(UKZN
Voices)
Annual Jazz Jol Fundraiser Event at Centre
for Jazz and Popular Music (UKZN) – 27 October 2017
The 29th Jazz Jol fundraiser featuring a
host of local and national talent is set for tomorrow night (October 27 at the
Centre for Jazz and Popular Music at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.
This year’s popular annual music event
features a variety of talented musicians including Sweet Concept (a UKZN Alumni
Band), UKZN Vocal Group and UKZN’s Big Band along with a selection of students
taking to the stage in an evening tailor-made for lovers of jazz and popular
music.
“The Jazz Jol was not only started, all
those years ago, as an event for music-lovers but also in an endeavour to raise
funds for the Ronnie Madonsela Scholarship,” explains lecturer Neil Gonsalves.
“The Scholarship provides bursaries for deserving UKZN music students from disadvantaged
backgrounds, as well as helps to fund students’ travel visas for overseas
trips, and national travel and accommodation to the National Youth Jazz
Festival in Grahamstown and other educational festivals, workshops and
conferences. This issue of mobility, of getting around and sharing ideas and
networking is key to a musician’s success in the future. Through mobility the
musicians are able to exchange knowledge and gain important experience both nationally
and internationally.
“We are particularly pleased to welcome
Sweet Concept to this year’s Jazz Jol,” adds Gonsalves. “This is an UKZN Alumni
Band that features Thabani Gapara (alto sax) who now lives in New Zealand,
Siyanda Zulu (trumpet), Siya Mthethwa (keyboard), Bheka Mthethwa (bass) and Sbu
Zondi (drums) – all of whom would have been showcased at a Jazz Jol in the
past.”
Sweet Concept was formed in 2006 by
Siyanqoba Mthethwa, Thabani Gapara and Siyanda Zulu. Most of the band started
off as backup singers for some of South Africa’s more prominent and illustrious
artists including Swazi Dlamini, Siphokazi, Judith Sephuma and Ernie Smith to
mention a few. The band won further accolades after competing in The Suncoast
Jazz competition, winning prizes in categories of Best Band and Best
Composition.
“The band members have since 2010, pursued
individual music career paths in performance, production and education and
occasionally come together to perform, so we are delighted to be hosting them
this year,” says Gonsalves. “Recently, Bheka Mthethwa, the group’s bassist released
his debut album titled Supernal Sounds,
and all of them have a string of credits to their names.”
The band will perform a variety of original
music that reflects the variety of rich perspectives each member has collected
in the past half a decade. A true reflection of the sound of South Africa.
UKZN Voices, directed by well-known Durban
musician and Jazz Voice lecturer Debbie Mari, features singers from the Jazz
and Popular Voice programmes in the School of Arts at UKZN. Singing mostly close
harmony arrangements, the vocal jazz ensemble will perform A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square, Java Jive, Almost is Never Enough
and Charlie Chaplin’s best loved composition Smile. The group comprises Andiswa Maduna, Nomthandazo Madiya, Neli
Skhosana, Monique Naude (Soprano), Nomalanga Khanyile, Amanda Biyela,
Wandithanda Makandula (Alto), Busisiwe Hlokoza, Siphelele Mthiyane, Sanele
Khubisa (Tenor), Thembelani Mkoka and Thabani Dlamini (Bass).
Certainly a major drawcard to the Jazz Jol
is the appearance of the UKZN Big Band 2017 directed by Burton Naidoo, and
featuring students from UKZN. The band this year focuses on House Music – and
unusual approach to electronic music that started taking the world by storm in
the 1980s. House Music, is characterised by its 'four to the floor', groove and
minimalistic harmonic and melodic sequences. The UKZN Big Band House
Performance will focus more on African House Music such as Micasa, Davido and
Black Coffee and the repertoire features arrangements by UKZN Students Phumlani
Mtiti, Riley Giandhari, and Sinalo Zulu.
This year’s Jazz Jol takes place on October
27 at 19h00 and is funded by Concerts SA, a joint South African/Norwegian live
music development project housed within the SAMRO Foundation.
Tickets R120 (R80 pensioners and R60 students)
at the door at. For more information contact Thulile Zama on 031 260 3385 or
email Zamat1@ukzn.ac.za
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