book, "JAZZ, BLUES & SWING SIX DECADES OF MUSIC IN SOUTH AFRICA" was published in 2007. It contains some of Jürgen's most amazing black and white photographs of South African jazz musicians.

The essays in the book were done by Don Albert, Gwen Ansell, Darius Brubeck and Hotep Idris Galeta.

This book should definitely be in all music lovers book collection.

I just wish that this book will one day be republished with recorded music of all the artists featured in the book on CD or DVD.

I got my copy from Readers Warehouse.

05 Aug 2010

Jazz duo gig: Trudy Rushin & Rudi Byrnes

Date: 7 August 2010, 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Venue: Food Lover's Market Restaurant & Sushi Bar,Vineyard Rd, Claremont, Cape Town, South Africa


Vocal-guitar music from different genres, mainly jazz, swing, pop and some jazzy originals. Food Lover's Mkt has everything you need for a great, affordable night out. If you've never spent an evening there, give it a try this Saturday. Trudy (voice, guitar) and Rudi (guitar) have collaborated a few times before and received very favourable feedback.

http://alwaysrushin.blogspot.com/

03 Aug 2010

Scott Kelby's World Wide Photo Walk 2010

Check out some of the groups from all over the world that participated in Scott Kelby's World Wide Photo Walk 2010.

I was part of the Cape Town group.

http://www.scottkelby.com/blog/2010/archives/11436



Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1, 2, and 3


"Jazz and freedom go hand in hand. That explains it. There isn't any more to add to it. If I do add to it, it gets complicated. That's something for you to think about. You think about it and dig it. You dig it..." Thelonious Monk
"Jazz and freedom go hand in hand. That explains it. There isn't any more to add to it. If I do add to it, it gets complicated. That's something for you to think about. You think about it and dig it. You dig it..." Thelonious Monk

Hamba Kahle Winston Mankunku Ngozi - Tributes

PASS photostream