Represent Review: Cape Town International Jazz Festival
Around Easter time, Cape Town has a certain air about it. It has nothing to do with Easter egg hunts, bunnies or anything of the sort. Birds seem to chirp, the wind whistles in tune, even the midday cannon ball seems to boom louder. Amidst all this, guitars are tuned, drums are propped up and pianos are reeled in, all in aid of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF). Gosh, you have to be in this city to feel the energy that the CTIJF carries with it (among the international artists that we all look forward to rubbing shoulders with). From the free concert that took place on Wednesday, April 1 – rather than the usual Thursday evenings – the line up was so exciting this year. They went all out for their 10th birthday to bring us a show to remember (and I most certainly do). CTIJF brought us the likes of Zap mama, Pete Philly & Perquisite, Mos Def, Diane Reeves, Freshlyground, Hugh Masekela, Incognito, The Robert Glasper Experiment, Zaki Ibrahim, 340ml, Maceo Parker – to name but a few. Now obviously I’d need to multiply myself to catch every artist or band but since that’s not humanly possible, I can only tell you about what I did manage to catch. On Friday, April 3 I got to see Pete Philly & Perquisite, safely my favourite dutch hip hop duo. This was their second performance at the CTIJF – and I got to see both. I remember falling in love with this band some 3 or 4 years ago. Their sound is so fresh and they are simply perfect together. The flow of Pete Philly’s voice dances on the beat in a way that radiates through your body. And this year, they weren’t any different. I listened to some Goldfish with their ever faithful Cape Tonian sound that never disappoints. But – and this is not to discredit any other artist – the highlight (possibly of the whole festival) was Zap Mama. The leading woman is absolutely beautiful with a voice that I could’ve grown up to and at the same time something my kids will grow up to – it’s timeless, soulful and elevating. Not only can she beat box with the best of them but she completely took us by surprise when she performed a Miriam Makeba song…in Zulu. It was magnificent. On Saturday I started the day early with usisi Abigail Kubheka. She was nostalgic as ever performing classics that I remember hearing when I was knee-high to a grasshopper. Zaki Ibrahim started right in the middle of usisi Abigail so I rushed...
Represent Review: H2O- More than just a jol
10:00 Am. And unusually quiet for what can only be described as a milestone event. Ten years of the biggest dance party in Africa. Yet this time around, strangely the people hadn’t camped outside waiting to be allowed in. This time, there was no queue extending down the street for people waiting to park nor an equal mass of people walking in and lining up, waiting to get in. What was going on? Upon entering the venue I felt the energy begin to heat up as the music had already started to fill the air. The crowd was small, but growing by the minute and you could feel the twinklings that today was going to be unforgettable. The sun was beating down on us as the African tempos started blaring out the speakers filling our bodies with the energy to make it through the next few hours. This was going to be insane. We milled around, checking out all the floors and getting a feel for each one. Each dancefloor provided it’s own unique flavour to the day – each perfectly located so as not to drown out one another in terms of sound and crowd. I grabbed myself a drink from one of the tents and relaxed to take in all of my surroundings. Before I knew it, the party had really begun. The crowd started getting their ankles wet and so began the cheers and whistles as the DJ began to drop some insane mixes. The next time I turned around to check out the scene, I saw thousands of people with their hands lifted jubilantly up in the air, accepting the music, letting the rhythms take control of their bodies. This was it, this is what we live for. United by music, united by one energy. This is who we are and this is our message. We are South Africans and we know how to party! One hour after the next, swaying the amassed sea of people, the music just kept coming. It didn’t let up, not even for a second. Even when the lines weren’t connected for Fresh to begin his set the crowd was entertained by a beatboxer who not only had the crowd jumping and screaming for more, he even had the one and only Vernon in the background doing his signature move. Only in South Africa can we make a party happen even when there is no sound. The rhythm is in our blood. Ironically, being a party called H2O, we were blessed by Mother Africa raining down on us. The crowds started to dwindle down which was disappointing as there was...
