Saturday, May 26, 2007
Shannon Mowday on tour!
We haven’t seen Shannon Mowday since the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, where she gave an amazing performance on the Basil “Mannenberg” Coetzee stage with an international backing of Karin Hammar on trombone, and Hildegunn Øiseth (both from Sweden) on trumpet.But the wonder that email is, delivered this little note to us this week:
Hope you are well. Am in Australia at the moment-back on Thursday and then all heel breaks loose. My festival dates are as follows:
26 June 04 July - Grahamstown Jazz Festival (Am playing with that Dutch pianist, Jeroen van Vliet)
08-12 August - Silde Jazz Festival Norway
20-25 August - Joy of Jazz festival - Joeys (workshops and performance)
06 October - Leipzig Jazz Days Festival Germany
22-30 October - Washington/New York standard bank conference in Washington but staying on a week to check New York.
Have got a horde of material from here to give to Rouvanne, so would be great to hook up when I get back
More info as we get it!
Labels: jazz, music, Shannon Mowday, tour
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Big music festival for 2008
I received my regular Bizcommunity newsletter this morning, and was pleased to read about a big music festival being planned for the beginning of 2008, The Zandrivier Music Festival. Here is the press release:
Zoom Advertising has been appointed official marketing partner for what is already being dubbed ‘THE event'. A massive music festival, the first of its kind in South Africa is set to rock the country in February 2008 and MTV Europe Foundation has signed up as one of the festival's global media partners.
Featuring more than 200 bands over two days on seven different stages, the festival takes place on a beautiful farm at the highest point in the Western Cape. Twelve major international headline acts, a line up of international DJs and a huge number of local artists are appearing at the Zandrivier Music Festival. MTV will broadcast a documentary about the Festival as well as cover the event live as it happens.
“The Zandrivier Music Festival presents a new and exciting platform for sponsors to reach discerning and affluent audiences who prefer to discover a brand rather than have it sold to them.”
Around fifty thousand tickets will be sold to the event, which has widespread appeal because it offers so much including an enormous range of music genres, food, drink and retail villages and so on. With more areas of entertainment still being finalised, the seven stages confirmed so far are:
• The main MTV stage – international headliners
• Dance Arena
• Jazz/Folk
• Latino
• Future Shock
• Reggae
• New Bands Metal/Rock
The Festival is being organised by Lily UK, which has been involved with the Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK, Exit in Serbia as well as MTV's road shows and other mainstream music events around the world.
Twenty per cent of the festival's profit will be ploughed into projects to assist rural communities and provide sorely needed education and life skills, especially among young people. The Zandrivier Trust has been established, the trustees of which are political, entertainment and industry VIPs.
Let's hope they are able to build it into a successful annual event, because we just have far too few quality music festivals in South Africa, and I have seen far too many good idea's hit a speed-wobble before the race has even started!
Zoom Advertising has been appointed official marketing partner for what is already being dubbed ‘THE event'. A massive music festival, the first of its kind in South Africa is set to rock the country in February 2008 and MTV Europe Foundation has signed up as one of the festival's global media partners. Featuring more than 200 bands over two days on seven different stages, the festival takes place on a beautiful farm at the highest point in the Western Cape. Twelve major international headline acts, a line up of international DJs and a huge number of local artists are appearing at the Zandrivier Music Festival. MTV will broadcast a documentary about the Festival as well as cover the event live as it happens.
“The Zandrivier Music Festival presents a new and exciting platform for sponsors to reach discerning and affluent audiences who prefer to discover a brand rather than have it sold to them.”
Around fifty thousand tickets will be sold to the event, which has widespread appeal because it offers so much including an enormous range of music genres, food, drink and retail villages and so on. With more areas of entertainment still being finalised, the seven stages confirmed so far are:
• The main MTV stage – international headliners
• Dance Arena
• Jazz/Folk
• Latino
• Future Shock
• Reggae
• New Bands Metal/Rock
The Festival is being organised by Lily UK, which has been involved with the Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK, Exit in Serbia as well as MTV's road shows and other mainstream music events around the world.
Twenty per cent of the festival's profit will be ploughed into projects to assist rural communities and provide sorely needed education and life skills, especially among young people. The Zandrivier Trust has been established, the trustees of which are political, entertainment and industry VIPs.
Let's hope they are able to build it into a successful annual event, because we just have far too few quality music festivals in South Africa, and I have seen far too many good idea's hit a speed-wobble before the race has even started!
