All in all, this
was an experience to be savoured and remembered. (Review by Keith Millar)
South Africa has a
long list of exceptional acoustic guitarists – and standing tall among them is
the sublime Steve Newman. This veteran finger-style guitarist has been
performing a series of concerts alongside virtuoso tabla player and
percussionist, Ashish Joshi, at the Graham Hotel venue at the National Arts
Festival in Grahamstown, this year.
These two veteran
maestro musicians create music of exquisite beauty together. Certainly, not
mainstream but with strength, spirit, drama and dynamism all of its own. They
are perfectly in sync from a creative point of view, and their music seems to
flow from their souls.
Steve Newman’s
musical career spans almost 40 years. He has produced 17 albums in that time
and has won many awards.
Newman has worked
in collaboration with many great artists both locally and abroad, including the
likes of Paul Simon, Sting and Youssou N’dour. In South Africa, he would be
best remembered for his long-term collaboration with acoustic guitarist Tony
Cox and for his group, the Tananas which he formed in 1987.
Ashish Joshi is a
multi-disciplined percussionist who regularly astonishes audiences around the
country with his extraordinary skills and percussive expression on instruments
such as tabla, djembe, darbuka and dhol.
However, it is the South Asian Tabla which he primarily uses
for his performances with Newman. Joshi is a master at extracting beautifully refined
rhythms and tones from this versatile instrument.
The Newman/Joshi
concerts take place at the Graham Hotel venue at the Festival. It is an
intimate and tastefully decorated room, ideal for a two-man acoustic show. The
artists and audience in close proximity to each other, and the stage is nicely
decorated with a few quirky antiques and bathed in soft lighting.
All in all, this
was an experience to be savoured and remembered. Music played as it should be –
from the heart and from the soul.
Steve Newman and
Ashish Joshi will be appearing at the Graham Hotel until July 8 with shows as
follows: July 6 at 11h00; July 7 at 21h00, and July 8 at
17h00.
If you love good
music this is one not to be missed. – Keith Millar
(To link direct to the
NAF site click on the large banner that runs across the top of this blog)
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