THE UKZN’s Centre for Jazz and Popular Music has reopened live performances with three exciting jazz concerts lined up for next month featuring some of the city’s top jazz stars.
The concert series, dubbed Words & Music, features songs, new and old, timeless tales that echo anew in the troubled times we live in.
Jazz vocalist Zoe the Seed opens proceedings on November 3. On November 10 she will join trumpeter Thabo Sikhakhane and the Neil Gonsalves trio. The series closes with Durban duo N’den, led by vocalist Thulile Zama and pianist David Smith on November 17.
Seed is a jazz vocalist, music educator and performer who has worked with notable artists Ernest Dawkins, Salim Washington, Themba Mkhize, Alou April, Africa Mkhize, Ernie Smith and Nduduzo Makhathini. She has led her band for six years, performing her music for festivals all over the country.
She will perform with Thabo Sikhakhane on trumpet, Siyalo Zulu on trombone, Zibusiso Makhathini on keys, Dalisu Ndlazi on bass guitar and Sbu Zondi on drums.
Neil Gonsalves is a composer, pianist, band leader and music educator who has toured the world with his music. His latest album, Blessings and Blues, was released in April. The trio is completed by drummer, Riley Giandhari and bassist Talent Mbatha. The ensemble last performed together before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, so expect a celebratory concert with feel-good melodies and grooves
N’den is a musical duo of vocalist Thulile Zama and pianist David Smith who met in the early 2000s while studying music at UKZN. Smith was a member of a very successful jazz/hip hop band, Big Idea, that made waves throughout the country.
Zama, distinguished by her dazzling voice, is the lead vocalist of the successful all-women contemporary jazz band Heels Over Head. Her talents have taken her to Hamburg and Berlin, Germany and New Orleans in the US.
The concerts are all at Howard College with doors opening at 5.30pm and the music starting at 6pm. Tickets R100 from [email protected] and booking is essential.
The concerts are also being recorded and will be available for purchase from November 17 via the www.nationalartsfestival.co.za ticketing platform.
The Independent on Saturday