(Miriam Erasmus)
Miriam (Backhouse-Erasmus),
or Mim as she is affectionately known, is South Africa's "Queen of
Folk", and the UK's "First Lady of Folk". From being part of the
'60s Folk Revival to the present day, her crystal clear voice and imaginative
guitar accompaniments have kept her at the top of the folk world.
Rhumbelow Theatre
will host her show MIRIAM - My Life, My
Song at the Durban venue and again in Pietermaritzburg.
MIRIAM - My Life, My Song is a musical memoir taking audiences
through the folk revival, songs from the British Isles and her own beautiful
songs about South Africa. Along the way Erasmus has enriched the lives of
everyone she sings to - from toddlers to recycled teenagers.
During a lifetime
of entertaining everyone from toddlers to 'tenderyears', she has honed her
talents to a fine art. Her beautifully trained bel canto singing, finely-tuned
guitar playing and easy-going 'banter' make her performances a joy to listen
to.
Her repertoire
covers lullabies to light opera, but her forte is singing folk songs, when her
ability to fit her voice, and guitar playing, to the mood of the song shines
through. She has put together a collection of some of her favourite live
recordings over the years on Best Loved
Folk Songs.
As a teenager in
the '60s she was influenced by the British Folk Tradition and the new
songwriters emerging worldwide. Bob Dylan, Ralph McTell, John Martyn and
Leonard Cohen to mention a few. These composers are reflected on her album African Rose.
The American folk
singer Joan Baez was breaking new ground in the USA, while those like Miriam
Backhouse (winning the award for Best Newcomer ) and Maddy Prior from Steeleye
Span were doing the same in the UK. Both Erasmus and Prior were in the Melody
Maker top female folk singers poll, and recently did a show stopping duet
together at Cleckheaton Folk Festival.
Erasmus has always
been at the forefront of new musical trends – sometimes years ahead of her time
with musical arrangements by David Etheridge as shown on Mother Earth Music's Gypsy without a Road in 1977 and Miriam
and David's own production Now and Then
of 2009. Her songs, on the album Over
Africa, about the pastoral beauty, history and troubles of her adopted
land, South Africa have become classics, listened to worldwide.
Miriam was named
“The First Lady of Folk” by the folk club organisers of the '70s (and the Mayor
of Cambridge ) when she became one of the pioneer touring female professional
folk singers. She has lived up to that – and more. In SA, the press gave her
the name, and she is booked as “Queen of Folk”.
There will be two performances of MIRIAM
- My Life, My Song tomorrow (October 9) at 14h00 and 18h30 at Rhumbelow
Theatre in Umbilo, Durban.
There will be a
further two performances in Pietermaritzburg at the Allan Wilson Shellhole on
October 23 at 14h00 and 18h30. (Venue opens 90 minutes before show for picnic
dinner)
Tickets R140 (R120
pensioners & block bookings of 8 or more. Bring picnic baskets. Limited
secure parking available and a bar is available (no alcohol may be brought on
to the premises). Booking is essential at Computicket or contact Roland on 082 499 8636 or email roland@stansell.za.net
or events.durbantheatre.com
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