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, singer and well-known radio presenter Unathi Nkayi has collected a string of accolades that have stamped her as one of the most influential women in entertainment. She performs at the Market Theatre on Friday, August 28, and shares the bill with Arlee Leonard and Phil Perry from the US and the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band.
Music lovers can expect to see an explosion of talent from the African continent – not only from the big names already announced but also from the musicians performing at the event.
Kúnlé Ayo will be performing with the Nigerian All Stars on the Mbira Stage on Saturday, August 29. The band members are Ayo Solanke (saxophone), Olufemi (saxophone), Ola (saxophone), John Adesheun Karonwi (keyboard player), Alex Samuel (keyboard), Olusegun Gabriel Olusi (bass player), Victor Akaninyene Okon (drummer) and Israel Idowu Ajagbe (talking drums).
Rwandan star Somi makes her first South African appearance at Standard Bank Joy of Jazz with her eclectic musical mix ranging from soul to jazz with references to her African heritage and rhythms of the continent. She is delighted to be using South African and African musicians in her band including Clement Benny (drums), Mlungisi Gegana (bass), Kúnlé (guitar) and Nduduzo Makhathini (piano).
For more information on the line-up go here .
