Supported by THE DEPARTMENT OF SPORT, ARTS & CULTURE

MZANSI GOLDEN ECONOMY

30 YEARS OF DEMOCRACY: A CELEBRATION OF AFRICAN MUSIC & HERITAGE

June 2024

in Partnership with IKS Cultural Consulting

The Concerts SA (CSA) Africa Month project, funded by DSAC’s Mzansi Golden Economy, set out to give momentum to the idea that we are all connected to each other – across communities and across borders. The after-effects of Covid remain, with many artists in SA and the African continent still grappling with its impact on their creative output, mental health and the ability to earn an income. Multiple lines of connection between local and continental communities have been damaged or broken over an extended period, and for Africa Month 2024, CSA curated a series of concerts in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal to celebrate our relationships with the African continent and promote our indigenous cultures and talents.

The concert series was themed ‘A Celebration of African Music and Heritage’, with the underlying philosophy of I am because you are; you are because I am’, referencing the African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. Our objectives were:

    • To promote pan-African understanding, social cohesion and ubuntu across the country through music, with musicians’ presentations of their own shared experiences as both artists and professionals working around the country and the world;

    • To expose audiences and youth to the wealth of pan-African talent based around South Africa;

    • To create work opportunities for musicians, technical crew and support staff.

CONCERTS SA BACKGROUND AND POSITIONING

For the past 10 years, Concerts SA has been supporting the live music sector in South Africa and across the southern African region. With the primary objective to encourage sustainable live music circuits, CSA refines its programmes through research and praxis to ensure maximum impact for artists, venues and audiences alike. Built into the programmes are workshops and resources that encourage best professional practice from all those who receive support. Through providing micro-grants, CSA has encouraged practitioners to pursue additional in-kind or sponsorship support, thereby maintaining their independence and their market edge. The programmes of Concerts SA include:

    • Music Venue & Promoter Support Programme
    • Mobility Fund (South Africa and southern Africa)
    • The Digital Mobility Fund for Artists
    • Live Music in Schools Programme
    • Research and Knowledge Dissemination
    • Lobbying & Advocacy

The MGE Africa Month programme was located within Concerts SA’s Music Venue and Promoter Support Programme and the Live Music in Schools Programme:

    1. Live Music in Schools Programme: encourages appreciation for live music, with concerts and workshops for children at primary and secondary schools. It enables learners to experience a live performance with music instruments in a professional setting and encourages participative learning.

    2. Music Venue and Promoter Support Programme: supports selected promoters and small venues to host concerts in improved professional conditions, while ensuring fair compensation to musicians, technical and production personnel, with the overall aim of creating a vibrant live music circuit and growing dedicated audiences for established and emerging artists.

Accordingly, five promoters, working with the IKS-appointed Project Manager for the MGE Africa Month programme, were contractually engaged to present the concerts in the three provinces of Western Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng. The promoters were:

    • Institute for Indigenous Music and Arts Development (IMAD)
    • Bounce Entertainment
    • Zimboni
    • Jazz in the Native Yards (JINY)
    • Mara Lounge/Zerosonic

THE CONCERT SERIES

 

ProvinceConcert No.DateConcert TimeVenue/SchoolArtist/s
KZN1Friday 24 May1pm-2.30pmMbekamuzi Secondary schoolZoetheseed (Swaziland)
2Friday 24 May7pmLuthuli Museum, GroutvilleZoetheseed (Swaziland) & Zamalinda Mbatha (KZN)
3Wednesday 29 May5.30pmCentre for Jazz and Popular Music (UKZN)1. Bantu’s Clef – Leon Scharnick (KZN) & Milton Chissano (Mozambique)
2. Ikusasa Lethu (KZN)
4Friday 31 May10.30amDr. Macken Mistry Primary School, Newlands East, DBNZawadi Yamungu, Kerolin Govender and Rajive Mohan (KZN)
Gauteng5Monday 20 May 202411amHammanskraal Secondary SchoolYao Agbodohu (Ghana) with musicians from SA, Ghana and DRC
6Saturday 25 May3pm-4pmMara Lounge, Rand ClubSolo Piano performance – Sony Rodrigue (DRC)
7Saturday 25 May5pm-7pmMara Lounge, Rand ClubMara Lounge Jazz Band with Sony Rodrigue (DRC)
8Sunday 26 May11amVictoria Yards, LorentzvilleStompie Selibe (Gauteng)
9Sunday 26 May3pm-5pmMara Lounge, Rand ClubMara Lounge Jazz Band with Sony Rodrigue (DRC)
Western Cape10Thursday 16 May11am-12pmYork Road Primary School, Lansdowne, CPTJose Ikotela Lotombolo (DRC), performing songs from DRC, Cape Verde, Cameroon, and other African countries
11Sunday 26 May3.30pmGuga S’thebe Cultural Centre, LangaTete Mbambisa (Album Launch: African Day) and Simba Morri (Kenya)

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WHAT HAPPENED?

