Long-term plans for Soul Afrique

Lekopanye Mooketsi | Wednesday December 17, 2014 18:21

“Kgalagadi Jazz Beats is not about making a quick buck.  We have a vision.  We are not looking at the commercial aspect only,” he said as he outlined the vision.

Monageng admitted that the attendance at the show was not as impressive for various reasons, but that they were not worried.

He highlighted the heavy rains on the day as one of the reasons the show was poorly attended. The concert, which was dubbed ‘Holland, Botswana and South Africa Meet Through Jazz’, featured amongst others Paul van Kemenade from Netherlands, guitar ace Louis Mhlanga from South Africa, and Botswana’s internationally acclaimed jazz maestro Banjo Mosele and his Badisa band. 

Kemenade led Soul Afrique, which is made up of artists from Netherlands and South Africa.  The impressive lineup included Feya Faku, Syndney Mnisi, Pieter Bast, Mhlanga, Louk Boudesteljn, Wiro Mhlanga and and Rein Godefroy.

Monageng who also hosts a Sunday jazz show on Gabz fm, said that they regarded the concert as some sort of a cultural exchange programme for the artists.

The jazz promoter said they want to join hands with other stakeholders like the Botswana Tourism Association to market the country through music, adding that their concert was one of those initiatives. 

“We feel through music we can bring other organisations to market the country,” he said.

He revealed that they invited representatives from the concerned organisations to the concert to witness what they were showcasing. Monageng described the first concert as a launch pad for more that are on the pipeline. 

He said in the past he has brought artists like South African legend Don Laka and Budhaza Maphefane who were not well known, but have since turned into household names. 

He has benchmarked on the Cape Town Standard Bank International Jazz Festivals where there are stages that are reserved for upcoming artists. 

 “We want artists who can be an inspiration to local artists or those at par.  We don’t want a big brother mentality,” he said. 

“People whom we are targeting are people who listen to serious jazz at home.  These are serious minded jazz followers,” he said.