Saturday 28th March 2015
The Claude Cozens Trio reflecting pure energy of what is happening inside of them and us.
It was the final day of the two day Cape Town International Jazz Festival concerts and I set off to the Basil “Manenberg” Coetzee stage where the sun was still high for this two hour earlier start.
The Delft Big Band is conducted by Musical Director Ian Smith who is revered among Cape Town audiences especially for his work as trumpeter for the iconic group, Virtual Jazz Reality.
Ian Smith is a musical blacksmith who melds youthful energy and dexterity to forge a highly polished performance that shines! He is doing outstanding work on and off stage to divert the youth away from the wiles of crime and substance abuse in their troubled community in Delft. Lorenzo Blignaut, lead trumpeter, now makes a living from music. He teaches at other outreach programs and performs professionally.
There is also Dayna Pearce, saxophonist, now music teacher at Wynberg Girls High. Marcel, third trumpet in the band, is now studying at UCT’s College of Music and is lead trumpet in the UCT big band which is an incredible achievement! Adelia Douw, female vocalist with the band, now makes a living from music and is one of Cape Town’s most sought after singers. The list goes on and on.
Music has a way of leaving your troubles behind and The Delft Big Band most definitely brought that across to the audience! One other showcase of the CTIJF is the Duotone Photographic Exhibition which featured works by Zamani (paintings) as well as photos by Rafs Mayet and Warren Ludski. Pictures gave the viewer a backstage pass to rehearsals and performances and insights into off-stage life in an era gone by.
These visual artists have captured moments in time which frame the candid history of South African jazz and its journey. I caught a bit of the very shy, unassuming but powerful vocalist Naima Kay on Manenbergs as I made my way to Kippies for Dee Dee Bridgewater and Irvin Mayfield with The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra’s performance. It is impossible to remain motionless when a Big Band strikes! The acoustic energy from those horns shifts your aural senses into overdrive and the drums and bass set your feet a tapping and your hips and shoulders into motion. Dee Dee Bridgewater fell in love with the audience as she and the band wowed us with a top class performance which received rapturous applause.
Once again, I didn’t get to see all the artists and I could wax lyrical about the one’s I saw such as the two horns and two drummer group formation that is Sons of Kemet, the energetic Dirty Loops, the charismatic Hugh Masekela, the melodic Carlo Mombelli & The Storytellers and the timeless Al Jarreau but I want to end off with a first level experience.
I took the escalator up to the Moses Molelekwa stage to experience the musicality of The Claude Cozens Trio, featuring Kyle Shepherd (keys) and Benjamin Jephta (bass).
Claude Cozens is an energetic drummer whose passion reverberates through drums and cymbals. He describes this in his own words: “I am putting concentrated energy through my body converted into sounds; this is for any instrumentalist really. The drums are a lot more physical especially at this level where each limb is really doing something substantial and complex.
My mission is to close down those weaknesses within this process which then will allow the energy to be as pure and clearly reflecting what is happening inside of me and us. This applies to my fellow brothers in my trio. The other aspect is also the compositions. This is all taken into consideration when I write. The piece becomes our vessel which we can then float on and let it lead us to greater heights via improvisations which in normal life is complete honesty. I want to get to a point where the composition itself will take us straight there before we even get to improvisations.
Music is a powerful medium of the supernatural – I learnt this growing up playing in church. Most people don’t really understand it – lyrics have nothing to do with what I’m talking about although it is the same principle on a more obvious level. I do not know the extent of this connection yet but I do believe I will one day.
To me, that’s truly being a master musician. Basically, we can either breathe light or darkness into the atmosphere as musicians, composers and artists. For me, it is so very critical to know exactly which end of the spectrum you lay. This matter can become very complicated and confusing – all I know is that I want to inspire many, lift people’s spirits and really live in my full God-given gifts as a person and artist.” I went to church right there in the Moses Molelekwa room with The Claude Cozens Trio.
I want to express a huge thanks and respect to the organisers, espAfrika, their team and associated sponsors and service providers for their excellent work done to bring together the artists and the audience to the sixteenth Cape Town International Jazz Festival at Africa’s Grandest Gathering. Once again, I am thankful to Networxpr who graciously granted me media accreditation through my association with Radio CCFM 107.5FM for which I am also thankful for.
I especially thank my wife and children who let me do this voluntary part-time work over and above my day job. I must also thank my close family and friends for their encouragement. I could never do this without the love and support from friends and family.
Above all, I give Glory and Honour to God, my Father in Heaven for giving me ears to hear and eyes to see the CTIJF 2015 from a privileged perspective.
Cape Town in Colour 