Joyful jazzy notes rock Jozi

25 September 2015

 

The coolest cats in the hood hung around the Sandton Convention Centre last night as the first jazzy notes were fired from Prince Lengoasa’s trumpet.

 

Instead of ducking for cover as Lengoasa aimed for the main artery, the cats were whistling, egging him on to take his best shot as he and the all-female 24-piece band began a musical perfomance that had everyone clapping their hands, swaying their hips, tapping their toes and nodding.

 

Lengoasa’s curated Amaqhawekazi band, which has been specially set up for the City of Johannesburg-supported Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, kicked off proceedings at the appropriately named Dinaledi (Stars) stage and set the night on fire. The band, which kicked off the three-night jazz extravaganza, gave the music of legendary vocalist Letta Mbulu - which includes songs such as Maru a Pula and Not Yet Uhuru - a modern twist before paying tribute to music teacher Sibongile Khumalo, who was celebrating her 58th birthday last night.

 

Khumalo, a grandmother of five children, sang a few notes before thanking the audience and South Africans for “keeping her grounded and making her feel truly loved”.

 

Among the cats on the prowl last night were Gauteng Premier David Makhura and his wife, Mpho; Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa and his wife, Philisiwe; and the age-defying beauty that is Dorothy Masuku, who turned 80 on September 3.

 

If Amaqhawekazi were the starters, the four-man Yellow Jackets dished up the main course with a sumptuous helping of a fusion of sound and frenzied energy that had its drummer, William Kennedy, sweating under the stage lights in no time. At MC Shado Twala’s bidding, the US jazz fusion quartet returned to Dinaledi stage for an encore and the 1 200-strong crowd was on its feet as the first hints of Revelation filled the room.

 

Award-winning master guitarist and US native Larry Carlton and his three-piece band were certainly the dessert. Their rich, textured and soulful sounds reminded people of a lazy Sunday afternoon at 11.30pm midweek. For the next two nights - Friday September 25 and Saturday September 26 -jazz lovers will be spoilt for choice as local and international musicians perform on four stages: Dinaledi, Diphala, Conga and Mbira.

 

One of the great performances to look out for is by jazz vocalist Wanda Baloyi and her father Jaco Maria, who used to be the lead vocalist for Ozila.

 

The Hugh Masekela-Oliver Mtukudzi collaboration will also have Afro-jazz lovers salivating when the two giants of African music ascend the Conga stage. Other artists include US balladeer Peabo Bryson, Jimmy Dludlu, William Parker, Simphiwe Dana, Ray Phiri with Stimela, Steve Dyer, Marcus Miller, Estelle Kokot and Dee Alexander.

The Joy of Jazz ends on Sunday morning at 1am.