THE BIG TIME!, a unique cross-cultural music exchange between South Africa and France, will see some of Cape Town’s top young jazz talent perform with internationally acclaimed, Paris-based quartet, The Elephants at the Artscape Opera House, Cape Town on Youth Day, Saturday June 16.
Also included on the bill is local jazz legend guitarist Errol Dyers with George Werner on piano, Peter Ndala on bass and Carlo Fabe on drums.
Where musical innovation meets youth empowerment, in the BIG TIME! Project, versatile French jazz musician Braka and his quartet, The Elephants, have joined forces with South African musicians Marcus Wyatt and Gareth Walwyn along with young brass band players from Cape Town’s townships and Delft to form a unique ensemble.
Presenting a fusion of French ballroom, Latin and Cape jazz sounds, the 11-piece BIG TIME! band features young musicians chosen from the Delft Big Band, Little Giants and IMAD to collaborate with The Elephants quartet.
“In the BIG TIME! project Cape Town’s young township musicians will be exposed to a brand new international music experience, enabling them to travel to spaces and places beyond their usual environments, providing opportunities for growth on various platforms,” says the Artscape’s head of Audience Development Marlene Le Roux.
The BIG TIME! project forms part of a multifaceted bilateral collaboration between France and South Africa which will be jointly organised by both countries, concentrating on culture and the arts but also including sport, trade and novel approaches in the fields of education, sciences and business.
The French Season in South Africa continues through November and will be followed by a South African Season in France between May-December2013 in which the BIG TIME! Band will travel to France.
Open rehearsals for the BIG TIME! will take place from June 9-14 at the Artscape in which young musicians from around Cape Town may participate in horn and vocal technique workshops while being exposed to rehearsals for a professional show.
On Youth Day, June 16, concert-goers will also be entertained by young Cape jazz artists – the Oceanview Youth Jazz Band, Ceres Crusaders, Stellenzicht Youth Band, Line Up & African Sky from Saldanha Bay and Omega Brass Band from Mitchell’s Plains – in the foyer prior to the show as well as be able to peruse a Career Expo for Youth with Disability with 20 exhibitors.
“What’s musically interesting about the BIG TIME! project is that instruments there is a deviation from the traditional big band format with voice, piccolo, flute, tuba, bass trombone, acoustic bass, drums and various saxes creating a very different sound. In addition, the mix of cultures – from French jazz to Cape brass marching tradition and improvisation – is very exciting,” says curator & music co-director George Werner.
As a result of the Big Time exchange the four visiting French musicians, a researcher and film maker will also produce a book and DVD documenting the project, providing valuable resource for the development of music and jazz education in South Africa.
- The Big Time, Artscape OPERA HOUSE, 16 June 2012, 3pm; Tickets R70, pensioners R60 per ticket with valid ID, Block bookings R60 per ticket for groups of 30 or more and Learners (5 to 18 years) R50 per ticket for groups of 60 or more. Book at Computicket or Artscape Dial-A-Seat 021 421 7695.
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- Media Enquiries: Celebrity Services Africa – 021-433.0347.
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