Labels: jazz, MTV, music, rock 'n' roll, Zandrivier Music Festival
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Peak is a 2007 Best SA Music Blog finalist!
We are very excited at Peak, due to the announcement that Peak People has been nominated as a finalist for the 2007 SA Blog Awards in the category of Best SA Music Blog! Now it comes down to votes! Go to the 2007 SA Blog Awards and vote for us!
Only one vote is allowed per email address, with a minimum of 3 votes in different categories, after which a confirmation email will be sent for you to reconfirm that you are real...
So send this link through to as many people as you can, and we will look forward to bringing you lots more stories about the exciting artists that come through our doors!
And, finally, thank you to all those who nominated us - it was totally unexpected, but thoroughly appreciated!
14h41 UPDATE: OK... it seems I have moved from Best SA Music Blog to Best SA Entertainment Blog - am still trying to confirm, but that shouldn't stop the votes from rolling in! Hmmm - always did want to stand for some kind of election! LET THERE BE MUSIC (and ENTERTAINMENT) for the MASSES!
15h52 UPDATE: OK... I am back on Best SA Music Blog folks! So feel free to vote - or have I already said that?!
Labels: classical, electronica, finalist, jazz, music, SA Blog Awards, Soweto Gospel Choir, traditional, world music
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Moreira Project - Sax with a mission
Yesterday I met an artist that I have heard of in the past, but not yet had the opportunity of meeting before. It was long overdue!Saxophonist Moreira Chonguica, originally from Mozambique, is a man on a mission! He is out to conquer the world, on his own terms, and it was refreshing to hear his attitude to the local music scene. He is enthusiastic – realistic, yes – but excited about what he has to offer. And he is creating a brand around his own colourful big character, standing centre stage and woo’ing the audience.
Moreira graduated from UCT in 2000 with an honours degree in Musicology and distinction in Jazz Performance, and has since then performed with most of the major artists in South Africa, such Allou April, Judith Sephuma, Robbie Jansen and the UCT Big Band.
He has appeared at various international festivals with Jimmy Dludlu’s band at the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands in both 1999 and 2000; Chicago Jazz Festival 2000; International African Music Festival of Wurzburg in Germany 2002; African Summer Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe; Victoria Jazz Festival, Spain; and the Joy of Jazz, the Jazzathon, and the North Sea Jazz Festival in South Africa.Moreira’s debut CD, Moreira Project – The Journey, Volume One, was released in 2005 under his own label so as to be able to control his own destiny. He didn’t want to be tied to any of the majors, and as all musicians who have funded their own projects know, there is nothing cheap about creating a professional production. And this is a good looking, good sounding funky, hip and happening CD, full of his energy and passion.
Tony Paco (on drums) is on the album, as is Freshlyground’s guitarist and fellow Mozambican Julio Sigauque, pianist Mark Fransman who has been with Moreira for many years, and Willie Haubrich on trombone – just some of the quality musicians we have been working with over the years.I enjoyed meeting Moreira – it was easy to get excited about what is happening around us, with the opportunities that are opening up in this digital age, for musicians to be able to express themselves, and get their product out to the world. And we agreed that now especially, care needs to be taken that the product we do present, is of the highest quality.
In this little video clip Moreira performs with a DJ at the after party of the 2006 Nokia Fashion Week. Jamming away on stage, with the models strutting their stuff around him, Moreira gets down and funky!
P.S. This is the first video I have embedded from a new local video host My Video - they're based in Cape Town and have been pretty nifty in our dealings thus far, so I wish them all the best!
Labels: Cape Town International Jazz Festival, jazz, Judith Sephuma, Moreira, Moreira Project, music, Robbie Jansen, saxophone, Tony Paco
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
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Kalahari Surfers and Friends for Red Bull
Yesterday we stuck our heads in at the final rehearsal in Cape Town between Warrick Sony from the Kalahari Surfers, Dizu Plaatjies (Ibuyambo), Lulu (Lungiswa Plaatjies pictured right with Warrick)), Xolani Gongxeka and Xoliswa Tom for another very exciting international project. At a time when South Africa is once again making an impact on the international stage – congratulations to the Soweto Gospel Choir for their Grammy Award for Best World Music album – it is exciting to feel a part of marketing these exciting projects from our country to the rest of the world.
