Arts writer
GOOD news for jazz fans is that the Tune Recreation Committee (TRC) is planning a series of performances in and around the city. The collective’s first showing will be at the True Italic Italian art caffè at 15 Bree Street tomorrow at 8.30pm with guest pianist Yonela Mnana on the bandstand.
Within the walls of The True Italic, composer and jazz scholar Mnana, whose projects and collaborations have taken him far beyond the scope of the conventional jazz, classical and gospel idioms, will join the TRC quintet – comprising of trumpeter/ band leader Mandla Mlangeni, guitarist Keenan Ahrends, bassist Nicholas Williams and drummer Clement Benny
These young, aspiring musicians view it as their duty to collaborate and honour the rich musical legacy that exists in South Africa, which they feel they have a vested interest in seeing it flourishing and exposed to the broader public.
The Cape Town-based TRC’s brief has been to reinvent original tunes by referencing their influences while embracing everything from underground drum and bass to Balkanology.
By fusing imported sounds with goema or improvising around the melody, the ensemble aims to be a playground for the interrogation, assimilation and extended extemporisation from the canon of South African jazz heritage.
Originally from Pretoria, Mnana is a visually impaired musician who is equally versed in the classical and jazz canon. He is a singer with so much soul and a pianist whose fingers glide over the keyboard.
Many compare this Afro-jazz performer with Stevie Wonder or Ray Charles, although his singing, piano playing, composing, teaching and arranging skills are distinctly South African. He studied piano at Wits University where he obtained a B.mus degree after having received a bursary from the Dean of the school of arts and being credited as a high performing and promising student at the Wits School of Arts. He was also awarded as the top achiever among residents at David Webster Hall.
His ensembles feature his own compositions that encompass jazz, gospel, African traditional music and popular contemporary music (local and international).
Yonela is the main accompanist to the solo singers and choirs at the South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod, where he plays classical music for the performers. He also arranged a crossover work between classical and jazz with the Fumana school choir.
Mlangeni was raised in Soweto. He is a graduate of music composition from the University of Cape Town. He is currently writing and performing his music with various bands, including brass act the Native Groove Collective and the newly established Amandla Freedom Ensemble.
As well as leading the TRC he has been active in numerous other projects in Norway, Sweden, Germany, Israel, Britain and Botswana where he performed music ranging from Classical, jazz, pop, Balkan and indigenous African music. He has appeared with many celebrated musicians including Barney Rachabane,Marcus Wyatt, John Davies, Hugh Masekela, Sipho Hotstix Mabuse, Susana Baca (Peru), Mark Fransman, Louis Moholo , Dizu Plaatjies and Khaya Mahlangu.
Mlangeni is also the founder and curator of a concert series dubbed called the Afrikan Freedom Principle, which has hosted and collaborated with drummer Tebogo Louis Moholo Moholo and Dizu Plaatjies. In the Native Groove Collective, he drives a brass band which is dedicated to the performance of South African popular works. This Collective held an eight month residency as part of the Cape Town City All project
l 021 418 7655, www.trueitalic.co.za, www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4Nx9Cs5aMc, www.youtube.com/watch? v=rtiqro2LdqE, soundcloud.com/ trc-tunerecreationcommits
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