KwaZulu-Natal

Mbekamuzi Secondary School, KZN – 24 May 2024

Audience: 212 (learners and teachers)

A midday concert was presented at Mbekamuzi Secondary School in Groutville, eThembeni, with Swaziland-born ZoetheSeed. While minor logistical hurdles arose concerning access to the venue and the number of available learners because of the mid-year exams, challenges with electricity at the venue, as well as a taxi strike affecting artists’ transport, the performance went ahead as planned and proved to be a resounding success. The student and teacher audience actively participated, and ZoetheSeed and her band fostered a lively atmosphere by engaging with the students to gauge their musical preferences. Her performance showcased versatility, seamlessly blending popular covers – readily enjoyed by the audience – with her original compositions that incorporated classic jazz styles like Marabi and blues. Her communications about the importance of Africa Month and how we are all connected with one another was well received by the learners and teachers.

“As an educator, I’m very aware of the dynamics when interacting with learners. They are usually full of energy and one needs to be firm yet friendly to create an environment for learning to take place. The experience was so fulfilling and satisfying to see a young generation willing to absorb what was either familiar or of what was either new. This sense of openness is needed for creativity to thrive. The natural aptitude for music heightens authentic expressions and excitement that holistically fosters live artistry to greater heights. I’m honoured to have been part of this initiative to inspire and demonstrate live performance to potential aspiring musicians of tomorrow.”  – Zoetheseed

KwaZulu-Natal

Luthuli Museum, Groutville, KZN – 24 May 2024

Audience: 62

The evening event at the Luthuli Museum attracted a diverse audience of all ages. The opening act – locally-based Zamalinda Mbatha and her band – set the stage alight with a captivating 30-minute performance featuring a blend of spiritual covers and original compositions. ZoetheSeed then took centre stage and delivered a phenomenal headline performance. Her meticulously crafted repertoire catered to a broad spectrum of musical preferences, stimulating the audience to sing along and dance. The performance served as a beautiful tribute to Africa’s rich musical heritage, incorporating influences from both the past and present. The event concluded with a hope for future live concerts among the enthusiastic audience.

Our collaboration with Luthuli Museum over the last 9 years has been solid and impactful in KwaDukuza. The staff’s dedication and collaborative spirit are truly inspiring, especially considering the capacity challenges they sometimes face. These events always bring out the best in everyone involved. It’s a testament to the power of shared goals and a mutual passion for bringing cultural experiences to life.

“Groutville always feels like home because of the reception we always get. There are so many familiar faces I see in the audience that assure us of the quality of our presentation. The biggest highlight is how the audience gravitates towards the music and participates in singing along. It’s always truly heartwarming. Thank you, Concerts SA.” – Zoetheseed

KwaZulu-Natal

Centre for Jazz and Popular Music (CJPM), University of KwaZulu Natal, KZN- 29 May 2024

Audience: 58

The concert kicked off with the large and energetic UKZN’s Ikusasa Lethu Dance and Music Ensemble, under the leadership of Dr Patricia Opondo. Fit for Africa Month, they showcased traditional music and dance, captivating the audience with their talent.

The headline act – led by South African saxophone player, Leon Scharnick, and Mozambican guitarist Milton Chissano – followed, with their mellow grooves resonating perfectly with the mature crowd, many of whom seemed to be dedicated fans. The audience was incredibly appreciative and felt that Africa Month was given more breadth and the objectives of the programme achieved.

Even with the inherent challenges and risk management of scheduling a concert on voting day, our collaboration with CJPM allowed us to effectively reach part of their core audience, reflecting the importance of long-term relationship building with all stakeholders. Their team operates like a well-oiled machine, ensuring everything runs seamlessly. It’s a testament to their professionalism and dedication to their supporters. We’re incredibly grateful for such a smooth partnership and the opportunity to connect with their passionate community.

