BHEKI KHOZA

The Pinetown-based Rainbow Restaurant moves into town to present the Bheki Khoza Quartet in concert on June 1 at St. Clements Garden Restaurant in Musgrave.

Left-handed guitarist Khoza originally hails from Umlazi, Durban, but now resides in Johannesburg. His early influences ranged from his grandmother, who played the Jewish Harp and harmonica to the vibrant township weddings, funerals and street parties that were so much part of his early years.

Locally, his influences were Philip Thabane, Allan Kwela and Abdullah Ibrahim; whilst from American he names artists such as Wes Montgomery, Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell, Joe Pass, George Benson and Charlie Parker as being inspirations. During his early years in Durban, he learned to perform solo due to the prevailing socio-economic conditions of the time but his skill soon led him to working with such legends as the African Jazz Pioneers, Abie Cindi, Sipho Gumede, Winston Mankunku Ngozi, Rene McClean, Victor Ntoni, Mike Makhalemele, George Lee and Barney Rachabane.

In 1991 he received a scholarship to study music at the University of Hartford, Connecticut under Jackie McClean. Whilst there, he became a resident member of bassist Larry Ridley's Jazz Legacy Ensemble. Returning to South Africa in 1995, Khoza recorded the album Asambe, considered a bit of a jazz rarity. In 2003, he was the musical director of the Sophiatown documentary and this was followed with musical direction for the film Drum, which premiered in 2004. In 2006 he released the album Getting to Heaven Alive.

Accompanying Khoza will be a great trio of seasoned musicians in the form of Mandla Zikalala on bass guitar, Mncedisi Kupa on piano and Babes Ndamase on drums.

The performance at St. Clements Garden Restaurant, 191 Musgrave Road, Durban, takes place on June 1 at 19h30 (doors open at 18h00 for dinner seatings). Tickets R50 at the door. Pre-booking is essential on 031 202 2511.

Oude Meester will present the Bheki Khoza Quartet at the Rainbow Jazz Club and Restaurant in Pinetown on June 3. Doors open at 13h00 with the first set from 14h00. Tickets R50 at the door.

More information on 031 702 9161 or 083 463 8044.