MUSIC

JPS JAZZ FESTIVAL



The JPS Indian Ocean Jazz Festival takes place in and around the BAT Centre from August 8 to 11. Portnet will provide a massive floating crane enabling a number of bands to perform in the open air.

The line-up of musicians reads like veritable `who's who' of the music industry.

Folk-hero Ray Phiri and the African Axemen will appear with special guest Neill Solomon performing Ray's old favourites as well as several new compositions from his latest album. Talented guitarist Louis Mhlanga performs with the band.

DRAWCARDS

Bayete, one of South Africa's top draw-cards, features Jabu Khanyile (see p.1) and performs its distinctive jazz styles blended with a West and African feel.

Afro Cool Concept has Darius Brubeck teaming up with original members of the group - Barney Rachabane, Victor Ntoni and Lulu Gontsana - to perform numbers from their Live at New Orleans album.

Other groups include Robbie Jansen and the Sons of Table Mountain, Mike Barungwa as well as Sipho Gumede and jazz diva Abigail Kubeka.

Other artists include the Joe Delew Trio performing with Johnny Fourie, guitarist Sandile Shange, Havana, the George Hayden Orchestra, Johnny Lee and the Cotton Club Jazzman, Duke's Combo and Durban's Steel Drum Foundation playing jazz standards.

WINNERS

The winners of the JPS Jazz competition heats feature on the opening night of the festival at 20h00 in the finals. These bands are: Out of Town (Cape Town), NU Voices (Durban) and the Soweto Youth Jazz Sextet (Johannesburg).

The Los Angeles-based jazz band, Larry Karush and Mokave, will appear through the generous assistance of the United States Information Services.

The BAT Centre area will be cordoned-off and the admission fee will be R20.

Book through Computicket or at the gate on the day.

JAZZ HAPPY HOURS



Jazz Happy Hours

are held at the University of Natal's Centre for Jazz and Popular Music on Wednesdays at 17h00:

Aug 7: Geoffrey Tracey Special

Aug 14: Surprise! Surprise!

Aug 21: Musa, Anna & Maynard

Aug 28: Sax Session with Paul Kock



UND LUNCH HOURS



The August programme of free Monday lunch-hour concerts and Wednesday student recitals by the music department of the University of Natal in the Howard College Theatre at 12h15 is:

Aug 5: Pantsula and Tap Dance: The Rebirth Pantsula Group from Chester-ville and well-known tap dancer Lawrence Mekoa adapt and transform dance forms into true township style.

Aug 12: Darius Brubeck and Afro Cool Concept: Darius on piano is joined by Barney Rachabane (saxophone), Victor Ntoni (bass) and Lulu Gontsana (drums).

Aug 14: Jonathan Oshry Piano Recital: concert by fourth-year student.

Aug 19: Programme of Karnatic Vocal Music - Patrick Ngcobo: the first black South African to earn a degree in Indian music will perform with visiting violinist from India, Neyvelli Radhakrishna, and Pregalathan Singaram (percussion).

Aug 26: Durban Trombone Quartet in an entertaining and informative pro-gramme of works ranging from the classics to contemporary. Performers are NPO members Serge Filiatreault, Francois GodŠre and Adrian Taylor (trombones) and Nicolas Martin (tuba).

Aug 28: Margaret Deppe (oboe) & Others. Fourth-year student concert.

FRIENDS OF MUSIC



The Friends of Music will present a recital on August 27 by celebrated British pianist, John Clegg, who will perform works by Liszt, Hindemith, Faur‚ and Turina.

Events lined up for next month are the winners of the first South African Steel Drum Festival on September 10 and a recital by noted American violinist, Jack Glatzer, on September 17.

All concerts take place at the Durban Jewish Club and start at 19h45.



DURBAN MEN'S CHOIR



The Durban Men's Choir will present a Gala Concert with the NPO in the Play-house Opera on August 7 at 19h30. The concert celebrates the 25th anniversary of the founding of the choir and Dr John Pauw will conduct a programme titled A Tribute to the Durban Men's Choir in celebration of the joy the members have had in singing as a male voice choir.

The choir will be augmented by mem-bers of the Durban Symphonic Choir. Soloists include Norraine Swanby, Ruth Smith, Mari Visagie, Sarah Bonsignore, Juan Burgers, Geoffrey Tracey, John Murphy, Gary Carter and Justin Mackie.

EXCELLENCE

The choir has been widely acclaimed for its excellence in presenting a varied repertoire of classical, contemporary and folk works to audiences countrywide.

The Gala Concert features works from the great masters of yesteryear as well as composers of the 20th century.

Tickets range from R15 to R35.

The Durban Men's Choir, which has toured extensively worldwide with great success, visits Namibia at the end of September and plans to release a new CD later in the year.