Oasis of well curated live Jazz in Newtown this weekend
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
This is one of the most intelligently curated jazz events ever held in recent years in the country. The names are big on the South Africa’s contemporary jazz scene and their voices and impact on audiences both here and abroad are even bigger. But they are here this weekend, right at your doorstep. Therefore if you are planning to go out of town this weekend, you better rethink those plans.
All that jazz you may have been waiting for has finally arrived in Newtown. The Jazz and Heritage Festival, despite initial hiccups regarding funding is now all systems go. And one wonders where does the funding go to when inclusive events such as the Newtown Jazz and Heritage Festival struggle to secure enough public funding, though this time the National Arts Council seems to have chipped in with a bit of funding, which is a good thing. But where are other funding programmes of government with bigger budgets for such events, such as the Presidential Economic Stimulus and the Department Sport, Arts and Culture’s Golden Economy Programme?
I mean the venue is perfect, full of cultural symbolism and it can be reached easily both from the suburbs and the townships. The fact is as it has been proven in the past again and again, jazz is a unifying force, attracting the young and the old, those not in the clue and those who are seasoned jazzophiles. It really does not matter the level of appreciation of this beautiful art of jazz you may be at. You will find something exciting there for yourself.
What matters right now is that those who will make it to the festival this year in in Newtown will have a good time watching top jazz artists in action. The jazz will happen at Museum Africa and Niki’s Oasis. By the way the owner of Niki’s Oasis has over the years emerged as the matriarch of live music, particularly jazz, that is Sminikiwe Sondlo. She has used her restaurant as a venue for live jazz despite the tough economic situation prevailing in the country. Hers is a study in resilience and commitment when it comes to promoting the good art of jazz. Though like many other businesses located in Joburg CBD, hers has faced a struggle over the years such as people avoiding to travel to inner city Johannesburg for fear of crime and avoiding coming face to face with other social issues bedevilling inner city Johannesburg, Sondlo has stayed put.
Not moving. Not flinching but committed to the cause of jazz. It is therefore difficult to attract particularly the wealthy from especially the northern suburbs, and yet over the years Sondlo has stuck to her guns of promoting live jazz in Newtown with limited resources to speak about. In a way she has contributed immensely and consistently cultural tourism in Newtown.
And quite importantly, almost all the jazz artists billed to perfor? there for the two days of jazz honed their skills at Niki’s at the beginning of their careers, while a few others were already established but found a warm and welcoming home there. I would therefore not be surprised if they are getting a pay cut in the name of respecting where they started and supporting one of the few live jazz venues remaining active in the country when others have fallen off along the way.
Artists to look forward to:
And so who are the big guns at the Newtown Jazz and Heritage Festival? These are Sydney Mnisi, Nduduzo Makhathini, Yonela Mnana.
Scheduled to perform on Friday are Ncesh Nonxishi, Lex Futhsane & Sydney Mnisi featuring Stanley Matlou, Sanele Phakathi and Nduduzo Makhathini.
Schduled for Saturday are Yonela Mnana, Andile Yenana, Echoes of Marabi, Steve Dyer Ngwako Manamela.