Just what is Cape Jazz?

In last week’s feature, we referred to the influence that the different sounds from across the world has had on the unique Cape Town sound.

That sound is what we refer to as Cape Jazz.

WikiPedia say the following:

Cape jazz is a genre of jazz, similar to the popular music style known as marabi, though more improvisational in character, which is performed in the southern part of Africa. Where marabi is a piano jazz style, in the beginning this music grew (though not exclusively) from instruments that can be carried in a street parade, such as brass instruments, banjos, guitars and percussion instruments.

The Cape part of the name, refers to Cape Town, South Africa. The leading exponents of this style are pianist Abdullah Ibrahim and saxophonists the late Basil Coetzee and Robbie Jansen. These three, together with bassist Paul Michaels, drummer the late Monty Weber and sax man Morris Goldberg, recorded the seminal Cape Jazz song, “Mannenberg” in the early 1970s.

One of the main inspirations behind Cape Jazz comes from the folk songs sung by people descended from the former slave communities living in the Western Cape, known loosely as the Cape Coloured or Cape Malay people.

A street carnival parade or Mardi Gras (also called the Coon Carnival) is held each year peaking on the 2nd of January. This event is the culmination of months of musical and dance rehearsal and community-based competitions, by various mostly mix race folk, and was known as Tweede Nuwe Jaar (Afrikaans). The performers known as Klopse, borrowed the painted faces and bright consumes of the minstrel show style of New Orleans (now USA) and combined this with African and European music which was to be heard in the taverns and night clubs of the port city.

Some of this music is also more recently known as Goema, or Ghoema Jazz, referring to a particular wooden barrel shaped Asian style drum (also known in the Cape as a Ghomma) played by the revelers in the troupes in the aforementioned parade.

During Howzit-HongKong.com’s visit home in 2009, we were fortunate to attend the 60th birthday party of the late Cape Town saxophonist Robbie Jansen at the G-Spot venue in Epping (Cape Town).  In conversation with the great man that evening, we arranged to return this year to record his take on the Cape Jazz story.  Sadly, that will not happen as Robbie passed away late in 2010.

The Jansens: Robbie and Michael at the G-spot in 2009 (Pic: Mike Jansen)

Here are some of the pictures we took:

We are going to be referring the the terms “Cape Jazz” as well as “Ghoema” over the next few weeks, so without any further ado…. here’s that seminal Cape Town anthem:

The Victoria Harbour Sundowner sessions #22: Mannenberg

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Over the next few Sundays, Howzit-HongKong.com will feature a YouTube clip of one (or more) of the musicians and their sounds who have influenced and shaped South African and specifically Cape Town music as part of what we like to call The Victoria Harbour Sundowner Sessions. I am fortunate to be living right next to one of the most stunning working harbours in the world… Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour. I often find myself staring across the Harbour at night, with the lights dimmed and one of my favourite musicians from home over the speakers. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do…

Goodnight South Africa,

Mike Jansen

The Victoria Harbour Sundowner Sessions #17

Virtual Jazz Reality (popularly known as VJR)

Here at Howzit-HongKong.com we have posted about 16 artists under the “Victoria Harbour Sundowner Sessions” category and, not taking anything away from the previous 16 artists, this next one is a particularly special one.

Those who know me will know about my penchant with Cape Jazz, especially the genre known as “Ghoema.”

Cape Town, being a port-city, is known for the fact that it took the sounds of all the nations who came calling and fused it’s sounds into a unique genre popularly known as “Ghoema.”

Bands such as this week’s featured artists VJR took this sound and further internationalized it into a sound that was more “acceptable” to foreign ears.  However, it was (and is) still a particular Cape Town sound and staunch “Capetonians” like me, no matter where in the world we found ourselves… will forever identify with this special Cape Town sound.

Thanks to outfits like Virual Jazz Reality.

Like me, as a teenager growing up in Cape Town in the 80′s and 90′s, you will be frowned upon if you claimed not to know Ian Smith.

OK, maybe I shouldn’t be as harsh.  You will be frowned upon if you claim not to know the bands Concert Boulevard, Pound Seats, MJ-9, The Tony Schilder Quartet, Airborne or Inside Out.  If you were a regular at Cape Flats clubs and concerts back in the days, you WILL know these outfits.  You WILL also know the trumpeter called Ian Smith.

Smith is the man behind the (still) popular outfit known as Virtual Jazz Reality.

I was fortunate to see both Ian Smith and Sammy Webber in action when I attended the birthday party for the late Robbie Jansen at the G-Spot in Epping (Cape Town) during my annual visit home last year.  It was the last time I saw Robbie alive so that night at the G-Spot in Epping is forever etched in my memory.

Trumpeter Ian Smith with the late Boeta Robbie Jansen (Pic: Mike Jansen)

Ian Smith (right) with Sammy Webber (middle) at Boeta Robbie’s birthday jam (Pic: Mike Jansen)

This from Music.org.za:

The quartet has built a reputation for refined fusion, performance finesse with razor sharp improvisations and syncopation. Their repertoire includes impressive contemporary jazz originals and inspirational takes on timeless classics such as: John Coletrane’s ‘Naima’ and Eddie Harris’s Freedom’s Jazz Dance, brought to you in true inventive jazz style by the quartet.

