On Monday night we went off to the Baxter. I didn't know what to expect: I didn't bother to research the production. So we sit down, and the stage looks......plain...... There was a cut-out of Table Mountain, a few umbrellas, a rug and a couple of chairs! I was NOT impressed. So the lights go down, and Donveno Prins enters with his sax..... What a great sax solo, and a beautiful opening to a STUNNING show. David had chosen to showcase music styles that are unique to Cape Town in a simple setting: no staging, no fancy set, no fancy costumes...... BIG risk there! The one thing that was FANCY was the cast:
A 10-piece band includes Camillo Lombard on piano accordian and Gammie Lakay on acoustic lead guitar. Donveno Prins, who wowed audiences in The Kramer Petersen Songbook and 3 Wiser Men, plays saxophone. Former member of DNA Strings Jacques Steyn plays mandolin and bass. Veterans of klopse bands Howard Links and Charlie Rhode play banjo, mandolin, and guitar, taking the moppie, the vastrap, the ghoemaliedjie and the tiekiedraai to new heights. From the stages of musical theatre and Malay Choir competitions, Loukmaan Adams sings and beats the ghoema drum. The much loved Sonskyn Sisters, Ruth Hector and Elspeth Davids sing their hearts out with a combination of cherished Cape standards and folk songs as well as material written especially for this production. David Kramer plays MC and drops in a song here and there!
This is such a FEEL GOOD production. These amazing musicians present a top notch historic journey through our culture musically. A celebration of CAPE TOWN music! The highlight for me was the Sonskyn Sisters. Those two women can darem sing 'n man op 'n traan! The lady who sang Calvinia had me in tears!!! If you can manage to get tickets, go and see this production!!!!
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I went to On Broadway last night to watch my best friend Melanie Scholtz's Carols Go Jazz.
CAROLS GO JAZZ is a programme of soulful jazz-inspired traditional Christmas carols and carefully-chosen contemporary festive songs featuring Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for jazz, 2010 - Melanie Scholtz.
As Mel's coach, I was involved in preparing her vocally for this programme of work - but I had NO INVOLVEMENT in the arrangements! These were all inspired by Melanie's brilliant musical mind. Each carol was approached with a different feel that made the carol interesting and exciting, but never once did she cheapen the carol or lose the intention created by the composer. My favourite arrangement was the last number of the show: I shall not reveal what it is now! But the introduction (which seemed to be a good 3 mins long) was an exploration of eastern modes and a semi-skat by Mel over a lush roll by the band that just went on and on BEAUTIFULLY! The build-up to the start of the carol was AMAZING! When the carol started, there was a little giggle of delight from the audience when they realised which traditional piece it was. The gentleman behind me (who sounded like he had gargled gravel before the show started) could not stop singing along the whole way through! The gent in front of me was moving with delight: he was so excited!!! On a slightly different note: during the break his wife bought a cd of Mel's. She read the thanks page out loud to hubby. So she got to the line where it said my vocal coach Jeremy Quickfall. So wife pauses and says: I've heard that name before. I think he may be well-known. I know who he is. She didn't recognise me!
Anyway, the highlight of the concert vocally was Mel's O Holy Night. It takes a very brave singer to attempt the National Anthem of Xmas Carols live. She did a stellar job.
So my advice for today: GO AND SEE MEL TONIGHT!!!! AND MAKE A PLAN TO SEE BREYANI. What a great lead up to Christmas.....
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