This South African world music ensemble had come together before setting off for Salzburg Austria today at 17h00, to perform at Red Bull’s Hangar 7, for three performances – on the 16th, 17th and 21st of Feb. They are going to be joined in Austria by artists from Zip Zap Circus, and will be collaborating for one spectacular Aerial Scarf act, bringing together all the South African influences.
They have been invited to perform there as part of the exhibition titled – Turbulence – Art from South Africa , with exhibits by artists Sanell Aggenbach, Conrad Botes, Nicholas Hlobo, Ledelle Moe (pictured left is Heads: Collapse II, 2004 - Concrete, steel, oil), Samson Mudzunga, Brett Murray, Johannes Phokela, Lyndi Sales and Joachim Schonfeldt (the exhibit lasts from 17 February to 11 April 2007). And there is some amazing material out on show! We naturally are very excited to be involved with the mixing of musical styles again; the Kalahari Surfers electronic sound combined with traditional percussion, drumming and vocals, bringing together the old and the new.
All these artists have incredible experience with this kind of project, having done similar things with Juno Reactor, the African Dope crew, and other genre’s like Jazz, Gospel and . Add to this ensemble Inka Kendzia, who as VJ will be projecting African images and animation to the music, and I guarantee that the audience is going to be blown away! (I will be doing a feature in Inka as soon as she returns!) .
This rehearsal video is a little dark and grainy, and the music is very much in its infancy stages, but it gives you a good idea of how these artists compliment each other. There is also a very interesting little interview with Dizu for French TV5’s Mondomix – and I will be getting some more footage later this week of other shows!
Take it easy folks!
Labels: Aerial Scarf, African, African Dope Records, Dizu Plaatjies, electronica, Inka, jazz, Juno Reactor, Kalahari Surfers, Soweto Gospel Choir, traditional, world music, Zip Zap
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Shannon Mowday - South Africa's joy of jazz!
This morning Shannon Mowday, one of the artists that we are very proud to deal closely with, popped-in to give us her latest promotional material. Having just been awarded the 2007 Standard Bank Young Jazz Artist award, we are going to be assisting her in raising her already impressive profile, and get another very high quality artist out onto the international stage.We’ve had a lot of contact with Shannon over the years, having first met her when she was playing with one of Cape Town’s top party bands, Late Final, back in about 1997. Her brother Hylton was also always impressive, but unfortunately South Africa lost him to Australia, and though it has crossed Shannon’s mind to leave to seek her fortune there, she is finding that her roots are keeping her here, and playing a strong part in defining who she is.
She’s a tough cookie. And I have no doubt that she will find a niche in the market that demands her to be herself, because her talent can only fully be appreciated when she is able to create on her own, not just a musician who plays like other artists. She needs to be seen and recognized for her own style – and that’s what has now happened with this award from Standard Bank. Shannon has officially been recognized.
Not that she hasn’t before – judging by the quality of her gigs over the last few months, which include: performing with her group ‘Galumphing’ at the Cape Town Jazzathon (January 2007); as a soloist with top Afrikaans artists at the Huisgenoot Kaapse Jol at the Bellville Velodrome (January 2007); Jazz in the Pines – Norfolk Jazz Festival – Norfolk, Australia (December 2006), at the ‘New Morning’ Jazz Club in Paris with SAFRA – South African-French all female collaboration (September 2006); her band Galumphing appearing at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Jazz Festival (August 2006); and performing as conductor of a National High School Big Band for Standard Bank Joy of Jazz (August 2006). She’s been a busy-bee, and got lots of exciting plans ahead for this year.One of the problems we have as booking agents, who cater to a mainly corporate market, is that we have to deal with our client’s expectations and requirements, who also often have absolutely no idea about what is available or hot & happening at the moment – which is why they would come to us at Peak.
We advise them who we feel will best fit their requirements – but there is still very little experimentation and exploration going on out there; allowing artists to collaborate, mix-and-match styles or just play their own compositions. Clients often prefer the safe option of getting a band that can play the music they know and are comfortable with – thereby missing out on a possible mind-blowing experience. (We’re excited with FCB Impact 361 & Santam for confirming Arno & Gloria’s collaboration – talk about being hip!)The music that our artists produce in this country is fresh and exciting; it is influenced by far more real human emotion and experience than most of the ‘pop’ artists who live in their little protected worlds in the heart of the 1st world; and is gaining international fans as more and more of them have the means of exporting their sounds.
