East London to rock with top stars
By Tabisa Mntengwana
10 September 2009
A MUSICAL whirlwind is forecast for East London this weekend, with best-selling musicians and artists performing at the Orient Theatre.
Called Buffalo City Comes Alive, the concert will feature singer and songwriter Siphokazi and saxophonist Bushy Dubazana, among other stars.
According to a press release issued by the organisers, Buffalo City Comes Alive is a multi-disciplinary concert with a cross-genre collaboration between traditional music and contemporary jazz and Afro-pop.
Arts and crafts will be on display and traditional dance will be performed. "This is a never-seen-before production and East London will witness artistic greatness right on her shores," reads the press release.
It is a partnership between Vusizwe Entertainment and Umhlobo Wenene FM and is funded in part by the National Arts Council of South Africa.
Speaking about the purpose of the show, the organiser and events co-ordinator at Vusizwe Entertainment, Zuko Pokwana, said: "This event is more of a collaboration of musicians rather than an artist promotion. Our company is concerned with promoting African music and its history."
Born and bred in Eastern Cape, Siphokazi took the music industry by storm in 2006 with her debut album,
Ubuntu Bam.
She has performed alongside many renowned artists, including Tshepo Tshola, Ringo Madlingozi, Mat Matshikiza, Simphiwe Dana, Zamajobe and Stimela, both as a backing vocalist and solo singer.
She has also starred in the feature film
Sophiatown with the musical legends Dolly Rathebe, Dorothy Masuku, Thandi Klaasen, Abigail Khubeka and The Manhattan Brothers.
In 2007, she won a South African Music Award for Best African Adult Contemporary Album. She will share the stage with the world-renowned Eastern Cape Ensemble and two leading jazz musicians from Eastern Cape - Dubazana and Lulama Gaulana.
Saxophonist Dubazana kicked off his career in 1995 after he returned to Mthatha from Johannesburg.
He later formed an eight-piece band and founded a music school. He has performed in internationally acclaimed clubs in Johannesburg such as Bassline and Kippies, and has released three albums -
Nepotism,
Pride Africa and
Eastern Cape Experience.
In his career, he also collaborated with Soko, the German band; an album borne of this collaboration will be released soon.
Dubazana has worked with the likes of Ringo Madlingozi, the late jazz artist Stompie Mavi, Gaulana, Dudley Tito, Musa Mavundla, the late Sipho Gumede, Mandla Masuku and the band Idutywa Teachers.
Also in the line-up is Gaulana, the well-known local guitarist, composer and music arranger.
With his experience as a jazz guitarist, Gaulana has worked with legendary musician Hugh Masekela, Pat Matshikiza, Zim Ngqawana and Stompie Mavi. He has pursued his solo career for more than 10 years.
Giving the show a traditional feel will be the world-renowned Eastern Cape Ensemble, which has been performing since in 2002.
The group was established to showcase Eastern Cape's traditional music. It performs at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown every year, and has performed in Johannesburg, Cape Town, United Kingdom, Belarus, Japan and Greece.
The show is on Friday, 11 September at Orient Theatre in East London; at 8pm. Tickets are R100 at Shoprite and Computicket outlets, on 083 915 8000 or 011 340 8000 or through the
Computicket website, and R120 at the door.
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