REFLECT. CELEBRATE. LIVE

Grahamstown: July 7, 2012 – Review by Keith Millar

It has been said that, if Africa could sing, she would sound like Sibongile Khumalo!

This much-loved artist’s dramatic performance in her show Reflect. Celebrate. Live at the Guy Butler Theatre in Grahamstown on Friday night was more than enough proof of the truth of this statement.

The show is a journey through her musical background and classical training, her love for jazz and African traditional music, to today where she has found her own voice. One that is uniquely South African, uniquely Sibongile Khumalo.

As a little girl Sibongile was taught and inspired by her father, music professor and historian, Khabi Mngoma. She was also influenced by the teachings of legendry Zulu classical music composer and poet Princess Magogo kaDinzulu. After school she studied classical music and opera at the universities of Zululand and Witwatersrand. In her performance career her rich, powerful and expressive voice has allowed her to transcend all genres of music and excel on stages both locally and abroad.

Reflect. Celebrate. Live uses slide shows, narration, poetry as well as the musical combination of a jazz trio, choir and a string quartet to tell and illustrate Sibongile Khumalo’s story in innovative and unexpected ways.

The jazz trio of Mdu Mtshali (piano); Bheka Mthethwa (bass) and Siyabulela Satsha (drums) bears special mention. They were inspirational on the night and produced a performance of astonishing quality. The accomplished choir and string quartet also made a significant contribution to this production.

However, above it all was the voice. Charming, mesmerising and moving all with its beauty.

The concert ended with four songs (two of them composed by Sibongile herself) which were powerful juxtapositions of choral, jazz, folk and traditional music and had the capacity audience dancing along and roaring for more.

If this was the new Sibongile Khumalo, then I say let’s have more! – Keith Millar