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05 Sept 2012

Cape Town Goema Orchestra – The South Atlantic Suite - Saturday 08 and 15 September 2012

The third concert season of the Cape Town Goema Orchestra will take place on 08 and 15 September at the SABC Auditorium in Sea Point. Led by Cape Town’s ‘goema captain’ Mac McKenzie, the orchestra will perform the première of The South Atlantic Suite, McKenzie’s third major orchestral work.

“The Suite evokes dormant musical thoughts and practises deeply embedded in the memories of peoples from along the south western coast of Africa and eastern coast of South America, people who share a common ancestry and experiences born out of slavery”, says McKenzie.

 “The 20-piece Cape Town Goema Orchestra is a synergy of diverse musicians and people, from highly experienced classical, jazz and traditional music instrumentalists, to young church and street musicians, all connected to the rich culture and soundscape of our city. It’s a truly unifying force in our country that celebrates and takes our music forward with vision and passion”.

McKenzie’s NPO, the Cape Town Composer’s Workshop, showcases budding composers and is the driving force behind the Goema Orchestra. The season will include new works by orchestra members Chantal Willie, Anna Strugar, Derek Gripper and Mandla Mlangeni.

A new composition by bassist Chantal Willie explores nuances of jazz, world music and South African music. Strugar, a young Serbian arranger studying at UCT, creates work influenced by jazz, folk and classical music. Cape guitarist Derek Gripper has gained renown as a composer of original music in a variety of folk and classical styles, while some of Mlangeni’s compositions and performances on jazz trumpet can also be heard in groups like TRC.

The orchestra’s line-up will also feature leading string players Rayelle Goodman and Jürgen Schwietering, woodwinds specialist Mike Rossi and jazz pianist Andre Petersen.

In April this year Mac McKenzie was invited to Switzerland to perform his music with Swiss and South African musicians in an especially lined-up Friendship orchestra. He was granted a further commission to develop more music in the goema genre.

Concert performances start at 8 pm. Tickets cost R100. Students and seniors pay R70. There are discounts on bookings of 10 or more. For reservations call 072 500 2204 or email: composers.workshop.ct@gmail.com

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"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

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