Why dizzy Jazz?
Dec24

Why dizzy Jazz?

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STANDARD BANK JOY OF JAZZ COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMME  JAZZ CARES
Jul29

STANDARD BANK JOY OF JAZZ COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMME JAZZ CARES

South Africa’s premier music event, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, gives back again this year with a special day – including musical concerts – at the Diepsloot, Youth Centre as part of its on-going Jazz Cares initiative. This community outreach project gives audiences who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to experience top musical events the chance to take part in the jazz-travaganza. The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz – Jazz Cares Day takes place in Diepsloot on Wednesday, July 31st from 10am. In the audience will be 300 pensioners and partially-abled members of the community who will be treated to a day of pampering and live music. Performing artists are the Bonalesedi dancers and local jazz band Kaya. Helping prepare meals on the day and meet the audience are Swazi Dlamini, Sibongile Mngoma, Nokukhanya Dlamini and Wanda Baloyi. The Jazz Cares CSI initiative started in 2010 and has grown each year. The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz now has in total nine performance venues in the Newtown precinct when the festival runs from August 22 to 24. Be moved, show that you...

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The Center For Jazz & Popular Music (UKZN) presents Lindi Ngonelo Quintet.
Apr19

The Center For Jazz & Popular Music (UKZN) presents Lindi Ngonelo Quintet.

“Represent is very excited to introduce to you pianist Lindi Ngonelo. After the press release below you will know why we recommend an attendance to this event.” Lindi Ngonelo is a Durban based jazz pianist. Her music comprises of strong elements of jazz and ventures into different time signatures and texture. She started playing piano at age of 12 and recently graduated with a Bachelor of Practical Music at UKZN where she studied under Neil Gonsalves. Lindi is a composer, arranger and performer. She plans to utilise the platform at the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music to display her musical flair and passion with the audience. Lindi is currently part of the all-female jazz band Heels Over Head which won a Yamaha competition in 2010, and were nominated for a SAMA award in 2011 in the category Best Contemporary Jazz alongside the likes of Jonathan Butler and Carlo Mombelli for their debut album “could it be”. Lindi is also on her way to making a name for herself as a pianist; her piano playing has been referred to as “listening to humming birds on a spring morning”. “Jazz is fundamental to all genres of music. I love arranging and writing music,” Ngonelo said. Lindi Ngonelo will be accompanied by Llewelyn Chetty on Bass, Sphelelo Mazibuko on drums, Mxolisi Mdlalose on alto sax, Siyanda Zulu on trumpet. Plus, vocalists Thulile Zama and Zoe Masuku will each join her for a song. This event takes place on Wednesday the 24th of April 2013 at 18:00. Centre for Jazz and Popular Music (CJPM), Level 2, Shepstone Building at UKZN Howard College Campus Entry fee is R35 (Pensioners R20 and students...

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Represent Review: Joy of Jazz 2009
Sep06

Represent Review: Joy of Jazz 2009

Represent shimmied in amongst all the Friday night jazz cats last weekend down in Newtown, Johannesburg at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz 2009 festival – see our photostory here and read our take below from our team Nkateko Siweya and Hloni Ditse – Sharpile guys! : It’s a Friday just after rush hour traffic – it’s the last winter weekend and there’s no sign of a cold wind or rainy clouds, I wonder why… A long stream of cars flows past in an absolutely uniform precision, going in the opposite direction. Where are they going? People are supposed to be going home at this hour! Well not these music lovers… Mhhh, maybe all these people driving towards downtown Joburg might know that something interesting is about to go down.  I’m also heading downtown, Newtown to be exact, past the dim highway lights, to arrive at a light and bubbly (no direct relation to Champagne) scene of blue and white lights: the 2009 Standard Bank Joy Of Jazz. I step into a mass of people of all ages, walking and mingling as if it were a holiday: we are in Jozi, the city that never sleeps. Such energy and excitement is derived from just being out and about in Newtown, Johannesburg city and it can be felt and witnessed by each face that makes up this buzzing crowd. One thing you are never short of in Joburg is a fashion parade, from the young funky attires to the mature elegantly dressed- that on its own is an art form unique to Africa’s greatest metropolitan. Our bright colours call out loud: “Welcome to the southern spring season!!” The stages are set, the guests are here, the weather is clear and warm we are out and about in an era brimming with talent and skill. The stages in Newtown boasted the most adept and diversified jazz and soul musicians from many a corner of the globe. This is one time I wish I could replicate myself just for the night so I could get to fully immerse myself in the simultaneous happenings on all four stages. I would soothe myself with the foreign and blissful featuring artists like Room 11, Somi, Brian Thusi, Level 99, MAG, Minor Band, CJC, Live Rhythm, J4Dot, Solace and Soul Tique and the many more who showcased their talent at great length. Even though my self- morphing into four of me didn’t go down, I did manage to catch a few of the legends in action, from the very appealing Judith Sephuma’s soulful choruses to Unathi Nkayi who was just having a wonderful jol with the...

