Shanti-Lo awarded Swedish scholarship

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Thursday June 14, 2012 00:00

 

Shanti-Lo has just returned home with guitarist John Selolwane and his manager Soares Katumbela following their European tour which also saw them perform in Ireland. A previous tour of Sweden last year by Shanti- Lo later culminated in Swedish artists visiting Botswana at the end of 2011.

A beaming Katumbela, who is also a jazz promoter hailed the awarding of the scholarship as the highlight of their tour.  He said Shanti-Lo would enroll for a one year music course at Kulturama:  'We feel this is the spin off of the project,' said Katumbela, adding that he wishes Shanti-Lo the best.   He further expressed this opportunity to be one that Shanti-Lo should take full advantage of because studying in Sweden, he believes will open doors for Shanti-Lo in Europe.  'For me I think it is a bigger achievement for the artist,' he said.  Katumbela said he would still be managing Shanti-Lo's professional affairs adding that in the meantime, he is looking for other artists to groom. 

As for their tour, Katumbela remarked it was successful: 'The tour was a success, everything went according to plan.'  Katumbela said they undertook the European tour with the help  of the Sweden/Botswana jazz music exchange/collaboration.  This year, the trip was extended to Ireland.

Katumbela said Shanti-Lo and Selolwane performed at a number of venues  in Stockholm, the Swedish capital city.   According to the manager, their biggest show was at a Stockholm Hotel known as the Hellsten, Malmgarden.  The show, which was attended by 500 revellers was held in the Hotel's open garden.  Katumbela revealed they also performed at the Africa Day Celebrations anniversary which was hosted by the Botswana Embassy in Sweden.  The event was attended by African diplomats based in Sweden.   Shanti-Lo and Selolwane also  conducted workshops for Swedish artists.  

Katumbela said the Swedish really appreciated  Shanti-Lo's music.  He added that as usual, Shanti-Lo was in his element during the performances.  Swedish music lovers also enjoyed guitar maestro, Selolwane who once performed with Paul Simon during the Graceland Tour almost 25 years ago. Interestingly,  Selolwane is scheduled to tour Sweden with Paul Simon on the Graceland II tour in the near future.

Katumbela told Showbiz that in Ireland, Shanti-Lo performed with opera singer Camila Grihsiel in a small town known as Schuu.  She invited them to perform in Ireland after watching Shanti-Lo's performance in Sweden last year.Meanwhile, it seems that Shanti-Lo has a busy schedule set out for him as he is set to perform at other major festivals before he leaves to pursue his music studies in Sweden.

One of the gigs where Shanti-Lo is scheduled to perform is at the Joy of Jazz festival in South Africa;  there he will share the stage with superstars like Manu Dibangu and Caiphus Semenya. In July, Shanti-Lo will perform at a show in Gaborone featuring American jazz artists David Sambon and Joe Sample.  This show will be staged at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC). Still in Botswana, at the end of August, he is booked to perform with Zimbabwean maestro Oliver Mtudkudzi at Botswanacraft.