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An accolade to South Africa’s musical calendar, The Sekunjalo Edujazz Concert brings us another fantastic night of jazz music. The concert takes place at the Baxter Theatre on Friday 30 September at 19h30.
 The Sekunjalo Edujazz Concert brings together a culmination of school jazz bands mentored under some of the Western Cape’s most talented educators. This year the schools featured include Rondebosch East Primary Orchestra, Edujazz Collaboration and Alexander Sinton Jazz Band. Audiences can expect a spectacular night of jazz, fun and music. As in the past, the proceeds provide educational bursaries for disadvantaged students and promote the rich culture of jazz music amongst our youth.
South African legend and musical pioneer, Vicky Sampson, will headline this year’s concert. Ask anyone what song could fit the bill for South Africa’s second national anthem, and Vicky Sampson’s ‘African Dream’ comes to mind. The songstress sang the tune at the 1996 opening ceremony of the Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament and since then it has become the embodiment of the continent’s aspirations. Not only because of its hopeful lyrics but also due to Sampson’s powerful vocals. The Cape Town-born artist has received extensive airplay over her latest popular song ‘One Tribe’. Sampson’s music brings together our diverse communities through her powerful lyrics. ‘One Tribe’ talks about being one soul and one tribe. Vicky Sampson’s lyrics epitomizes what The Sekunjalo Edujazz Concert is about.
The programme this year includes the Rondebosch East Primary Orchestra, whose contemporary and classical pieces has made them a proud feature at the annual graduation ceremony of the Dental Faculty of the University of the Western Cape. Another exciting feature at this year’s concert is the Alexander Sinton Jazz Band who started out in 2008. The members, whose ages range from 14-17years, are from previously disadvantaged communities and were invited to attend the Youth Music Festival Tuti in Beijing in 2011.
The concert raises funds for educational bursaries which unifies disadvantaged youth and provides a platform for inspiration and hope. Over 75 schools benefit annually from this exciting musical project. Workshops are held throughout the year in various schools and the product of these workshops is The Edujazz Collaboration. These young musicians have performed at prestigious events such as the Youth Music festival in Brisbane, The Grahamstown Festival and The Cape Town International Jazz Festival. The Sekunjalo Edujazz Concert has left a lasting legacy within our communities. The project allows young students to express their creative talent and to perform with well-known South African musicians on international stages.
Over the past ten years, the Sekunjalo Edujazz Concert has seen talented music students from primary school through to tertiary level share the stage with jazz acts such as Tucan Tucan, Virtual Jazz Reality, The Darryl Andrews Jazz Band, and Galumphing.
A few of the many school bands which have been showcased at this event are The Little Giants, Zerilda Park Primary Band from Lavender Hill and the Muizenberg High Jazz Band. Some of the students, like Kyle Shepherd who have benefited from the Edujazz programme in the past, are now well known musicians whose careers are moving from strength to strength.. Other students like Darren English, Claude Cozens, Jamie Fuller Raven Hansman and Spha Mdlalose are completing their studies at the UCT SA College of Music.
This year’s concert promises to be a feast of musical talent. Audiences can also be proud in the knowledge that they have played a role in contributing to a better education for our disadvantaged youth.
This year the event will be held at the Baxter Theatre on Friday 30 September at 19h30. Tickets are on sale at Computicket at a nominal fee of R75.
For more information, please call Cherie Hendricks or Adri Senekal on : +27 21 427 1400
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