New AfroTeens finds Joy in Jazz

World On Press

Ian Jindela


The dynamic teen band, the New Afroteens, from Nelson Mandela Bay, wowed full house audiences at the 2011 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, held in Newtown last weekend. The teenagers debut the festival with impressive and lively performances at Niki’s Oasis and Sophiatown in Newtown Johanesburg.
Their mixture of guitar-led pieces from Earl Klugh, George Benson and their own ballad, It’s about Time, displayed their musicality clearly New Afroteens finds joy in jazz. Their ballad features Hugh Masekela on their cd, a role taken on by Xolani Moppie on trumpet and Themba Jack on guitar at the festival. The audience appeared astonished at their skills. With a swing to a more energetic number, the singers reappeared in traditional Xhosa outfits for the foot stomping Ma Afrika Ncedani, a cry for help to change the behaviour of men. The band mixed their own songs from their album Siyazazisa with favourites such as Hugh Masekela’s Saduva and MaBrrrr’s Vulindlela.

It is clear the Eastern Cape is still churning out a disproportionate number of South Africa’s top musicians.
“The band is the future of South African music industry”, echoed Itu of Radio Today. The glittering teen’s jazz experience was attended by media, musicians, top celebrities, fans and friends as well as jazz legends such as Victor Ntoni, McCoy Mrubata and children, Camagwini, Jessica Mbanga, Gloria Bosman, Connie “Stella” Chiume of Zone 14, Kenneth Nkosi of White Wedding fame, and Sipho “Malambule” Sithole amongst others.

The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz 2011 marks twelve year of putting South Africa on the international jazz map. It has contributed to the cultural exchange between artists and other performers including New AfroTeens. It was produced by T-Musicman and brought to you by Standard Bank. Band is back and safe at in Port Elizabeth and will be back in Johannesburg soon. Stay in contact.

Rivonia Trialists honoured: AYISECACE!

Abegail Kubeka,Dorothy Masuku and Zenzi Lee-Mkhize Makeba at the Rivonia Trialists Gala awards held in Sandton.


World On Press



Ian Jindela

Department of Arts and Culture and the uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKVA) pays tribute to the 12 struggle veterans who formed part of the infamous Rivonia Trial. This was held at Sandton Convention Centre. President Jacob Zuma spoke for almost an hour long. Programme director Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile announced that Liliesleaf Farm was to be declared a National Heritage site – along with the Voortrekker Monument. On the night saw, Robert McBride, Patrice Motsepe, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, The New Age owner Atul Gupta and Danny Jordaan and other political veterans.


“As you can see the profiles of men we are honouring today speaks volumes about them and their dedication and commitment to the struggle for freedom in South Africa.... They all served our struggle with absolute commitment and were all prepared to die for the cause of freedom. They were all sentenced to life imprisonment after the Rivonia Trial and served over 20 years in prison, except for Denis Goldberg.” President Zuma.


The 12 trialists honoured are Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Nelson Mandela, Rusty Bernstein, Ahmed Kathrada, Denis Goldberg, James Kantor, Andrew Mlangeni, Raymond Mhlaba and Elias Motsoaledi. The last two Aurther Goldreich and Harold Wolpe escaped before going on trail.
The MK also marks the 11 of July as the 50th anniversary. Live music kept the crowd and reminded of the struggles by Dorothy Masuku, Abigail Kubeka,Zenzi Lee-Mkhize Makeba, Soweto String Quartet, Ntombi Ngcobo of Ihash’elimhlophe. Bongani of Malaika did a one men act.

“All whites undergo compulsory military training, but no such training was given to Africans. It was in our view essential to build up a nucleus of trained men who would be able to provide the leadership which would be required if guerrilla warfare started. We had to prepare for such a situation before it became too late to make proper preparations. It was also necessary to build up a nucleus of men trained in civil administration and other professions, so that Africans would be equipped to participate in the government of this country as soon as they were allowed to do so.” - Nelson Mandela
Statement from the Dock at the Opening of the
Defence Case in the Rivonia Trial
Pretoria Supreme Court, South Africa
20th April, 1964

Joy of Jazz is set for 2011: AYISECACE!

The Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Clr Mpho Parks Tau (second right) with jazz legends Jonas Gwangwa, Sibongile Khumalo and Victor Ntoni at the launch of this year’s Standard Bank Joy of Jazz festival. Apart from Gwangwa, Khumalo and Ntoni, the jazz-travaganza, that will run from August 25 to 27 in Newtown, will feature jazz greats like Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater and McCoy Tyner, Simphiwe Dana,Kwela Tebza,Olufemi and many more. (Photograph by Yolanda van der Stoep)


World On Press

There will be a global mélange of sound at The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz when top international artists join the legendary Wynton Marsalis at the country’s premier jazz-travaganza!

Running from August 25 to 27, the 2011 line-up features artists from America, Brazil, Croatia and Belgium who will share billing with performers from South Africa and the African Diaspora.

America’s Dee Dee Bridgewater, McCoy Tyner, Gerald Veasley, Jeff Lorber, Alexander O’Neal and Frank McComb will be joined by Brazil’s Tania Maria, Croatia’s HGM Jazz Messengers and Belgium’s Brussels Jazz Orchestra who perform with our own Tutu Puoane.

South African jazz greats Hugh Masekela and Sibongile Khumalo are part of a strong South African line-up including Mango Groove, Simphiwe Dana, the African Jazz Pioneers, Tu Nokwe, Kwela Tebza, Victor Ntoni, McCoy Mrubatha, Ringo, Julius Schultz and pianist Bokani Dyer, the 2011 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for Jazz.

They join performers from the African continent including Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi, Angola’s Bonga and Nigeria’s Olufemi.

Over the course a career that has spanned four decades, Grammy and Tony Award-winning jazz diva Dee Dee Bridgewater has paid homage to monumental figures of the music world, recording albums dedicated to Ella Fitzgerald (the double Grammy Award-winning Dear Ella, 1997), Horace Silver (Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver, 1995) and Kurt Weill (This Is New, 2002). Bridgewater takes great pride in producing each of her CDs herself and all of them have received Grammy nominations.

Arguably modern jazz has been shaped by the music of McCoy Tyner. His blues-based piano style, replete with sophisticated chords and an explosively percussive left hand has transcended conventional styles to become one of the most identifiable sounds in improvised music. His harmonic contributions and dramatic rhythmic devices form the vocabulary of a majority of jazz pianists. Tyner has released nearly 80 albums under his name, earned four Grammys and was awarded Jazz Master from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2002.

Jeff Lorber is a Grammy Award-nominated keyboardist, composer and record producer. After leading his own group, The Jeff Lorber Fusion, he went on to pioneer the smooth jazz genre in his solo career.

Already announced for the festival is jazz great Wynton Marsalis who will perform at Emperor’s Palace on Thursday, August 25. The legendary trumpeter – winner of nine Grammy Awards® and the first jazz musician to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music – is arguably the biggest jazz artist to come to South Africa. On the same opening night bill is the Gauteng Jazz Orchestra featuring The African Soul Sisters Nokukhanya Dlamini, Nombulelo Maqetuka and Wanda Baloyi.

The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz continues in Newtown on August 26 and 27 on seven stages including brand new venue The Conga Stage, to be specially built between Bassline and Newtown’s Turbine Hall. The Dinaledi Stage and the Mbira Stage will once again be erected on Mary Fitzgerald Square, creating three purpose-built venues to showcase this year’s line-up. Other venues include The Bassline, Sophiatown, Shikisha and Nikki’s Oasis.

Event producer Peter Tladi of T-Musicman says: “Securing Wynton Marsalis is a real coup for the festival and firmly reconfirms Gauteng’s status on the international jazz map. We are delighted with the range and calibre of artists this year and we predict the 2011 festival will be a sell-out like last year.”


AYISECACE!