Nataniel in Concert at the Joburg Promusica Theatre for 3 shows only

Date: 17 May 2011
Article: Madoda Ntuli

Since his solo debut Nataniël has released 14 albums, published 11 books, completed numerous concert tours and staged more than 55 original stage productions. Recently he wowed audiences nationwide with his acclaimed productions, OF HEARTBREAK AND HOPE, IMAGINE A KING and COMBAT, his most successful stage production to date. 

His concert at the Joburg Promusica Theatre will not only include highlights from these productions, but also feature new and original songs, new arrangements of well - known favourites, belters and torch songs, comedy, stories and sketches in both English and Afrikaans, lots of fantasy and as usual, a brand new collection of outfits.  Nataniël shares the stage with pianist Charl du Plessis. He has been the official pianist for Nataniël House of Music since 2000 and has performed in more than 1000 live concerts with Nataniël

Charl du Plessis has been the exclusive resident pianist for Nataniël House of Music for 6 years. He is a established pianist in South Africa and a lecturer in jazz piano at the University of Pretoria. He has performed in Switzerland, the USA and UK in both the classical and jazz genres.

Costumes are designed by Floris Louw.  Performances are 10th and 11th June @ 8:00pm and on the 12th June @ 3:00pm Ticket are R150:00 and booking is at Computicket. Go to www.promusica.co.za for more information.

• Nataniël has just released his first live DVD, Cathedral. Copies will be on sale at the venue.

• Items from Nataniël’s KAALKOP lifestyle range will also be available at the performance.

For more info plus pictures, visit Nataniël at www.nataniel.co.za

Doritos SAMA VIP Treat

Date: 17 May 2011

Article:

SAMAs here we come, say Doritos VIP winners

Congratulations to the five winners in the Doritos Late Night VIP competition, who will be rocking the yellow carpet at the SAMAs on 20 and 21 May 2011.

The lucky South Africans who will be getting the VIP treatment at the 17th annual MTN South African Music Awards at Montecasino, accompanied by three of their friends plus a sizzling celebrity, are: Dylan Vlaskamp (who will be attending the event with comedian Chris Forrest), Bianca van Vuuren (avant-pop musician Jax Panik), Siphokazi Naki (V-Entertainment presenter Lalla Hirayama), Sifiso Nhlengethwa (SABC1 Live presenter Mini Dlamini), and Thuthu Gaelesiwe (SAMA Award winning hip-hop act Teargas).

All the winners are from Gauteng except Naki, who hails from the Eastern Cape and will be flown up to Jozi for the glittering affair together with her chosen three friends.

The five winners and their buddies will be basking in the full VIP treatment during SAMAs weekend at Monte – enjoying two nights’ luxury accommodation at the Sun Square Hotel in Montecasino, as well as scoring VIP passes to the Friday and Saturday night award ceremonies and to selected official after-parties, living it up and hobnobbing with the who’s who of the music biz.

To join the Doritos family and keep up to speed with future competitions, visit their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DoritosSouthAfrica), the Doritos mobisite (www.DoritosVIP.mobi), the MXit mobile application or the website www.doritos-sa.co.za.

Joburg Promusica Theatre and Ziveze Music Project present i'm Born with it

Date: 17 May 2011

Article: Madoda Ntulli

Celebrate raw talent and heaps of heart 

Prepare yourself for a musical show that embraces music; an ‘edutainment’ experience that reflects the real stories of the artists on stage, and what music means to them. It also covers the origins of the various categories of music presented, from gospel to hip-hop, Afro-pop to Kwaito.

Ziveze Music Project is the brainchild of actor Sandile Matsheni, the president of Soweto Rhythm Production. It started with a fund-raising initiative That was intended to be a stepping stone for upcoming musicians. Believing that talent without direction is like a car without a key, Sandile’s aim was to equip talented young musicians with training and skills. The project only really took off, however, when the vibrant young actor/singer/choreographer/writer Tebogo Dey Gasetlole arrived on the scene and, inspired by these ideals, threw his boundless enthusiasm, vigour and energies into the mix.

With the support of other Soweto Rhythm Production members, the project grew in leaps and bounds. With invaluable assistance from The National Art Council (NAC), that funded the auditions and workshops; The Department of Art and Culture, that funded the rehearsals; and Advocate Steve Kekane, was always close at hand to provide assistance, the dream became a living, breathing reality!

Ziveze – which translates to “showcase your talent” – seeks to help young musicians find a higher purpose in making music than merely “being famous”, and wants to show the healing, uplifting side to fully utilising the raw talent they possess within.

This exciting new company has put together a show, aimed at family audiences from the ages of 10 and up, that is fun, vibrant, entertaining, educational, touching and revitalising.

Sandile Christopher Matsheni After graduating from Mzini Dramatic Art in Soweto in 2001, Sandile made his theatrical debut in Trouble in my House, directed by Sibusiso Mhlongo. He continued his career under the direction of Duma Mnembe in Calamity, Enough is Enough, and They Must Be Sick; the latter two garnering him Best Actor awards at the National Stop Crime Drama Festival in South Africa. This was followed by a lead role in the Handspring Puppet Company’s production Tall Horse, directed by Marthinus Basson, which toured Germany and the USA. He then toured South Africa, Scotland, Ireland, Sweden and the US, with Michael Lessac’s Truth in Translation Company in 2007, and enjoyed a stint on TV’s Rhythm City the following year. A lead role in Yael Farber’s Molora had him touring Japan, the Netherlands, England, Ireland, Greece and the US. Sandile currently runs Soweto Rhythm Production; an NPO organisation based in Soweto which caters to the needs of young South African artists, and spawned the Ziveze Music Project.

