Ticket giveaway: Jazz show ends with dynamic duo
Previous performances in the series saw pianist, Neil Gonsalves and vocalist, Zoe the Seed revive live performances after a dry spell under the Covid-19 pandemic.
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THE third and final performance of the Words & Music concert series takes place this week at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Jazz and Popular Music as a duo, N’den takes the stage on November 17.
N’den is a musical duo that consists of vocalist, Thulile Zama and pianist, David Smith. The duo met in the early 2000s while studying music at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The duo started out by performing in different restaurants and corporate events.
Speaking to the Berea Mail, Zama said N’den’s upcoming show features two never-before-performed songs as well as audience favourites. N’den will perform original songs that feature music reflecting the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read the original article here: Durban musician aims to revive live jazz shows
“Instead of feeling the negativity over the lockdown period, we used the time positively and wrote a lot of new music. We are working to release a new album in the next few months,” said Zama.
Their single, Coffee in the Morning, was released on April 9 across all digital platforms. The single will form part of their upcoming album.
Nden’s music draws on multiple genres. “Our music is rooted in Jazz, but it’s influenced by other genres such as RnB and neo-soul. Our music is very relatable. It’s almost like a bridge between pop and jazz. Our influences include George Duke and Jill Scott,” explained Zama.
Zama, distinguished by her dazzling voice, is the lead vocalist of the successful all-female, contemporary jazz band, Heels Over Head (best contemporary jazz nominees SAMA – 2011 and Yamaha Young Artist winners 2010). Her talents have taken her to Hamburg and Berlin in Germany and to New Orleans in the USA.
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Smith has always had an undoubted passion for music and was a member of the successful jazz/hip-hop band, Big Idea, that made waves throughout the country.
While N’den usually perform as a duo, their upcoming show will feature bassist, Freeman Gumede and drummer, Lesedi ‘T-luminous’ Tlholoe. “This is the second time we are playing with a full band. We received funding from Concerts SA and this enabled us to hire other musicians,” said Zama.
Words & Music concerts are supported by the Concerts SA Digital Mobility Fund. Concerts SA is a live music project that has impacted more than 12 000 artists and 900 venues across southern Africa. The Digital Mobility Fund finds its roots in the Concerts SA Music Mobility Fund.
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