SAJE mini jazz festival

Some more youth-filled surprises occurred on Friday night and Saturday daytime (March 18-19)as the South African Association for Jazz Education (SAJE) held it’s annual ‘mini’ jazz festival at UCT’s College of Music. International artists joined in the festivities as Dutch pianist Mike del Ferro  tinkled the keys with young up-and-coming musicians, professors of music, and students. Ulrich Suesse, a retired German professor from Stuttgart, but now with the University of KZN, featured his electronic music compositions. A highlight for me was visiting jazz bassist and composer, Carlo Mombelli, from JBG who offered extraordinary versions and visions of improvisation using nature’s sounds and the bells and whistles of found objects in our environment, and how to use the ‘loop’ to set up backings and rhythms for one’s compositions.

Friday night’s concert at C7 recital room of the SACM included a host of well-known, and lesser known, musicians:   Singer Sandile Gontsana, a bubbly scatter from Gugulethu with lots of exposure and collaboration with international groups; Trumpeter and flugelhornist Darren English and his band, Avianna, played pieces that combined jazz, folk, and gospel harmonies; SAJE President and woodwind specialist, Professor Mike Rossi, performed with a variety of artists who emerged again the next day, Saturday, to offer workshops and performances.

The highlight of Saturday’s day performances was hearing the very capable CAFCA group (Committed Artists for Cultural Advancement) of students from their music school in Mamelodi. Firstly, an all female ensemble calling themselves ‘The Roses’, with three strings (including double bass – yes, a female!) and trumpet, with one male colleague on drums, strutted their stuff in a few jazzy pieces before joining the larger 22-piece orchestra led by Director and bassist, Jesse Mohale, who was also supported by his brother, Moses, and several other teachers.  Their 40-person group who bussed themselves down from Pretoria provided an  impressive commitment unmatched by the pathetic lack of participation by local students and music teachers, for whom such a jazz educators’  festival is designed !  Other bands performed, such as Dan Shout’s with a new array of musos, one being a female double bassist from Port Elizabeth and now settling in Cape Town.  Interesting that this day featured two WOMEN double bassists, a rare scene in the jazz world in Cape Town at least!  The CAFCA big band blew everyone away with their precision and again, commitment!  Another band from CAFCA was the ‘Odd meter Ensemble’ led by 16-year old Takalane Maraba on trumpet and flugel horn.  CAFCA recruits black youth  with little music experience, and offers instruction three times a week for residents of Mamelodi.  Female students make up about 50% of the total student body.