(Thulile
Zama & Pinkie Mtshali)
On Friday February 22, 2019, vocalists
Thulile Zama and Pinkie Mtshali are bringing a special Blues Meets Jazz concert
at The Jazzy Rainbow in Morningside. People will be treated to duets and solo
performances and the concert aims to be an exploration of the sweet jazz sounds
and sultry Blues lyrics.
This is the first of its kind – a new
concept to be staged in Durban. Spearheaded by Pinkie Mtshali (Blues Singer)
and Thulile Zama (Jazz singer) – both are versatile vocalists who are active
around the music scenes in Durban and have travelled world stages performing in
different concerts and events, They will
put a swing in the series of Blues meet Jazz concept, accompanied by a four
piece band: David Smith (piano), Lee Ngidi (bass guitar), Rebekah Doty (drums) and
Brandon Pick (lead guitar),also featuring an up and coming Blues singer-guitarist
Eston Lloyd)
Their repertoire include songs like, St. Gabriel (Marcia Ball), Black Coffee (Lacy J. Dalton), The Right To Sing The Blues (Billie
Holiday), Bewitched, Bothered and
Bewildered (Ella Fitzgerald), Evil Girl
(Aretha Franklin), They Call Me Big Mama
(Big Mama Thornton), Woman, I put a Spell
on You (Nina Simone), Rock Me Baby
(Etta James), also include South African Blues songs like Lizzie (Hugh Masekela), and Ngenzeni
(African Jazz Pioneers), just to mention a few.
As mentorship director for the Durban
International Blues Festival, Mtshali
experienced a lot of confusion between the two genres of blues and jazz.
Therefore, she approached jazz singer Thulile Zama to bring the genres together
in one concert to highlight the similarities and differences. The concert aims
to be an exploration of the sweet jazz sounds and sultry Blues lyrics.
They hope to take this concept to other
venues around KZN and also featured local bands in those areas that play with
the two genres of Blues and Jazz.
Zama holds a BA (Music) from UKZN and is
the lead vocalist of successful all-female contemporary jazz band Heels Over
Head and recently developed a Miriam Makeba Tribute. This versatile vocalist
performs a wide repertoire that ranges from Jazz to Covers to Afro
effortlessly. She is well known in the jazz circuit and a much-loved vocalist
in Durban. Her talents have taken her to Hamburg and Berlin in Germany and New
Orleans in the USA. She has loads of experience and plenty of passion for music
and the performing arts. She has done performances for Bona Magazine, Weekend
Live (SABC 2), SAB, Top Billing (SABC 3), HIVAN, Camel, Glenfiddich and
countless events companies and institutions.
Umlazi born soul–songstress Mtshali holds
an Opera Studies Diploma from DUT and is well known within the music circles as
a Durban Diva - a singer with a flexible vocal range and a huge repertoire from
African, Classics, Blues, Pop, Rock, Jazz Spiritual and Disco music. She sings
with different bands, orchestras and cabaret shows with different musicians.
She has toured South Africa, America, Europe and Germany with different shows
and concerts as well as singing at high profiled corporate events for heads of
state, including the late First South African black president Nelson Mandela
and his successor ex. President Thabo Mbeki. Pinkie has received several
accolades like FNB Vita award nomination for her supporting role in Abba
Maniacs, Eisteddfod singing competition (3 awards), Mercury/Dr Gcina Mhlophe
arts award, Department of Arts and Culture Art Excellence award and Silver
Convocation Award from DUT.
Blues
Meet Jazz takes place on February 22, 2019, at 19h00
at The Jazzy Rainbow. Tickets R100 (R80 students with a valid student card) available
at the door.
The Jazzy Rainbow is situated at 93 Smiso
Nkwanyana Road, (ex Goble Road), Morningside in Durban.
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