The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music
Popular Music will present the Minkeys on August 1, 2018.
The Minkeys is an eclectic, postmodern
South African jazz band with a focus on performance. Last year the band went
all out with an original show titled An
Evening Down in New Orleans At Egyptian Ella's Club, a story conjured off
the lyrics of a traditional New Orleans tune by Walter Doyle called Egyptian Ella. Writing a script, making
props and costumes, arranging music, and running the gauntlet of the sticky
Durban audience with some sell out successes and some considerably less-than-sold-out
success.
The show featured a strong element of
traditional New Orleans repertoire and arranging devices with stop times and
two feels, cymbal splash grabs, standard Louis phrases and some fantastic solo
showcasing. In the spirit of the band it also featured some unexpected musical
turns and ever-contrasting forays, a reimagining of some material not traditionally
associated with the jazz vernacular and some ill-considered attempts at humour.
The group describes themselves:
“The main purpose of the band is to be
entertaining, much attention is paid (before the band members are paid, of
course) on how we present each show, from how silly we can make ourselves feel
getting onstage and transitioning between numbers to the contrast in the
repertoire and how we share the stage with each other and the room with the
audience.
“The group comprises some well-seasoned
-and not altogether of sound mind- talent from the local Jazz fraternity. Neil
Gonsalves aka Doctor Jazz on keys is one of the most exciting musical savants
around, with a totally open vista and creative understanding of music that
leaves others grinning simply like idiots. Don't get too close if he isn't
wearing his muzzle.
“Tom Hare on sax is probably the most
well-seasoned player in the band having played around the world with many of
the icons of the Jazz history books and running not only a number of successful
jazz groups including and most notably the Galapagos Duck, an Australian Jazz
band still going strong today, but also founding and running one of Australia’s
most renowned Jazz clubs, The Basement. Hare drives the concept and brings a
wealth of traditional values and vocabulary to the band, he also drives a Honda
Accord and has two adorable Rottweilers named Sheila and Bruce.
“Zoe Masuku, a former navy seal of a
vocalist, is undoubtedly one of the best Jazz voices coming out of this town
and definitely someone to pay good money to watch, so come pay some good money.
Caleb Frow is also a surprisingly exceptional
singer, we put that to good work and let him hold down the grooves on kit and
throw in some solid innovative effects on his electronic drum thing. If his
lips are moving don't interrupt him, he's counting.
Michael Maduray covers the bottom end and he
plays a mean electric bass while doing so. Daniel Sheldon, fearless leader does
all the admin and Photo shopping to make the band look good, he spends hours
typing out these documents and enjoys shouting at people when they miss
rehearsal or can't make a gig, he also plays the trumpet and acts up on stage.”
Expect a smorgasbord of musical offerings
from traditional Jazz, Afro, funk, electro-swing, pseudo classical to modern.
The Minkeys will perform on August 1, 2018
at 18h00 at the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music Popular Music (CJPM), Level
2, Shepstone Building at UKZN Howard College Campus. The doors open at 17h30. General
admission R80 (R50 pensioners, R25 students). For more details contact Thuli on
031 260 3385 or email Zamat1@ukzn.ac.za
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