Represent Review: Jazz at Moratele Park
Reuben ‘The Matrix’ Malema kicked back at a highly entertaining day of jazz at Moratele Park last weekend in a warmer Tshwane. Obviously The Matrix had a ball, but he just couldn’t quiet a nagging question – ‘Who will replace the Jazz greats when they’re gone?’ See our photostory from Represent’s supertalented photographer, Nkateko Siweya, by clicking here. Friday night – 29 August 2008. The Newtown Cultural Precinct. Rejoicing in the mellow tunes of jazz is the prevailing mood and yours truly is taking it very slow. Jazz, like all other things which are so blissfully fulfilling, demands that one graciously savour it in bite-size portions lest you spoil the encapsulating experience that is so full of delight. The organizers of this year’s colossal event left nothing to chance. Enthused fans and all visitors had to park their vehicles at the Old Johannesburg Train Station located adjacent to the Market Theatre on Carr Street. The entire area of the Event was fenced off and fully equipped security personnel tirelessly scoured the populous venue. Creative décor and free-flowing performing arts unfolded unhampered as the entire venue was transformed into a Kofifi/ Marimba cultural village of yesteryear: Sofiatown. Flute and harmonica tunes taunted the mind to imagine a place that mostly exists in the National Archives of South Africa’s past cosmopolitan glory (or the Drum magazine archives – Ed 😉 ). The eyes couldn’t help but swiftly teleport the mind into the world of the unison dancers of the smash hit: Sarafina! I found myself uncontrollably whistling away to the familiar harmony : “O tla utlwa bo-tsotsi ba re: a re yeng ko Meadowlands! Meadowlands, Meadowlands, Meadowlands Sithandwa sam’ !” Priceless! The Event At 19h00, yours truly and Mr. Siweya enjoyed the exemplary performance of local artist Mark Fransman at the Dinaledi stage. The Market Theatre played host to the Classic Jazz Masters followed by the charming Simphiwe Dana (If only wishes were horses). 20h15, by this time my partying mood had reached fever pitch, with the least intension of slowing down. We headed for the Mbira stage to catch the fantastic showcase of artistic skill and unlimited ease of the Nigerian born ‘Asa’. 21h15 still at Mbira, I was plunged (head first!) into a whirlpool of romantic ballads by Ringo Madlingozi, my sense of imaginary infatuation was completely and utterly drenched into a soapy mess!! The Spinners from USA skillfully breached the fun between Dinaledi stage and Bassline where Joshua Redman (USA) twirled us about with his ingenious saxophonist melodies. I thought this event was totally fabulous. Thank you Standard Bank for taking us down the Sofiatown history timeline and...
White bros what can sing
We love white bros with funk, soul and sweet singing depth… (Jamiroquai, Robin Thicke, RJ Benjamin, Michael Jackson…) What more can we say? Just MAKE SURE to listen to this man by watching his freshpie ‘Another Day’ video below – hot and JUICY! Now. Ladies and Gents, we bring you, with love, the great-to-be Jamie Lidell. We really dig this Stevie Wonder inspired...
Jazzy Jazmine Sullivan
We’ve been missing Lauryn Hill for so long, we’ve kind of given up on her ever coming back with more music since her heart-breaking live album. Even seeing her at her Johannesburg concert wasn’t enough to give us hope (remember that weird night). So we were naturally delighted to hear the sweet soulful sounds of Jazmine Sullivan… an L-Boogie (meets Mary J in parts) clone. Shift over Lauryn. ‘Need you Bad’ is a soulful reggae song perfect to cheer up all the lonely hearts out there… watch the video...
3000 times Legend…. ary!
Sheese we nearly missed this one in our list. It’s AWESOME. We officially give you the Green Light to Party on to this track at a rocking place close to you THIS weekend. If the DJ hasn’t rock it, shame on him. John Legend Feat. Andre 3000 – Green Light. Just watch below. Now....
Wisen UP! Don’t believe the BULLSHIT
Not only can you watch some really entertaining TV, but you can also OPEN your minds, WAKE up, stand up … for your rights as intelligent thinking, questioning human beings. Oh! and take your brains out of the category of ‘bullshit baffles brains.’ Bonus. We can’t get enough of the Penn & Teller series Bullshit that reveals so much about all the crapiola, lies and nonsense in the world that MOST people just suck up and live by. It’s obviously a highly cynical and overtly realist/pessimistic approach to many hot topics that make us tick, BUT we kinda like it as a lot of it is based on scientific and logical intelligence. Some of it is a bit of a stretch, but damn, it’s entertaining. Fact is, we’re tired of humans getting ripped off by unscrupulous bullshitting others. Oh, and be prepared to blush as you recognise your own gullibility in certain episodes – well, at least now you can QUESTION things a bit more instead of believing everything you’re told to believe…or at least carry on believing knowing the kind of choice you have made. What a welcome media approach in this world filled with so much Bullshit. Our only question is, once you’ve got rid of all the soft and curly cotton wool comfort zones that keep us going everyday, gives us a ‘life’ framework or optimistically guides us forth… (aka bullshit), what’s left to believe in? What’s the point? Answers welcome! If you prefer making informed choices, decisions and knowing everything about everything… find out the truth here by watching some of the hilarious but fascinating free Bullshit episodes online – AND STOP stop STOP giving your money, precious time, happiness, intelligence, talent and skill away to greedy liars… It’s harsh, there’s really bad language and horrible truths, but you really should watch it and wisen...
New Music Review: Glenzito House Avenue V3
It’s clear – house music must go on and we’re still loving it. But every now and then, like most things, we believe it requires a little tweak, a little shift. That’s when it’s up to our dj’s, muso’s and producers to pluck the core of that ‘some’ing some’ing’ driving local house music, the soulful and appealing sticky parts of our favourite tunes, and repackage it into some fresh and juicy new beats and twists that inspire us and lift house music to the next progression…on and up. Dawn Penny gives yet another South African DJ Legend her once over and finds Glenzito’s new album infinitely pleasing and on another level… 8 beats out 10 The long-awaited, latest Glenzito House Avenue V3 CD is finally here! And just in time for the end of winter moving into spring. With DJs who’ve been mixing for some years now, there’s most certainly an expectation of brilliance or at least a one up from their last offering and Glen definitely sets a bar higher. As some of you might know by now, I’m a huge sucker for vocal house, the sing-alongs man the sing-alongs, so this was lovely for me to listen to. From the first track, DJ Pap feat. Cei Bei – It’s the Music, Glen lets you know what’s up. He prepares you and implies that this right here, that you’re just about to listen to, this is the music. He brings in a soulful/gospel song in track 4, Halo & Kemal feat. Arnold Jarvis – Lift me Up, which took me to church and lifted my spirits. He now starts to transform from the chilled house beats to the more get-on-the-dance-floor type tunes, and my shoulders are moving. There’s track 7 with vocalist Michelle Amador crooning Because of You. Wow! This track was most definitely my favourite. It was carried by the vocals, with this soulful, Sarah Vaughan-type voice – absolutely beautiful. This was also one of the dance beats but the voice gives it a sophistication – not to say that dancing isn’t sophisticated (when done right) but it’s sexy. And then right after that sexy track follows what sounds to me to be a pick up song. I imagine that when Mike Dunn – Freaky MF hits the speakers in the club, you’ll have plenty of flirting while dancing going on. It’s a good hook track though, it’ll be a hit for sure. He keeps to his dance tone with tracks like Kiko Navarro – Sonando Contigo adding a sultryness every now and then. It’s a good listen, it’s a good party CD and it most definitely...
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