Joy of Jazz line up announced
Linda has been jazzing it up all over Jozi, she went to the Joy of Jazz media conference to find out for you, darling Representers, just what we’ll be tapping our feet to this year. PR at end. I admit, I was star-struck when I saw Miriam Makeba – Mama Africa no less – chilling on the couch – as I walked into the launch of the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz last week. I might have even let out an involuntary “oooh” when my favourite musical couple Letta Mbulu and Caiphus Semenya walked in, followed by the legendary Jonas Gwangwa. Here’s the great news! All of the above will be performing at this year’s Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, which is set to take place from 23 to 25 August in Newtown. This year’s line-up sounds absolutely smashing. It consists of Miriam Makeba, Letta Mbulu, Caiphus Semenya, Jonas Gwangwa, as I’ve mentioned, AND George Duke, The Count Basie Orchestra, Dorothy Masuka, another fine Marsalis brother – the trombonist Delfeayo (big brother Branford Marsalis performed at last year’s Joy of Jazz). Pieces of a Dream and Kunle Ayo will also be here. The Moreira Project will be showing their stuff, as well as newcomer and SAMA winner Siphokazi (she was at the launch and I was struck by how tall and graceful she is). Nokukhanya, Sipho Hotstix Mabuse, Ray Phiri and Stimela, Steve Dyer, and Thandie Klaasen will also be holding it down. In addition, there will be workshops for emerging artists and other events at taverns around Jozi. After the official briefing, the artists were requested to stay behind for a “photo opportunity”. I was tickled pink! Had to restrain myself from jumping in between the divas and asking someone to “please shoot me”. In about two months’ time, the spectacular Joy of Jazz will be upon us again, and I can’t wait! THE OFFICIAL PR: The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival has thrown down the gauntlet to all other South African jazzfests in the country by presenting one of the most diverse and powerful line-ups in years. What makes this year so different from previous festivals and other jazzfests in South Africa is that it will feature the first American big band to play here in about 30 years – the world famous Count Basie Orchestra. The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, which runs in Newtown from August 23 to 25, also pays its own tribute in Women’s Month by bringing together four of the country’s national cultural treasures on one bill – Mama Africa Miriam Makeba, Dorothy Masuka, Thandie Klaasen and Letta Mbulu whose illustrious musical...
Represent Review: Jamming Sundays
We’re always moaning about the lack of good live jazz in Jozi – moan no more, here’s yet another Represent solution for wafting away the Sunday Blues – good jazz and good people. Catch the best of breed muso’s at Partyhouse at the Dome – a little bird has been tweeting about Siphokazi for ages – sounds like she’s for real. Sharpile! to Linda for the gorgeous pic of Siphokazi and her soulful Sunday story. I attended my first “Jamming Sundays” on Sunday afternoon. This was the third in a series of concerts aimed at jazz and adult contemporary music enthusiasts. Much more than a concert, it’s also an opportunity to network, mingle, and just chill out as you get ready for the week ahead. The concert was held at the Partyhouse at The Dome in Northgate – a really nice venue for a concert – big enough so there’s no crowding and pushing at the bar, but also small enough for the artists to really interact with their audience. And what a vibrant audience it was! SAMA award winner Siphokazi and Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse were the headline acts on this Sunday’s bill. The opening act was Maxhoba (aka Max-Hoba, famous for his collaborations with HHP). I was blown away by his vocal talent and versatility. I have watched him perform, as a backing vocalist to HHP, but never on his own. He performed his own songs exceptionally, and also gave a unique flavour to ‘Tomorrow Nation’ by O’Yaba and ‘One Love’ by the legendary Bob Marley. I was particularly impressed by his rendition of ‘Please Baby Don’t’ – which John Legend sang on Sergio Mendes’ Timeless album – but he brought the house down when he sang the late Jabu Khanyile’s ‘Ungavumi’ as distinctively as Khanyile himself would have. Next up was Siphokazi. This was my first time watching her perform. In fact, I hadn’t heard much of her music other than one or two tracks that get often played on the radio; so I was quite curious to find out what she’s all about. Her voice is incredible – rich and powerful, which was surprising to me, given that she is quite soft-spoken. I remembered reading a few articles in which she was referred to as ‘the next Simphiwe Dana’. With due respect to Ms Dana, I can say categorically that Siphokazi is not the next anyone! She is a phenomenal talent in her own right. I enjoyed her authentic energy, her gracefulness and her voice, which is truly stunning. She scats like a queen from a bygone era – reminiscent of those jazz greats like Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughn. I...