Lynet Tebogo Gasetlole (known as Dey) A born poet and storyteller, Dey hails from the East Rand, and studied drama and dance, in addition to qualifying as a facilitator, at Sibikwa Art Centre in Benoni. She has performed in plays such as House of Zombies, Nativity, Where I Come From, Ma-Lindi: The Sex Strike, and Animal Farm. She’s also had considerable experience in industrial theatre, and has danced and choreographed pieces for Dance Umbrella, as well as community Groups such as Inthutuko Art Production and Emmaus Community Centre.

Dey has written and directed pieces such as Ukuhlupheka ku Ngiyenzile, What Has a Beginning Must Have an End, Love is a Journey, and now, I Am Born With It. She is presently engaged with the running of Soweto Rhythm Production with Sandile Matsheni, and also works as drama, dance, music and poetry facilitator at Emmaus Community centre in Duduza.

Ziveze Music Project would like to thank the following for helping to make a dream come true:

Promusica Theatre, The Department of Arts and Culture and the NAC, for facilitating this event. Pick ’n Pay Meadowlands, for helping with food for the rehearsals, Jabulani Mall, for giving us a platform to promote the show at the mall.

VENUE:                   Joburg Promusica Theatre, The Basement

DATES & TIMES:   Friday 3, 10 and 17 June @ 7:00pm      

                                 Saturday 4 and 11 June @ 4pm

                                 Sunday 19 June @ 4pm

TICKETS:                   R60:00     

More hot vibes lined up for Bushfire

Date: 16 May 2011

Several more top music acts have been confirmed for the Bushfire Festival from 27 to 29 May 2011, including Caiphus Semenya and Tidal Waves .

This independent arts, music and poetry festival, taking place at the House on Fire performance venue on Malandela’s Farm in Swaziland’s ‘Valley of Heaven’, is planning a feast of entertainment to ensure the weekend is one long party.

Visitors can check out South African outfits Goldfish, Black Coffee, Gazelle, Hot Water and Tonik; Swazi acts Spirits Indigenous, Nomzamo and Bholoja; as well as Oliver Mtukudzi (Zimbabwe), Habib Koité (Mali), The Yale Concert Band (USA), French Mime Artist Laurent Decol and Jamaican-Canadian dub poet D’Bi.Young.

Other acts taking part include South African jazz arranger, composer, bandleader and vocalist Semenya, and roots-reggae outfit Tidal Waves, fresh from a triumphant US tour and acclaimed performance at the SXSW festival in Texas.

Also on the bill are internationally acclaimed Mozambican artist António Marcos, South African VJ/DJ Târâ (aka Monique Pascall), Botswanan Afro-jazz sensation Shanti Lo, sensational Swazi hip-hop duo Siyinqaba, Canadian-born Swazi/South African rhythmic word wizard Croc E Moses, and French mime artist Laurent Decol.

Top Swazi DJs will light up the decks, including DJs Stitch (hip-hop), Mixmash (old-school), Mbo (electro/European), Rekorder (deep house), Tenderness (hip-hop), DD Cool (dance, old-school, kwaito, pasadda), Didang (hip-hop/old-school/Afro-pop), and Wicked and Crooks (deep house).

Another treat for festival-goers will be the enormous puppets from The Giant Match, which makes its Bushfire debut after thrilling audiences at last year’s National Arts Festival and during World Cup-related festivities. Based on the original collaboration between South African artists and Les Grandes Personnes, these giant puppets and a troupe of musicians will deliver a larger-than-life performance in the Bushfire arena.

Bushfire has become renowned for not only promoting local artistic talent as well as cultural diversity, but creatively advocating for social change. Aids orphan support NGO Young Heroes receives 100% of festival profits – more than R500 000 to date – and Bushfire has gained an international reputation as one of the continent’s most socially responsible events.

“Our ‘Call to Action’ philosophy means that we are not merely a passive arts fest offering escapist entertainment,” says festival director Jiggs Thorne. “We are mindful of the challenges facing the country, and as such we encourage artists to use their creative voices to promote development and transformation.”

The event also focuses on the economic empowerment of Swazis, particularly in the arts, culture, tourism and hospitality industries. This year’s festival – with the theme “Mixing the Point”, to celebrate diversity and inspire new collaborations and cultural meeting points – will again feature a fair trade and design marketplace, in collaboration with Swaziland Fair Trade. Handcraft workshops will be presented, and Swazi products will be showcased to visitors as well as to international designers, distributors and retail buyers.

Six Swazi groups will perform on the “100% Seriously Swazi” stage, with others performing informally throughout the festival grounds.  Other ongoing projects are the Bushfire Schools Festival and outreach project, which gives young people access to quality, sustainable arts activities, and the Arts & Culture Round Table, held in partnership with the Arterial Network, to discuss the development of the arts.

How to book Pre-booking for Bushfire is essential at www.computicket.com. Both VIP and standard tickets are available, as are one-day tickets. Children enjoy discounted rates, with free admission for under-fives.

Tickets are also available internationally at www.swazi.travel. The website includes information on where to stay during the festival, from backpackers and campsites to chalets and hotels. Visit www.bushfire.co.sz for more information and updates.