Shannon hasn’t just taken it lying down. She has appeared at those bill-paying events, such as a day at the J&B Met in searing heat and a battlefield of youngsters in various stages of inebriation; or for the corporate client who thinks that a lapel-mike will be sufficient to amplify Shannon as she is expected to roam between the guests with her sax – but then her class is recognized at gigs like the Lord Mayors Banquet Ball, London with Concord Nkabinde (19-22 March), and watch out for her group Galumphing, featuring 2 Norwegian musicians, at the coming Cape Town International Jazz Festival (30&31 March).In the meantime – here is an interview made by Red Pepper Production for the Standard Bank Young Jazz Artist award, to introduce you to one of our musical wonders and a name to look out for in future – Shannon Mowday. I will be featuring lots more snippets of the exciting projects Shannon is involved in – as I said – she’s on the ball!
(Pics by Suzy Bernstein for Standard Bank)
07/02/19 UPDATE: Shannon will be appearing on the Basil 'Manenberg' Coetzee stage at the C.T.I.J.F - a nice big venue with a capcity for 3500! See you there!
Labels: Arno Carstens, award, Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Concord Nkabinde, Gloria Bosman, jazz, jazzathon, Joy of Jazz, Shannon Mowday
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Khunjani jazz is like a homecoming
South African music styles can have such a different flavour to what the rest of the world is used to, not much is standard.
To give you a few examples, we have a choir, the Cape Town Chorus, made up of teenagers from the township of Khayelitsha, a huge sprawling suburb outside Cape Town. This choir is a Welsh Chorale Choir, and have performed to great appreciation at an eisteddfod in Wales – but of course its Welsh only in describing its name because the music is pure African!
Old slave & folk music, originating in the Cape when slaves were brought here during the 1600’s and 1700’s, has developed into a totally unique style that won’t be found anywhere else in the world, as anyone who has witnessed the annual Cape Malay choir & minstrel festival in the New Year can agree with!
We have Johnny Clegg. Even Freshlyground.
We are the Kings of Kwaito in SA.
Same with Jazz. A musical style that was started at the beginning of the 20th century in New Orleans, combining old West African musical traditions with Western influences, Blues and Ragtime, and religious influences.
Here in South Africa, Jazz became popular in the 1950’s, with Dolly Rathebe, Dorothy Masuka, and of course Miriam Makeba. From this a new style developed, Afro Jazz, and artists like Hugh Masekela used their influence while in exile to fight Apartheid.
Afro-Jazz. It’s like it belongs here, the continent where its roots are; that its gone off somewhere else, developed, only to come home again... It's nature is 'protest' music.
We have a group called Khunjani, whose core is made up of traditional musicians from famous Marimba & Percussion group Amampondo, who practise exactly that classical cross-over style of music. Jazz with all the regular instruments, the piano, guitar, bass, and trumpet, but then add in some funky African skins, some percussion and even a marimba, and we’re talking something totally different!
I managed to capture a little bit of amateur footage of them – and it shows a little of their style… their African style. Lil’ bit of protest jazz to lift you for the weekend!
To give you a few examples, we have a choir, the Cape Town Chorus, made up of teenagers from the township of Khayelitsha, a huge sprawling suburb outside Cape Town. This choir is a Welsh Chorale Choir, and have performed to great appreciation at an eisteddfod in Wales – but of course its Welsh only in describing its name because the music is pure African!Old slave & folk music, originating in the Cape when slaves were brought here during the 1600’s and 1700’s, has developed into a totally unique style that won’t be found anywhere else in the world, as anyone who has witnessed the annual Cape Malay choir & minstrel festival in the New Year can agree with!
We have Johnny Clegg. Even Freshlyground.We are the Kings of Kwaito in SA.
Same with Jazz. A musical style that was started at the beginning of the 20th century in New Orleans, combining old West African musical traditions with Western influences, Blues and Ragtime, and religious influences.
Here in South Africa, Jazz became popular in the 1950’s, with Dolly Rathebe, Dorothy Masuka, and of course Miriam Makeba. From this a new style developed, Afro Jazz, and artists like Hugh Masekela used their influence while in exile to fight Apartheid.
Afro-Jazz. It’s like it belongs here, the continent where its roots are; that its gone off somewhere else, developed, only to come home again... It's nature is 'protest' music.
We have a group called Khunjani, whose core is made up of traditional musicians from famous Marimba & Percussion group Amampondo, who practise exactly that classical cross-over style of music. Jazz with all the regular instruments, the piano, guitar, bass, and trumpet, but then add in some funky African skins, some percussion and even a marimba, and we’re talking something totally different!