“Many thanks to the entities, both at personal and institutional levels, who were involved in making possible the musical presentation on 29/05/2024, at the UKZN Center For Jazz and Popular Music, during the Africa Month celebrations, which also occurred on the day South African people were electing their possible political representatives with the best of expectations. The organisation was Fantastic (thank you very much Zimboni and Partners), we really appreciate how you made everything easier for us simply by doing your job so well; we entered the stage with our best disposition to perform. We felt a genuine reciprocity with the public, the way they consumed our music inspired us to produce much more musicality; There is no better feeling than witnessing your musical message getting across to the audience and being understood, appreciated and responded to, positively; That was the Sensation we had. In this way, the public also participated in the presentation. This was possible thanks to the work of a team that supported, sponsored, organised, publicised to ensure there was an audience, the Sound team etc… I AM, BECAUSE YOU ARE (ubuntu). We had one of the best experiences performing as Bantu’s Clef band.” – Bantu’s Clef

KwaZulu-Natal

Dr. Macken Mistry Primary School, Newlands East, KZN – 31 May 2024

Audience: 480 (learners and teachers)

The confirmed concert scheduled for 31 May 2024 was at Sansikane Primary School in Umkhambathini (Cato Ridge). Unfortunately, upon arrival, it was discovered that the school was closed due to its use as a local voting station two days prior and failure to remove elections infrastructure. The extended breakdown and setup of voting materials prevented the school from reopening, forcing the cancellation of the Sansikane Primary School concert, and alternative plans made.

Fortunately, an alternative venue at Dr. Macken Mistry Primary School in Seacow Lake (Newlands East) was secured in record time thanks to our fleet-footed promoter and team. The alternative concert was confirmed at 9:07 AM, with a requested arrival time of 9:30 AM for a 10:00 AM performance start. Despite the tight schedule with the sound system being set up while the learners entered, it created a heartwarming atmosphere with their enthusiastic singing. The school provided a warm welcome, and the concert itself was a great success. The band, with vocalists Zawadi and Kerolin Govender, and backed by keyboard player Rajive Mohan, performed a collaborative set of Zulu and Indian fusion songs, along with popular local singalongs. It set the perfect tone to close off Africa Month and was a great way to introduce children to different music genres.

While the cancellation at Sansikane Primary was a huge disappointment, the team’s swift response was impressive. Quick thinking and adaptability allowed for a seamless redirection of the event to another school, ensuring the show went on. A huge thank you goes to Dr. Macken Mistry Primary for welcoming the Africa Month programme at the last minute. Their willingness to host the event gives us hope that we’ll be back in the future, especially as they expressed such enthusiasm and requested our return since the younger grades missed out this time.  The musicians and crew also deserve a huge shoutout for their flexibility.  Their ability to adapt to the change on such short notice speaks volumes about their resilience and professionalism.

“Everything happened so randomly, but everyone enjoyed it. We all did our best to give the children a unique musical experience by merging two cultures together.” – Zawadi Yamungu

Gauteng

Hammanskraal Secondary School, Gauteng – 20 May 2024

Audience: 500 (learners and teachers)

Prior to the performance, dates needed to be postponed as well as schools changed during an exam period. It was also a struggle to retain the original band that was confirmed to perform on the initial scheduled date. All turned out well in the end, and on the concert day, DRC-born Yao Agbodohu and his band (African High Way) arrived well-prepared to teach and entertain. The band did not hold back; they unleashed the African High Way fire from the first song to the last. The students felt every song, they were captivated and spontaneously wrote placards “We Love Africa”, “Aye Aye”, “We Love You”. Both teachers and students danced their hearts out, and everyone in attendance felt connected to a very special frequency that allowed for going back to ourselves and remembering where good music can take you to. Total emotional and spiritual realignment was manifested.

The CSA MGE Africa month Celebration at Hammanskraal Secondary was a huge success and contributed to the progression of the live music scene, audience development, and is an initiative crucial to a world that is increasingly growing distant from the art of live music and the arts in general.

Gauteng

Mara Lounge, Rand Club, Gauteng – 25 and 26 May 2024

Victoria Yards, Lorentzville, Gauteng – 26 May 2024

Audience: 835
Audience: 450

In collaboration with Contra Fair Joburg, a series of four shows was presented – three at Mara Lounge and one at Victoria Yards. Both venues formed part of Contra Fair – an event that invites the public from Johannesburg to visit spaces and visual arts studios in the Johannesburg CBD to engage with the city’s heritage and cultural scene.