New Music Review: Tamarsha v Imbube
Oh yes, it’s a live and kicking music review battle on Represent as our resident reviewer, the delicious Dawn Penny, puts two new South African releases up against each other… RnB meets HipHop… We did warn you muso’s, don’t mess with Dawn, she knows what she likes and of course readers, what she believes you’ll like and what’s worth spending your hard-earned dosh on… Read all about it: Tamarsha – I ain’t givin’ up vs Imbube – Hip Hop Theatre Tamarsha – 4 beats out of 10 Imbube – 7 beats out of 10 I’ve decided to introduce something new to my music reviews and that’s “Battle of the Beats”. This will basically consist of a head to head between two genres and our first one is Hip hop vs R&B. The songstress Tamarsha going against the gutter rappers, Imbube. My criteria for this battle is Talent, X-factor, Sound and Favourites. Let the battle begin… Tamarsha – I ain’t givin’ up Talent: Before receiving this CD to review, I had never heard of Tamarsha before. I must say off the bat, she is talented. I mean she has an amazing voice and takes the time to write her own lyrics, which is always refreshing of an artist. Tamarsha has a beautiful voice and sounds like she knows how to use it. With so many males dominating the R&B scene in South Africa, it’s quite refreshing to hear a female vocal in the mix. But then a beautiful voice is only a mere fraction of what makes an artist. X-Factor: Um, this is a hard one because either you have it or you don’t. If you don’t, you’ll be stuck in suckville with no passport to leave. If you do, you will remembered – or at the least be sung along to. I have no doubt that Tamarsha has talent, she just doesn’t move. She doesn’t stand out, she doesn’t have her sound but rather a quilt of Destiny’s Child, Keyshia Cole or any such artist – but the 90s sound of that. I think she just needs more experience and more time spent finding that thing that sets her apart from the next girl. Sound: The production on Tamarsha’s album is not quite something that’ll make the short list in demos sent to producing greats. It’s mediocre at best. I mean it’s not bad, it’s just not good. It’s a sound that’s been heard before and doesn’t do much for her X-factor strife. Oh, she does her own rendition of Humpty Dumpty, ‘cept there’s no story behind it, no depth to it, just Humpty sitting on that wall and...
Represent Film Review: The Strangers
Sheese, The Strangers is my worst nightmare kind of cheesy thriller: Young couple staying overnight in a country house hear noises and knocking on doors of possible intruders in and around the neighbourless forest-ridden environs. It’s a horrific storyline if you’re a paranoid person like me, who cannot live in a house affixed to the ground in Johannesburg… my imagination is superbly active and my sense of self-preservation way too egotistical. I always have to live at least three floors above ground level to feel safe, and even then, I check the sliding doors before going to sleep. The sheer horror of realising someone is trying to break into the house and murder Liv Tyler was enough to cause serious incidental flashbacks and regular hoarse screams of “OMG” while throwing my face into the shoulder of my big and strong companion, in the process being a little over generous with my sugared (WTF?) popcorn and the neighbours. Definitely Not for the crime-paranoid. Or maybe? It’s a freaking thrill. And based on a true story. See, I told you...
Photo-Story: Soweto’s Holiday Inn
The bonus of hosting overseas visitors is that we get to do the tourist thing in our own country. And then we share it with you Representers! Editorista popped off to Walter Sisulu Square to show some foreign friends around and was delighted to visit the BRAND NEW four star Holiday Inn Soweto. It’s so new the only guests were workers and interior-design looking types doing final touches. Good job to them, the decor is fantastic – a wonderful blend of local flavour and contemporary chic. Click HERE to go to our PHOTO-Story. We were lucky enough to get a tour from the highly informative and very friendly Jeffreys who made us feel right at home. The hotel lines the “Russianesque” Walter Sisulu Freedom Square, with rooms facing into it featuring glorious sized balconies (we can just imagine New Year there!) or the other way out onto the bustling Union Street that captures the authentic Sowetan spirit. There is so much to see and do in and around the HUGE square including the superbly put together Kliptown Open Air Museum that takes us back to the 50s and the drawing up of the Freedom Charter – very emotional but very important. All that was missing were lots of open-air restaurants, pubs and meeting places although we are sure they are on the cards. Events organisers take note, for your next imbizo, exec gathering, premium brand launch or medium size dinner, BOOK it at the Holiday Inn Freedom Square for something different and memorable. The hotel boasts 46 luxury rooms, we got to see the twin, double and presidential suite, all gorgeously decked out and appealling … from R1500 up, they are well worth it. WE CANNOT RECOMMEND A VISIT TO WALTER SISULU SQUARE MORE HIGHLY – GO GO...
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