I managed to capture a little bit of amateur footage of them – and it shows a little of their style… their African style. Lil’ bit of protest jazz to lift you for the weekend!
Labels: Amampondo, Cape Town Chorus, freshlyground, jazz, Johnny Clegg, Khunjani
Monday, August 21, 2006
Miriam Makeba - another Peak appearance
Miriam Makeba, at a ripe age of 74, is an artist that we are very excited to be able to be working with for the second time, now in the twilight of her career with her retirement coming very soon.We were fortunate to have her appear for Peak at the launch party hosted by SAA to celebrate their partnership with the Star Alliance in April of this year. And her performance was magnificent!
I have alot of respect for Mama Makeba, and the role she has played in this countries history. She sacrificed so much, spending three decades in exile for her expressions on the state of apartheid in South Africa.This lady addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations twice, in 1964 and in 1975, and received the Dag Hammerskjold Peace Prize in 1968 for her contributions to the fight of oppression, so you cannot but have respect for her.
I found this video featuring Miriam and Paul Simon performing their version of Under African Skies live at a concert in San Sebastian, Spain in 1989, and its a great example of how she spread the message of freedom to the rest of the world.
We are honoured to have been able to work with you Mama Miriam Makeba!
Labels: jazz, Miriam Makeba, Paul Simon
Saturday, August 05, 2006
The Dixie Swingers foot-tapping jazz
Ed Backhouse, leader of the Dixie Swingers Jazz band, has been a good friend of Peak Performances for a long time. We have used him at so many events large and small over the years, not only as a reliable choice, but because we know that he and his group are always a great success.
One of our favourite events was when we were working closely with the Cape Town City Improvement District, in bringing lunch-time entertainment and music to the city during the week. It was a really awesome gig, and though we had to really rag the artists for reduced prices, we all had loads of fun entertaining Cape town, and seeing the difference it made to people's lunch time's.
I know as a street performer, that most lunch-timers are in such a rush to get from point A to Point B, that they often miss what is going on around them; side-stepping the beggars and street vensdors, talking on their cellphones, walking briskly to get where ever they are going as quickly as possible. And that's where a good street entertainer is at his most valuable - being able to slow down the whole process, and catching that fast-paced attention for a few moments. Making them notice for awhile, by breaking the rhythm, and bringing laughter, a smile, or just a little bit of awe.And although Ed and the Dixies are no professional street performers, but rather swanky jazz musicians with long CV's under each of their belts, they always managed to draw an appreciative crowd enjoying the foot-tapping, happy-go-lucky styles of Dixieland and traditional jazz.
Ed and the Dixie Swingers will be appearing on behalf of the Jasper's Starfish class, at the Blouberg International Academy Food Fair next Saturday as abit of a surprise.
Ed is like that - he likes to take part in community events, often offers his services for free at charity events - knowing, that what goes around, comes around. Thanks Ed!
Labels: Dixie Swingers, jazz, peak performances
Friday, August 04, 2006
Moses Taiwa Molelekwa 1973 - 2001
Live at the Fin de Seicle Festival Nantes 1997
As the saying goes, "you can only know where you are going, if you know where you come from." So I would like to do a little special focus piece on an artist that, though gone from us now, has become one of my favourite listening artists.
Moses Taiwa Molelekwa and his wife Florence 'Flo' Mthobo were found dead on 13 February 2001, at their offices in Johannesburg. The case has never been closed, so we will never really know what went on there, but it was a tragic, and a great loss for South Africa.
Moses only made a few albums, collaborated with many artists, and all along the way he received accolades and awards for his work. In 1991 and 1992 he won Best Jazz group category of the Gilbey's Music of Africa competition with his groups Brotherhood & Umbongo winning respectively.
He won 2 SAMA's in 1996 for Best Traditional Jazz, and Contemporary Jazz Group, and the DVD in focus Moses Taiwa Molelekwa Live at the Fin de Siecle Festival Nantes 1997 (MZADV 001) was nominated in Best DVD category in this years SAMA's.
But it wasn't only Jazz where he made a mark; co-producing Fela Kae and writing the hit It's my party for South African Kwaito starts TK Zee.
It is a great loss to the us, but for the people who knew and loved him, it was the hardest.
With all the cold winter weather we're experiencing around the country at the moment, one CD that warms up the Peak office, along with the crackle of our fireplace, is the Moses Taiwa Molelekwa Darkness Pass Solo Piano CD (MZA009/2) - once again from MELT.
