Thursday, February 15, 2007
Vivid Africa - McCoy & Georgiades Jazz
I first heard of Greg Georgiades, an awesome guitarist & oud player from Johannesburg, a few years back from Robert Trunz of MELT, with his collaboration with one of my firm favourites, Zulu guitarist Madala Kunene. Since then we have had more contact with him and are looking at international gigs for his various ensembles.Robert had contact last week to say that he is coming down for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, and he needed me to rip some material from a promotional DVD of Vivid Africa – a really exciting World music ensemble that we have had on our books for awhile. I hadn’t seen them live before the DVD arrived, and was very surprised at how much seeing them live made the music more real.
With it’s very impressive line-up I shouldn’t have been; McCoy Mrubata plays the Saxello, alto & tenor saxophones and the flute; Greg Hadijyorki Georgiades is on Vocals, oud and flamenco guitar; Ashish Joshi is a master of the tabla, the darbuka and dhol; Mlungisi Gegana is on acoustic & electric bass; Wynand van der Walt on Drums & percussion; and finally, but certainly not least, have a listen to the wonderful warm vocals of Siya Makuzani – and she also plays the trombone!
It’s this kind of exciting hybrid jazz that we should hearing more of, as I have also mentioned with Shannon Mowday. Music from South Africa, made by South Africans, reflecting who we are, where we come from, and definitely where we are going.
It is amazing how music brings people together, no matter what their culture, language or race; just the desire to be able to create an energy together using instruments is communication at its simplest. And these artists have a lot to say it seems!Greg and Ashish have been playing together for many years in the east and north African ensemble Avaaz (together with Priyesh Bhana on bansuri), after which they also collaborated very successfully in the group Strings & Skins. Greg has also played closely with Wynand as part of the Mutant Harmony Trio (with Marc Duby on bass), and two of South Africa’s most well known guitarists Steve Newman and Tony Cox in the Aquarian Quartet.
South African Music Award winner McCoy Mrubata has played with the best of the best; Ringo Madlingozi, the late Sipho Gumede, Errol Dyers and Tucan Tucan’s Frank Paco to name a few. His SAMA’s have come for his 2003 album Face the Music (Best Traditional), and the 2005 album, Icamagu Livumile.
But as can be seen in the video I am featuring below, Siya Makuzeni, from the Eastern Cape, on vocals is a breath of fresh air! Enjoy it!
07/02/19 UPDATE: I just wanted to confirm that Vivid Africa will be appearing at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. Once the program has been released I will have more info, but I do know they will be appearing on Rosies Stage, which has a capacity of 1500 - so let's fill it Cape Town!
Labels: Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Frank Paco, Greg Georgiades, jazz, Madala Kunene, McCoy Mrubata, MELT, Ringo Madlingozi, Shannon Mowday, Tony Cox, Vivid Africa, Zulu
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Tucan Tucan - Live
I had promised earlier in this blog that I was going to add a little of Frank Paco's Tucan Tucan magic to this blog. Last night I ripped their Demo DVD, and am presenting this little sample of one of their live performances.Latino rhythms such as Salsa, Samba and Bossa Nova and African elements such as those ultilized in Kwassa Kwassa, Marrabenta, Ju Ju and High Life are used in the compositions which, combined in the songs, create a unique sound that appeal to both local and international audiences.
With lyrics in Spanish, Portuguese, English and African Languages like Sesotho, Xhosa, Zulu, Ronga and Shangaan, TUCAN TUCAN aims to promote interaction between diverse cultures.
So here they are:
Labels: Frank Paco, Kwassa kwassa, Tucan Tucan
Friday, July 14, 2006
Bono, Mandela & the 46664 concert
Nelson Mandela turns 88 on 18 July, and thinking about him reminded me of all the awesome moments I can remember when I have been near him, and felt his presence. He’s such an unbelievable personality, and I feel privileged that I have been around him during his life time – that I don’t have to just read about him as a historical figure…One of Peak’s proudest moments was when we were involved in the first 46664 Concert in November 2003. We had Amampondo, Women Unite and Red Zebra drummers on stage with
So we were pretty involved in the two weeks prior to the concert.
The rehearsal the night before the concert was a cold, windy night; Yusef Islam (Cat Stevens) was standing near me with his family; Joseph Shabalala from Ladysmith Black Mambazo was strolling around with a massive grin; and I was standing there soaking it all in.
When Bono had finished American Dream (changed to African Dream for the concert), he sang Long Walk to Freedom, in honour of the book by Nelson Mandela, and of course the man himself.
At the end of the song, he strolled up to the lectern and pretended to be Madiba, to fill in where the man would start speaking – his question as to “… what is such a handsome man, doing with such an ugly rockstar?” drew applause from all of us watching, artists, riggers, sound techies, and the rest of the staff.
I was just happy to have caught it all on camera. Hell! Lenny and I were just happy to be there!
When I was filming, I was standing next to a guy who had stuck up conversation with me. He had a camera and was clicking away too, when a security guard came and told us he wasn’t allowed to film – I obviously didn’t want to get involved in this story as he hadn’t said anything to me, but I learned later that my ‘buddy’ had actually been taking pics for Bono.
That concert was put together by the artists for Madiba. People will go to great lengths for the man, and having been a part of it makes me proud.
Labels: 46664, Amampondo, Bono, Frank Paco, Nelson Mandela, Women Unite
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Blaze - as promised
I had mentioned a new group that our friend Frank Paco had presented to Peak, Blaze, and also promised a video.Blaze has the wonderfully talented Frank on drums, Muriel Marco on keys, Angelo Syster and Eugene Ackerman on strings; and the warming vocals of Chantal Wilkinson to make a complete package.
Their repertoire is vast, due to the tons of experience the individual musicians each have, and includes Background, Dance, Latin Dance, African and even traditional Hebrew songs, so it is difficult to pick out one track - but I think this shows their class!Labels: Blaze, Frank Paco, jazz
Friday, June 30, 2006
Frank Paco's Tucan Tucan, Blaze and Xixel Langa Quartet
A good friend of Peak's, and well-known drummer, percussionist and singer, Frank Paco popped round here the other night to drop off a few DVD's to add to our collection - which is always a pleasure! Most people know Frank and his group Tucan Tucan - though few might know that this man has been around the block!The first 46664 concert held in Green Point in 2004, Frank was part of the stages back-band, and so he got to play for Queen, Peter Gabriel, Youssou N' Dour, Jimmy Cliff and a host of other big time celebs. But now he's handed me some gems.
The first in Blaze - a really funky quintet with the sultry Chantal Wilkinson on lead vocals, Frank on drums and percussion, Muriel Marco on keys, Angelo Syster on guitar and Eugene Ackerman on bass.
The 2nd DVD was of a very dynamic entertainer, Mozambican Xixel Langa, and her Quartet. Xixel only started performing professionally in 2002, and
Its a real African mixture, sung mainly in Portuguese, but with real style.
I'm going to definitely add more info on these guys soon.
Labels: 46664, Blaze, Frank Paco, Peter Gabriel, Tucan Tucan, Xixel Langa, Youssou N'Dour
