Cape music picks: December 17 2010

Every scene has its zeitgeist moment.

• In a city that remains as culturally and racially divided as the Mother City, the aim of the Embracing Africa, Embracing Cape Town concert this Saturday is apt: to create ‘a meeting place where we can display and celebrate our diverse cultural heritage as Capetonians and Africans alike through the healing and reconciling power of music.” An initiative of the One City, Many Cultures Project campaign, the concert promotes the theme of reconciliation as an invocation to embrace transformation and change. And what better way to do this than by symbolically ‘reconciling Africa’s rhythms, sounds and beats with the heart of the Mother City”? Performers from the Performing Arts Network of South Africa (PANSA) set the tone with a montage of traditional African instrumental, dance and vocal performances. Mozambican saxophonist Moreira Chonguica invites audiences to get their Proudly Pan African groove on when he fires up funky Afro-Latin jazz joints off his award-winning album Sama-winning CD, Vol. 2: Citizen of the World. Gang of Instrumentals then stir up a funky urban pop fusion of hip hop, street rap, soul, R&B, ragga, reggae and kwaito house flavas alongside sexy Sama-nominated R&B smoothie Chad Saaiman and veteran Cape soul combo The Rockets. Also not-to-be-missed is Sama-winner Judith Sephuma who showcases bewitching jazz and afro-pop gems off her albums, A Cry, A Smile, A Dance, New Beginnings, and Change Is Here in the headline slot. Added attractions include an entertainment hub boasting a food court with a variety of traditional African and Cape Town dishes, a beer garden and merchandise stalls.

  Cape Town Station Forecourt, Cape Town, December 18, 2.30pm. Entrance is R100 (including access to the after-party at 121 Castle). Book at Computicket.

• ‘In A Portrait of Home we are painting a picture of ourselves, in our lives, thoughts and emotions. With this offering we are also acknowledging the home of our spirit, the home of our people, our musical masters, the legacy of our country’s past, our present and the promise of our future”. This is Kyle Shepherd, the young pianist and composer who guides the South African jazz songbook in beguiling directions at a rare solo recital of compositions off his Sama-nominated albums, FineArt and A Portrait of Home this Saturday. Expect an intimate performance that pays homage to the musical, spiritual and creative influence of pianists Abdullah Ibrahim, Keith Jarrett and Jason Moran, as well as saxophonists Zim Ngqawana and Robbie Jansen by re-imagining traditional Cape rhythms, melodies and harmonies, Afro-American jazz idioms and global roots music. ‘My music is a direct representation of my traditions and the lineage of artists that came before me, and I am merely a portrait of their mastery,” says Shepherd.

  UCT College of Music, Baxter Street off Woolsack Drive, Rondebosch, December 18, 8pm. Entrance is R40 to R60. Advanced booking recommended. Email: [email protected] Tel: 079 256 9030. Online: www.kyleshepherd.co.za/concert_bookings.html. Website: www.kyleshepherd.co.za
  

• Every scene has its zeitgeist moment. For South African rock it was the Bandslam tours of the mid-90s which saw Lithium, Squeal, The Springbok Nude Girls, Nine and Sugardrive rocking the Rainbow Nation. While the arguably over-hyped modern rock revolution imploded before the end of the millennium, it was Bandslam that inspired the next generation of bands like Seether, The Parlotones and Prime Circle on to local and international success. Fast forward to 2010 and electro is having its own coming out party. Goldfish are converting audiences from the Mother City to Moscow with their funky live Afro-electro-jazzy house flavas. Die Antwoord’s X-rated rap rave shtick has gone virally global, earning the ‘zef’ pin-ups an international deal with Interscope Records. And at the R rated end of the sound spectrum, electro-pop-hop poster boys Locnville are now Die Antwoord’s label mates. Meanwhile, back at home the newest kid on the electro block is synth-pop conceptualist Jax Panik. His tongue-in-cheeky pastiche of contemporary pop culture struck such a major chord with the kids on social media sites that Sony Music snapped up his new album, I Am Jax Panik. Mother City audiences can tune in and drop out to SA Electro’s Fab Four at the final leg of their nationwide Sonic Summer Tour this Saturday.
  
  Backsberg, Off Simondium Road, Klapmuts, December 18, 4pm. Entrance is R150 (www.ticketbreak.co.za), R160 (pre-sold) or R180 (gate).