It's time for Jazz

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Monday August 30, 2010 00:00

Already a number of jazz shows have been staged while more are lined up for the long hot summer season.The Botswanacraft Marketing is one of the entertainment venues that have set the ball rolling.  The joint recently hosted South African lady of song, Yvonne Chaka Chaka who left local revellers crying for more.  For Oliver Groth of the Botswanacraft Marketing, that was just the beginning of their spectacular shows.

In two weeks' time, Botswanacraft Marketing will be hosting another South African super star, Ringo Madlingozi who will be sharing the stage with local acts like Botswana Jazz Quartet and Eugene Jackson.  This promises to be another fantastic show.  The award-winning South African music giant has promised that show-goers are in for a treat, prompting show organisers to advise revellers to get their tickets early to avoid disappointment.

Since it was opened for music, the Botswanacraft courtyard has hosted some of the big names in the music industry.  But Groth says he is only frustrated by the Gaborone City Council's latest decision to bar promoters from mounting posters in public places.

Be that as it may the popular jazz joint, Millennium Jazz Restaurant in Mogoditshane, kicked off the summer season with a show by Chedza Fane and Lister Boleseng in grand style last Sunday.

Fane has just released his debut album titled I Am while Lister is working on his second album After Life's A Journey.  Lister is backed by Medupe band, which features Malawian drummer, Enock Mbewe.

On Friday, the two sax maestros were blowing a storm at the Patkay Jazz Pub in Serowe. 

On September 11, their road show takes them to the Pleasure Jazz Island in Francistown where they will be joined by renowned jazzman Soares Katumbela aka DJ SK of Duma fm, who will be spinning the discs in between the live performances.

As expected he will be digging deeper into his extensive jazz collection as well as playing songs from his compilation album.  DJ SK's stable, Street Horn, is promoting this jazz tour.

DJ SK boasts of more than 25 years in showbiz, having cut his teeth in the entertainment industry in his hometown of Francistown.  He has been involved in managing nightclubs and organising festivals.  In fact, DJ SK once brought to our shores top South African jazz artists like the late bassist Sipho Gumede.  He is also managing local artists like Tumediso 'Shanti-Lo' Loeto.  Talking of Shanti-Lo, he is one of the Afro jazz artists expected to release their albums before the end of the year.  His forthcoming album is entitled Lorato.

A new jazz joint G4 Garden was recently launched in Tlokweng and DJ SK was one of the high profile jazz DJs who performed at the event.

Meanwhile, other Afro jazz artists are also bracing for the summer season shows.  Ikajazz pioneer, Ndingo 'Satjilombe' Johwa is undertaking his annual jazz tour around the country.  Johwa needs no introduction to the Afro jazz fraternity.  On Friday, he performed at the Khawa Lodge in Gantsi and raided Maun the following the day.  Maun has become one of Johwa's favourite destinations. In the past, his shows were patronised by overseas tourists in Maun.

This coming weekend, he will be playing at Chitawa along the Ramokgwebana border.  Johwa is also working on a new album. 

In another development, a leading South African Afro pop group, Freshly Ground is expected to perform in Gaborone next month.  This will not be the internationally acclaimed group's first show in this country.  They staged a successful concert at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) two years ago.  Freshly Ground collaborated with a Colombian artist Shakira to pen a theme song for the month-long 2010 FIFA World Cup hosted by South Africa from June 11 to July 11.