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Standard Bank Joy of Jazz & Workshops
Aug17

Standard Bank Joy of Jazz & Workshops

Warm up the last winter weekend this August at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz festival in downtown Johannesburg… Young Jazz musicians take note, they’re running a series of free jazz workshops during the festival: Running from August 27 to 29 in Newtown, the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz 2009 line-up features artists from America, Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands who will be joined by top performers from South Africa and the African Diaspora. Performers from the African continent include South Africa’s Jonas Gwangwa; Afro Jazz featuring Jimmy Dludlu; Vusi Mahlasela; Brian Thusi; Sterling EQ; the 2009 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for jazz Kesivan Naidoo as well as the Nigerian All Stars featuring Kúnlé Ayo and Rwanda’s Somi. Read more about the artists below… Some of the world’s leading jazz musicians – appearing at this year’s Standard Bank Joy of Jazz which takes place in Newtown from August 27 to 29 – will run free workshops teaching youngsters and musicians the intricacies of the craft. They include acclaimed Swiss harpist Andreas Vollenweider; Canadian trumpeter Ingrid Jensen; American pianist Bob Baldwin and saxophonist Marion Meadows and American jazz vocalist Arlee Leonard. The two groups giving workshops are Netherlands’ popular outfit Room 11 comprising Janne Schra (vocals), Arriën Molema (guitar), Tony Roe (keyboards), Lucas Dols (bass) and Maarten Molema (drums) and Spain’s Sumrrá featuring Manuel Gutiérrez (piano), Xacobeo Martínez Antelo (double bass) and Luis Alberto Rodriguez (LAR) Legido (drums). For more information on the workshops contact Mojalefa Gwangwa at T Musicman on 011 326 0141 or email ar@tmusicman.co.za The itinerary is as follows: Thursday August 27 from 11am to 1.30pm at the following venues: ·         Music Academy of Gauteng (Daveyton) – Ingrid Jensen ·         South West Gauteng College (Soweto) – Andreas Vollenweider ·         Moses Molelekwa Artist Foundation (Tembisa) – Room 11 ·         Central Johannesburg College (Johannesburg Central) – Marion Meadows and Bob Baldwin ·         Beverly Hills (Sedibeng – Vereeniging) – Arlee Leonard ·         Tshwane University of Technology (Tshwane) – Sumrrá For more information on the line-up, venues go to www.standardbankjazz.co.za and www.tmusicman.co.za. More on the line-up: Leading South African songstresses Judith Sephuma and Unathi Nkayi are joining the already impressive line-up at this year’s Standard Bank Joy of Jazz. Sephuma – who is regarded as one of the country’s leading jazz and Afro-pop singers and is the recipient of three South African Music Awards (SAMAs) – will perform on the Dinaledi Stage on Friday, August 28. She shares the stage with Spain’s Summra; the Lao Tizer Band featuring violinist Karen Briggs and guitarist Chieli Minucci and Main Ingredient from the US which includes vocalist Cuba Gooding. Over the years,...

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