(Lex
Futshane. Photo African Skies)
In association with Concerts SA and Luthuli
Museum, iSupport Music Business brings you bassist Lex Futshane touring
KwaZulu-Natal, from February 28 until March 4. He will be performing at Centre
for Jazz & Popular Music, The Jazzy Rainbow and The Chairman in Durban and
Luthuli Museum in Groutville.
Futshane is an internationally-proclaimed
electric and acoustic bassist, prolific composer, arranger, performer and
educator. This music graduate from the UKZN currently teaches bass and manages
a teacher training programme at the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra Company.
Futshane is a founder member, composer and arranger of "Bassment" a
12 double bass ensemble comprising of six Jazz and six Classical bassists, a
first in Africa. His LEXtet is an exciting ensemble playing his own
compositions and arrangements of local and international jazz standards. The
band has just released an album of Lex’s compositions titled Innocent Victims and Perpetrators. Apart
from touring with the LEXtet, he plays in the Ingqungquthela (Summit) which is
a collaboration with renowned saxophonist, McCoy Mrubata.
He has toured and performed extensively
around the world in countries such as Swaziland, Zambia, Maputo, USA, Cuba,
Korea, UK, Germany to name a few. Since establishing himself as a renowned
bassist, he has worked with amongst others, Winston “Mankunku” Ngozi, Rashied
Lanie, Bheki Khoza, Bheki Mseleku, Ezra Ngcukana, Ulrich Sussie and Brice
Wassy.
Futshane has performed in many local and international
festivals including the Grahamstown Art Festival, Arts Alive, Joy of Jazz, Bath
International Music Festival in the United Kingdom, IAJE in the United States
of America and a festival in Seoul, South Korea. He played bass and co-arranged
many recordings such as Art Gecko by
Counterculture, Durban Noise by
Jurgen Brauninger, African Tributes by
the NU Jazz Connection, Old Blue Balls Is Back by Felema and Before it’s too late by Darius Brubeck.
Apart from touring, the LEXtet which comes
in different sizes from a duo to a small big band provides music for corporate
events inside and outside the country. Amongst others, the LEXtet played at the
launch of iBurst, Telkom tower in Tshwane, Cell C, BMW, Linde, Climate
Leadership Awards, Telkom launch in Zambia & Sizwe Medical Fund as well as
for patrons at private venues.
For his tour in KwaZulu-Natal, joining
Futshane will be Zoetheseed on vocals, Neil Gonsalves on keys and Sbu Zondi on
drums.
Performances take place as follows:
February 28 at 18h00: Lex Futshane at
Centre for Jazz & Popular Music, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard
College. (Doors open at 17h30). General Entry R80
(R50 pensioners, R25 students)
March 1 at 22h00: Lex Futshane at The
Chairman, Mahatma Gandhi Road. General entry R150.
March 2 at 19h00: Lex Futshane at Luthuli
Museum, Groutville. (Doors open 18h00). General entry R30.
(11h00
closed performance for schools)
March 3 at 19h00: Lex Futshane Trio at The
Jazzy Rainbow. Tickets R100 incl. free drink
These
concerts are part of the Concerts SA Venue Circuit that aims to foster a love
and support for live music in our communities, as well as anchor small and
medium sized venues in urban and rural Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western
Cape. Concerts SA is a joint South African/Norwegian live music development
project housed within the SAMRO Foundation. Concerts SA receives financial,
administrative and technical support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, SAMRO, the SAMRO Foundation and Concerts Norway. Working with
musicians, promoters, venue owners and audiences, and providing support to the
sector through research and skills development for music professionals, the
project aims to build a vibrant and viable live music circuit in southern
Africa. It also aims to develop an
interest in and appreciation of live music by showcasing music performances and
conducting workshops at schools.
For
more information please visit our website http://concertssa.co.za, follow
@ConcertsSA on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ConcertsSA or like us on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/ConcertsSA.
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