(Tonya Koenderman)
In her latest one woman show, the lively
and vivacious Tonya Koenderman pays tribute to that exciting era when Jazz
ruled supreme. She will perform When Jazz Was King for Rhumbelow Theatre over
this weekend and the next (February 28 to March 9) at Rhumbelow’s Durban and
Pietermaritzburg venues.
The year is 1935, and the music is Jazz!
Names such as Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone
and Duke Ellington rule the music scene. These were strange times indeed:
America was still very racially divided, but jazz appealed to both black and
white. The likes of Louis Armstrong even got to sit in white-only restaurants
as well as gain access to the upper echelons of American society because of his
abundant talent and charm. Such was the power of this vibrant new style of
music they called “Jazz”.
This did not sit well with his fellow African
Americans, however, who regarded him as an “Uncle Tom”, seemingly participating
in the oppression of his own group.
Tonya Koenderman touches briefly on the
history of jazz, tells interesting jazz related anecdotes, but most of all, she
pays tribute to the great jazz classics. She gives her own touch of magic to
songs such as Stuff Like That There,
Feeling Good, Summertime, The Blues In the Night, Somewhere over the Rainbow,
Get Happy, My Baby Just Cares for me and many more. The show also takes on
a more sombre mood at times, with melancholy thought-provoking classics such as
Strange Fruit and Tomorrow Is My Turn.
Shows take place in Durban on February 28
and March 1 as well as from March 7 to 9 and in Pietermaritzburg on March 2. Friday
and Saturday performances at 20h00 with Sunday shows starting at 18h30. There
are extra Sunday performances at 14h00 on March 2 in Pietermaritzburg and March
9 in Durban. The venue opens 90 minutes before show for picnic dinner.
Tickets R120 (R100 pensioners and tables of
eight or more).
Take along food picnic baskets. Braais will
be available only at the Durban venue. There is limited secure parking and
booking is essential. A cash bar is available (no alcohol may be brought on to
the premises). Rhumbelow Durban is situated in Cunningham Avenue off Bartle
Road and Rhumbelow Pietermaritzburg is in the Allan Wilson Shellhole.
Booking is through Computicket or contact
Roland on 031 205 7602 (h) or 082 499 8636, email roland@stansell.za.net or visit www.rhumbelow.za.net
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