Jazz festival this month

Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival
The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival which runs in Newtown from 23 to 25 August features the first American big band to play here in about 30 years — the Count Basie Orchestra — as well as other international and local stars.

The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz also pays its own tribute in Women’s Month by bringing together four of the country’s national cultural treasures on one bill: Mama Africa Miriam Makeba, Dorothy Masuka, Thandie Klaasen and Letta Mbulu.
Other South African giants include Caiphus Semenya, Jonas Gwangwa, Stimela and Sipho Mabuse who will be joining international acts The Clarke/Duke Project featuring Stanley Clarke and George Duke; trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis; fusion jazz band Pieces of a Dream as well as Israel’s Common Bond and France’s No Jazz.
The Count Basie Orchestra — with 17 Grammy Awards to their name — is billed as the greatest swing band in history. The band recorded 'One O’ Clock Jump' in 1937 and never looked back. Ever since Basie’s death in 1984 the orchestra has been led by Orchestra alumni: First Thad Jones, then Frank Foster followed by Grover Mitchell and today the man at the helm is trombonist Bill Hughes who first joined Basie in 1953.
Bassist Stanley Clarke has worked with everyone from Stan Getz and Chick Corea to Herbie Hancock and Horace Silver. He’s played with both rock and jazz musicians, written music for films and along with George Duke had a hit single in 1981 with 'Sweet Baby'. Duke has done it all from playing with Frank Zappa to leading a group that included drummer Billy Cobham. He’s a keyboard whiz and a record producer. Now the two have teamed up again as The Clarke/Duke Project.
Trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis is also likely to thrill. He came to prominence as a member of Elvin Jones’s Jazz Machine. He has also produced recordings for many musicians including his brothers Branford and Wynton. His own band comprises tenor saxophonist Mark Shim, pianist Anthony Wonsey, bassist David Pulphus and his younger brother, drummer Jason Marsalis.
Fusion enthusiasts get Pieces of a Dream, co-led by founder members drummer Curtis Harmon and keyboardist James Lloyd. Included in the group are guitarist/bassist David, saxman Eddie Baccus Jnr and vocalist Ramona Dunlap.

There are also plenty of young artists at the festival.
Common Bond from Israel mix and match musical styles from ethnic, world and jazz music along with sounds of the Middle-East, Afro-Latin and a touch of funk. The musicians play “regular” instruments such the saxophone, flute and oboe and also use exotic instruments such as a duduk (Armenian flute), didgeridoo, English horn and zorna (Kurdish flute).
France’s No Jazz mix the original celebratory spirit of jazz with hypnotic rhythms and contemporary sounds. Acoustic and jungle, trip hop and janfares, melodies and samples, funk and jazz happily mingle with drum and bass.
Young SA performers on the bill are jazzy afro-soul singer Siphokazi, Nokukhanya, Nombulelo Maqetuka and Shannon Mowday.
The 2007 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival takes place at seven venues in the city’s Newtown precinct. As for the past two years, a specially designed Jazz Dome and the Mbira Stage will be erected on Mary Fitzgerald Square, creating two purpose-built venues to showcase this year’s bill. Other venues include The Bassline and Dance Factory.
There is free entrance to Newtown venues Shivava, Sophiatown and Nikki’s Oasis where development bands will perform including Julia Lamberti and Signature; the Vusi Mahlasela Music School; TUT Music School and Black Mok. The international artists will also be hosting workshops for local musicians as will Shannon Mowday.
Tickets to the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival are available from Computicket.
For more information on the line-up, venues go to www.standardbankjazz.co.za and www.tmusicman.co.za.