On 25 May approximately 750 guests passed through the doors of the Rand Club. As part of the programme for Concerts SA, jazz pianist Sony Rodrigue (born in the DRC) performed solo for the guests, creating an ambience of living culture in a heritage space.

Later the same day, the Mara Lounge House Band, comprising Sony Rodrigue (piano), Angus Hardcastle (bass), Godfrey Mntambo (saxophone) and Stanley Matlou (drums) performed a variety of works from the African continent to an audience of approximately 55 people comprising leaders in Johannesburg’s arts and academic arenas, the Norwegian Ambassador, a delegation in South Africa from the USA, as well as the public. This event was one of the first at the newly launched Mara Lounge which opened its doors to several new clients and potential partners for the venue.  

The concert was repeated on 26 May, and while the turnout for this performance was not as large as the previous concert, amongst the audience were important music industry representatives including Dan Chiorboli of Awesome Festivals Africa, and WITS University music lecturer Chantal Willie-Petersen. In addition, prominent members of the Rand Club attended the event on both days.

On Sunday 26 May, the Stompie Selibe Quartet performed at Victoria Yards. Initially, the band was commissioned to perform from 11am to 1pm, but due to the positive feedback, they performed into the early evening. This band specialises in a mix of new-age and contemporary indigenous music, and provided vital ambience to the open studios at Victoria Yards. It was estimated that the band performed to over 450 people on the day.

“On behalf of Mara Lounge and the artists we are very grateful to the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture for the opportunities these [concerts] presented. Not only were we able to encourage audiences to return to the Johannesburg CBD, but also to promote live-music and the newly launched Mara Lounge.

 

To our best estimates we reached a live audience of over 1200 people over the weekend, and were able to use this opportunity to increase our networks of creative professionals and potential supporters for our spaces.”– Phil Thurston

Western Cape

York Road Primary School, Lansdowne, Western Cape – 16 May 2024

Audience: 1000+ (learners and teachers)

The month of May is generally a tough month to have a school performance due to mid-year exams and the Cape Town weather. The event had to be held in a hall, and preferably a primary school with an active music programme. After a number of postponements and changes of school, the event was confirmed at York Road Primary School, and both the principal and staff were excited to host the event.

Initially, a one-hour performance was planned, but at the request of the school, the concert was divided into two performances to accommodate the total school population. The first set was from 11h00-11h45 for grades 1-4, and the second from 12h30-13h15 for grades 5-7. The artists in attendance were Carlo Fabe, Peter Ndlala, Charles Louw, Muneeb Hermans, and Jed Petersen, who have performed together in the past. They were joined by Carly Barendilla, a recent UCT graduate, performing music from the South African Jazz repertoire. The special guest was Congolese artist, Jose Lotombola Ikotela, who performed songs from the DRC, Cape Verde and Senegal.

The York Rd Primary School band (who were itching to perform), joined the band on the last tune for the day. The event sparked enormous interest in the learner population of the school, and many students requested to join the existing music programme currently running at the school.

From the feedback received, the event was thoroughly enjoyed by all attendees and the musicians as well. The principal, staff and learners all requested similar events in the future. All in all, the whole event was a huge success and concluded with no major glitches.

Western Cape

Guga S’thebe Cultural Centre, Langa, Western Cape – 26 May 2024

Audience: 110

In recent months it has not been easy to fill venues, and audiences have been circumspect in where and how they spend their time and money. By all measures, this concert had a good turnout and a great vibe.

The concert was a celebration of Africa Month, a theme suited to the launch of the album `African Day’ by Tete Mbambisa.  Starting the concert, the 100+ audience thoroughly enjoyed the offerings of Kenyan-born guitarist, Simba Morri, who performed with Josh Hawks on bass and Nceba Gongxeka on percussion. The Tete Mbambisa Sextet then took to the stage with songs from Dr. Mbambisa’s latest album which was well-received by a very knowledgeable and appreciative audience.

The two hour long live music concert was a huge success, and given the short time to put the concert together, everyone delivered well above expectations. The audience loved it and the artists felt well looked after and appreciated the planning and organisation that went into the event.