August 20, 2003
By Bongani Majola
"LEARNING and jiving", is how organisers characterise South African Music Week's new focus on education and live music.
SA Music Week, launched by Education Minister Professor Kader Asmal in Newtown recently, runs from 23 August to 30 August and features a variety of live concerts around Johannesburg, under the Music in Public Places banner.
Johannesburg's Newtown Cultural Precinct will be a hive of activity throughout the week, with performances also happening in the open space next to Park Station and at the Yeoville Recreational Centre.
Jozi's emerging artists will kick off the local events on Saturday 23 August with free performances at the Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown. Starting at 11am, the line up includes hip-hop artists Soul Fire, Afro pop's Dean Meldau, accapella singers Uthingo, the Hlabelela Ensemble, jazz artist Lerato Ramathe and traditional and contemporary African music performers, Woza Africa.
Jazz enthusiasts will be able to sample the talents of up and coming artists Monty & John, Echoes, Moralle and Ziyabuya Sounds. They will all be appearing at Bassline in Melville on Sunday 24 August from 6pm. Entrance is R30.
On the same day, Placid Rage, Swivel Foot, Crimson, Tourettes and Ptyrgium will treat rock lovers to free performances, starting at noon, at the Songwriters' Club in Linden.
Horror Café in Newtown features both the new and established in the fastest growing genre in local youth culture, hip-hop. Here Soweto sensations H20 and lone rhymer Proverb will show newcomers GZB and Trinity the ropes. Entrance is R30 and rhymes start flowing at 8pm on Wednesday 27 August.
On Friday 29 August, Park Station is the unlikely venue for a house and kwaito explosion. The free event, beginning at noon, features emerging artists Climax, Mafisto, BRT and DJ SBK.
The week will wrap up with some heavy skanking, as reggae dancing is known, as the Yeoville Recreational Centre comes alive with a Rasta revolution. Featured artists include Tidal Waves, Lion Silver Dread, 2Roots, Manfred and the Buffaloes.
In an unusual venue for SA Music Week - the classroom - 1 200 schools will be showing a 30-minute video on careers in the music industry as part of the week-long celebrations.
Presented by kwaito star Zola, the video takes the form of a first-person documentary with the singer interviewing the people behind his career, including his manager, lawyer, publicist, agent, promoter and sound engineer.
It also features commentary by legendary jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela, studio sessions with jazz artist Moses Khumalo, a run-in with music pirates on the streets of Johannesburg, and interviews with Asmal and Arts and Culture Minister Dr Ben Ngubane.
SA Music Week sees the formation of a new strategic partnership between the national Department of Education and the Department of Arts and Culture and the organisers, the Music Industry Development Initiative (Midi) Trust.
It is anticipated that, by the end of the week, more than a million learners will have been exposed to the informational video, about 120 performances by emerging artists will have taken place nationally with close to 1 000 new artists being presented to about 75 000 people, according to Midi Trust.
"Music is a centrepiece of South African life, celebrating as it does our diversity of cultures. It's in that spirit that the department of education also announces the first ever Festival of Indigenous Music for Schools to be held next year," the minister said at the launch of SA Music Week.
For a calendar of activities during the South African Music Week, visit www.samw.co.za.