We don't make any money from punting MELT stock - its just that the quality, and the history it has recorded, is a true national treasure chest of sounds.
Supporting South African music, past and present, is what its all about.
As the saying goes, "you can only know where you are going, if you know where you come from." So I would like to do a little special focus piece on an artist that, though gone from us now, has become one of my favourite listening artists.Moses Taiwa Molelekwa and his wife Florence 'Flo' Mthobo were found dead on 13 February 2001, at their offices in Johannesburg. The case has never been closed, so we will never really know what went on there, but it was a tragic, and a great loss for South Africa.
Moses only made a few albums, collaborated with many artists, and all along the way he received accolades and awards for his work. In 1991 and 1992 he won Best Jazz group category of the Gilbey's Music of Africa competition with his groups Brotherhood & Umbongo winning respectively.
He won 2 SAMA's in 1996 for Best Traditional Jazz, and Contemporary Jazz Group, and the DVD in focus Moses Taiwa Molelekwa Live at the Fin de Siecle Festival Nantes 1997 (MZADV 001) was nominated in Best DVD category in this years SAMA's.
But it wasn't only Jazz where he made a mark; co-producing Fela Kae and writing the hit It's my party for South African Kwaito starts TK Zee.
It is a great loss to the us, but for the people who knew and loved him, it was the hardest.
It has to do with sounds.
Natural sounds from far up north.
Sounds of rivers with gentle waterfalls.
Sounds from trees though still.
Sounds from the mountain in their fix.
Sounds not only from chirping birds,
Also from least thought of pigs
Creaking doors tenderly pushed ajar
Whispers of wings in the divine space
All in the likeness
of melancholy thoughts.
Many, many years will go by,
Pain will be reduced to understanding
Tears will spell out acceptance
A boy so adored will grow
to find solace in the music
of the Ancestors
for decades to heal.
Jerry 'Monk' Molelekwa
Father of Moses Taiwa Molelekwa
Robert (MELT 2000) gives some insight into the making of the DVD, from which he has kindly given me permission to use the featured video:
1997 was a great year for the late Moses Taiwa Molelekwa. He traveleded overseas with his own band for the first time to perform at the Fin de Siecle Johannesburg Festival on the Atlantic coast of
The idea of the Nantes Festival was a French initiative, inviting cultural representatives from three of the world's great cities to
This recording was made with the Dutch mobile studio 'The Van' and is potent evidence of the vitality and gifts of a young man just starting to enter his musical prime, sadly lost to us by his untimely & tragic death on February 13th 2001.
Robert Trunz
So to celebrate this genius of an artist, I'd like to present the track Darkness Pass 3 (Improvisation from the DVD. Recorded on the afternoon before the festival show started, it shows how a rehearsal can be a once-in-a-life-time experience..
With all the cold winter weather we're experiencing around the country at the moment, one CD that warms up the Peak office, along with the crackle of our fireplace, is the Moses Taiwa Molelekwa Darkness Pass Solo Piano CD (MZA009/2) - once again from MELT.
We don't make any money from punting MELT stock - its just that the quality, and the history it has recorded, is a true national treasure chest of sounds.
Supporting South African music, past and present, is what its all about.
Labels: jazz, MELT, Moses Molelekwa, SAMA
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
Saturday, July 08, 2006
UJU - sweet as Zulu honey
Ntuthu Ndlovu began her career writing poetry in private and slowly evolved her talents into song writing. She is strong spirited and determined. A product of Selaelo Selota's development programme, she persevered with the establishment of a band that fused poetry, edgy African sounds and new brand of urban music. Ntuthu is the founder and muse of Uju.Not a gathering of friends go by that I don't pull their CD Cape to Cairo out of the office and let my friends feast on its atmosphere! Uju has a jazzy African hip hop kind of flavour. With vocals by the beautiful Lerato Ntsamai, Wandile Molebatsi creates so much mood on Djembe, Percussion, Harmonica and Vocals, Khumo Kganyago Jazz/Lead Guitar, Mosebetsi Nzimande Bass Guitar and Earl Joseph on Acoustic Guitar - but ultimately it is the voice and words of Ntuthu - the muse - who make Uju so smooth.
Just have a look at how funky their EPK is!!
Labels: acoustic guitar, jazz, Johannesburg, percussion, Uju, Zulu
