A little Broadway
| Thursday January 9, 2014 15:18
To drop names, ace South African pianist Bokani Dyer has been in on the conversation. And so has been veteran muso, former frontman of the now defunct disco-funk outfit Harari, Sipho ‘Hostix’ Mabuse.
“The brand has crossed borders. It is recognised in the region. We have had enquiries from international artists who want to perform at the Jazz Exchange,” says el-Kindiy, the brains behind the live music concept.
The involvement of Press 24, a local media production firm, in the production of the show has ensured that global audiences do not miss out on the fun.
The company records each show before a live audience and uploads video clips on its website for its over 48,000 global viewership.
So far the Jazz Exchange has hosted the crème de la crème of Botswana’s live music circuit Nnunu Ramogotsi, Kearoma Rantao, Metrophones, Kabo Leburu, Mmaphala, John Kani and Zakes Gwazi, Thulani Manana and Henry Peters, just to mention a few.
“We have created a little Broadway,” el-Kindiy says.
Although the show is not yet a box-office success owing to lack of funds to launch a comprehensive marketing strategy, el-Kindiy is happy that artists continue to benefit in various ways.
“Artists who perform with us learn the requisite professional etiquette. They learn how to tweak and jazz up their delivery. They learn stage etiquette and how to use equipment. We work with the acts during rehearsals so that audiences get to really appreciate the music and the artist. They can finally feel how it is to perform for a listening audience. The show seeks to cultivate a listening audience,” he says.
El-Kindiy says artists also stand to benefit from sales of recordings of the Jazz Exchange sessions.
“We plan to compile all recordings into live DVDs for the benefit of the musicians. We also have done live audio recordings of all the performances. We are in the process of checking with the copyright office to take care of the requisite logistics,” he says.
The Jazz Exchange Sessions is a collaboration between Cresta President Hotel and RMC Marketing, el-Kindiy’s company. Press 24 is the sponsor of live video recordings of the sessions. Cresta is the full sponsor of the venue.
“Cresta also accommodates the artists and takes care of their meals,” he says.
He credits Agrippa Mbulawa of Cresta President Hotel in part for the existence and success of the show.
“Cresta has been wonderful. Mbulawa is very passionate about music. When I sold him the idea of Jazz Exchange, he fell in love with it and gave me the venue on full sponsorship. He has continued to give us a lot of encouragement even at times when I nearly gave up. It has been very expensive to host the event,” el-Kindiy relates.
For its part, RMC Marketing sponsors lighting, sound, ticketing, marketing, staging and rehearsals.
The first Jazz Exchange session was staged March 3, 2013 and was consistently held each month until last December’s edition, which had Kearoma on the bill.
“The Jazz Exchange is designed to cultivate local talent in blues, jazz, world, folk and fusion music. It is a platform to perform and record with local and international artists, and new talents and seasoned professionals. It exists to ensure the exchange of ideas, on stage and beyond. The concept requires the backing of society at large,” el-Kindiy says.
He says that they also want to create a platform for talent scouts to spot emerging prospects and give them recording contracts.
“We want to find retired musicians go to schools and train youngsters and new acts. We want proceeds from the sessions to eventually go to schools towards books and equipment. Retired musicians like the ones from the Botswana Defence Force can find work through Jazz Exchange teaching music reading, for instance, to new musicians,” he says.
El-Kindiy says Jazz Exchange requires support from other sponsors to realise its huge potential.
He says that RMC has taken a knock for the whole year to run the show, owing to lack of financial sponsors.
“Artists cost money. They should take something home. We need other sponsors to buy in and take care of equipment and artist fees so that we can allocate gatetakings to training musicians in schools. The potential to grow the show into a landmark, not only a tourist attraction, requires money,” he says.
He also calls on artists to help grow the sessions in their own little ways.
“Every artist has a following – artists need to sell themselves and ask their fans to attend the shows so that they can experience a high class super-powered performance,” he says.
As Gaborone works on being the diamond capital of the world, el-Kindiy says Jazz Exchange has a part to play.
He says that they want to develop highly cultured musicians for high cultured venues and audiences.
He says that they want to produce a show that speaks to the business interest in town.
“We want our artists to have an international feel. Some people from the diplomatic corps are serious musicians and some have said that we are on the right track,” he says.
El-Kindiy reveals that they plan to tour the Jazz Exchange concept across the country where Cresta has a presence in the new year. The monthly shows at Cresta President Hotel will also continue as usual.
He adds that they also intend to host listening sessions for musicians and training clinics.
“This is where they would learn to play jazz through videos that address technical stuff such as improvisation,” he says, adding, “We also would host our first annual jazz festival in March or April”.
Tomeletso Sereetsi
Correspondent