Collaboration Concepts launches Living Jazz Giants Project
JOBURG – Andile Yenana and Khaya Mahlangu to be featured in the Jazz Giants Project at the Market Theatre.
Collaboration Concepts Productions announced the artists to be featured in the Jazz Giants Project at the Market Theatre. The event will be staged at John Kani Theatre space on the 17 and 18 January.
The two-featured artist are pianist Andile Yenana and saxophonist Khaya Mahlangu and the project follows the successful recordings of the same project by Feya Faku and Marcus Wyatt in 2014. The albums subsequently went on to win the coveted South African Music Awards for Jazz. The two featured artists are synonymous with Jazz and are both accomplished composers, arrangers, producers and mentors. Their names appear on most notable jazz recordings alongside legends such as Hugh Masekela, Sibongile Khumalo, Winston Mankunku Ngozi and many others.
There are three phases to this initiative comprising of arrangements of new material for a Big Band performance, DVD and sound recording in front of a live audience, filming of a documentary and compilation of the music scores in book form. The material will be distributed to reference libraries and music institutions. This will assist in building an archive of influential South African musicians and their works but most importantly, it will give jazz students a reference point.
Speaking at the launch, the CEO of Collaboration Concepts Production and well-known broadcaster Ike Phaahla said this was a passion of love whose legacy is priceless and ageless. He thanked the Arts Distributing Agency of the NLC for funding the project and the Market Theatre Foundation for supporting the project.
The Commissioner of the NLC, Thabang Mampane said she was thrilled to be funding a project that will contribute to the history of Jazz in the country and globally.
“There are a lots of stories to be told and we are happy to continue with these two artists who are legends and that their stories and works will inspire young musicians who will derive invaluable lessons from what we are going to compile through this initiative. We are dealing with an issue of empowering our future musicians and honouring those who are still with us, giving them an opportunity to express themselves musically and share their stories with us,” said Mampane.