Comprising Ian Smith (trumpet, flugalhorn, and vocals), Andrew Ford (keyboards, drums and bass), Sammy Webber (bass and vocals) and Frank Paco (drums and vocals), VJR have impressive individual pedigrees as bandleaders, studio musicians, music educators and performers.

Having played with numerous ensembles of his own creation including: Concert Boulevard, Pound Seats, MJ-9, The Tony Schilder Quartet, Airborne and Inside Out, Ian Smith has acquired the reputation as one of the most sought after studio musicians. His prowess as a trumpet player has also earned him a place as a soloist for the UCT Big Band and for the CAPAB and CTSO orchestras. He was also one of the influential figures, along with Prof Mike Campbell, in the formation of the Cape Jazz Orchestra.

VJR’s Ian Smith pays tribute to Boeta Robbie Jansen (Pic: Mike Jansen)

Andrew Ford has studied piano and percussion, both classical and jazz, for the past sixteen years and in 1980 began performing with the Richmond-Upon-Thames Youth Band in London. Despite having performed extensively with his own trios and groups (Inside Out) as well as a regular with the CAPAB, CTSO and Cape Jazz Orchestras his talents as a producer are extensive. His appointment as musical director for B&S Studios while at the same time running his own successful recording studio the ‘Nuthouse’ bare tribute to this fact.

Andrew Ford in his comfort zone (Pic: Andrew Ford on FaceBook)

Sammy Webber has been playing bass from the impressionable age of 17 and started playing in his first band at only 19. Since then he has played with the successful duo U-Turn with Tony Paulse and is also the bass player for Inside Out and MJ-9. As news of his ability begins to spread he is increasingly in demand as a session musician and is considered a vital contributor by the members of VJR.

Sammy Webber (left) with Robbie Jansen (Pic: Sammy Webber on FaceBook)

Self-taught musician, Frank Paco started playing drums at the age of 16 whilst living in Mozambique. He has performed with Zairian born, French singing sensation Pap Wemba, South African renowned vocalist Miriam Makeba and has toured with Afrojazz band Sakhile. More recently he featured on the FNB and Gold album by Jimmy Dludlu, “Echoes From The Past” and is currently studying music at the UCT College of Music.

Drummer Frank Paco with Samuel L Jackson (Pic: Frank Paco on FaceBook)

Virtual Jazz Reality is innovative and new. Not only are their tracks listenable, but the band also manage to balance cerebral dexterity with emotive fire while at the same time gently surfing gnarly time signatures with ease. Chunky muscular bass tones, delicious piano melodies, distinctive brass runs and fluid like percussive stick work combined with an impressive stage presence make VJR a truly inspiring contemporary jazz outfit catering for the connoisseur and music lovers generally.

Let’s hear from the band themselves in this promotional video:

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Howzit-HongKong.com will feature a YouTube clip of one South African music legend every Friday as part of what we like to call The Victoria Harbour Sundowner Sessions. I am fortunate to be living right next to one of the most stunning working harbours in the world… Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour. I often find myself staring across the Harbour at night, with the lights dimmed and one of my favourite musicians from home over the speakers. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do…

Goodnight South Africa,

Mike Jansen

1995 Rugby World Cup winner and Springbok rugby player Marius Hurter (the most aptly-named tight-head rugby player in the world) spoke at the Gala Charity Premiere of the movie Invictus.

(Picture insert: Ms. Tembi Tambo, Consul-General: SA Consulate in Hong Kong/Macau)

This is Part 2 of his chat with Robbie McRobbie of the Hong Kong Rugby Union:

Braaivleis, sunny skies, Castle Lager and a bit of rugby of course!

The organisers of the second Cape Town Tens rugby tournament has announced that yet another South African icon has joined the growing number of corporate supporters for the second tournament.  In fact, they’re not just joining the club, they’ve decided to become the title sponsors of one of the major stops on the South African sports and social calendar.  The Tens will henceforth be known as the:

Castle Lager Cape Town Tens. 

Vaughan Croeser, the South African Breweries’ Trade Marketing Manager expressed his company’s support in the following way:

“We are really excited to be the naming sponsor of the Castle Cape Town Tens. The Cape Town Tens is definitely becoming a big event on the Cape Town social and sporting calendar.”

He continues, saying: “Castle has a proud heritage of national sport sponsorship and we really look forward to the future affiliation with Tens rugby and the opportunities to grow this property.”

No one will deny the obvious ’bed-partners’ that maketh the Cape Town Tens and Castle Lager and Croeser expressed it in the following way: “What makes the Tens unique is that it captures both the competitive nature of the game and the social aspect of the game. Rugby, beer, braai and South African pride; it all comes together with a Castle.”

I’m sure hosts Bob Skidstad and Robbie Fleck are rather chuffed at having clinched this sponsorship and can happily check that off the list of what-to-sort-out-for-2010!