Represent Recommends: Africa Remix
We couldn’t believe the number of SUV’s lining up in a long wait to enter the grounds of the JAG in Joubert Park yesterday arvie – the number of people streaming into the gallery gave us a glimpse into an ideal world where art is as popular as sport. See our pics here. Have you spotted the numerous street posters featuring a colourful African pirate advertising the Africa Remix art exhibition? The marketing of this wonderful collection of 85 African artists from 25 African countries and the diaspora could not be more thorough – it is a MUST SEE and if you miss it, you miss out. The exhibition has been showcased to the world and now finds itself (appropriately) for the first time ever on African soil – however this is the last chance to catch it. It was quite overwhelming to step into a courtyard seething with people all listening to the speeches at the official opening of Africa Remix and we found ourselves preferring to wander around the enormous gallery poking our noses into all the installations, nooks, crannies and spaces… It is ongoing, unending, mind-blowing, fantastic… eventually, just before we hit sensory overload we decided to stop while we were ahead and come back another time for more. There is no way you can take it all in in one go. So make sure you pencil in a number of visits to the Joburg Art Gallery over the next few months to celebrate the wealth of some of the finest artist’s Africa has to offer – it’s on till September. See our pictures of the traffic, some of the art, the patrons and the speeches by clicking here. Africa Remix – which will be held at the Johannesburg Art Gallery from June 24 to September 30 – features the work of more than 85 artists from 25 countries on the African continent and the Diaspora. This is the first time it has been seen in Africa. Never before in the history of the continent has an exhibition of such magnitude focusing exclusively on Africa been shown to African audiences. Arriving to celebrate this unique occasion is the Cameroon-born, Paris-based curator and critic Simon Njami as well as number of artists including Goddy Leye, Samuel Fosso, Barthélémy Toguo, Bili Bidjocka and Pascale Marthine Tayou, Aimé Ntakiyica, Ingrid Mwangi, Antonio Ole, Benyounès Semtati, Mohamed El Baz, Mounir Fatmi, Dilomprizulike, Joël Andrianomearisoa, Myriam Mihindou, Cheick Diallo, Amal Kenawy, Moataz Nasr, Patrice Felix Tchicaya and Loulou Cherinet. South African artists included in the exhibition are Jane Alexander; Willie Bester; Wim Botha; Andries Botha; Tracey Derrick; Marlene Dumas; David Goldblatt; Jackson Hlungwani; William...
Represent Photo’s: Sanzalicious @ Spaza
Let’s hope we won’t be struck with a snowstorm for saying this, but we think winter is being really kind to us here in Jozi. Supposedly we’re on the downhill to sprummer which is a wonderful notion, but right now the days are gloriously mild and balmy. We can’t complain. What better way to avert the ‘cold’ Sunday bedroom blues than a delicious outdoor lunch prepared by none other than Sanza Fakudze the soulful vegetarian chef at the sunny Spaza Art Gallery in Troyville. We’ve been going to feast on his delights for about three years now and we’re never disappointed. The sun streams into the courtyard, the crowd is eclectic, the mood laid back, the conversation enriching and the food delicious. At R30 a dish for interesting and subtle flavours and the most reasonably priced drinks in Jozi, it’s a winner for pre-month-end. Click here to see some pics of the day out – contact the Spaza gallery to find out when next the Sanzalicous is in the 2010 ‘hood. More...
Represent Photo’s: Barcelona v Sundowns
For those of us that never got to see the match last week, enjoy our photostory! Our man Adi represented – 2 hour traffic, stadium packed to (over) capacity and great football with an electric incredible energy- we certainly won’t be missing the next one. We can’t wait for 2010!!! See the photies here.. On Wednesday night I went with a group of six people to see Barcelona take on Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versveld. I am normally very much of the opinion that watching sport on television is the way to go: better angles, no traffic and that kind of thing. Two reasons led to me saying yes to the invitation. Firstly, the friend who asked me is constantly organizing things from which I generally flake out and, secondly, Ronaldinho was going to be there. For me, and about 5,96 billion people, he is the ultimate footballer. The other 36 million is the population of Argentina who still think Maradona is the guy. FC Barcelona was recently rated as one of the top six club sides ever to play the game, according to a recent poll conducted on my couch. The others are Liverpool, Manchester United, AC Milan, Real Madrid and the legendary Norwood Eagles under-nine team of the late 1980’s. Couple this with the fact that, some-the-hell-how, Sundowns managed to get them to Pretoria fielding a first string side and you have the reason why I was willing to go bumper to bumper from Killarney all the way to the city of embassies, gravy trains and the mighty Blue Balls. With my friend Mario in the car we had ample time to figure out the following truths en route: everyone listens to 702, Jackie Selebi and Tony Yengeni are sinister fools, nobody invites me to poker anymore, and we need Winston Churchill to sort out the Taxi industry. Three members of our group have names ending in the letter O, and somewhere in this it was organized that we could park at the Italian Embassy, a Cape Dutch building two blocks from Loftus. From here we walked to the stadium. The game was a sellout – think Celine Dion, not Hansie Cronje. By 19:55, 60 000 spectators were crammed into 59 999 seats. Up to a thousand ticket holders weren’t allowed inside because it turns out that the officials tasked with gate control were making thousands of rand selling entry to non-ticket holders. Imagine how happy Frau Eva Schweinsteiger will be when she flies here to see her little Bastian play his last World Cup, only to find that her seat has been sold by the guy from...
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