This Sunday 6 December from 4pm, The Reza Khota Quartet crosses the railway line to play the last gig of the Jazz in the Native Yards for 2015.
The venue is the cosy courtyard in the modest yard in Gugulethu famously known as kwa Sec at NY138 no.52, just a stone throw away from Mzoli’s braai restaurant.
The band has some new offerings like a tune about Ethiopian food, and will be bringing the fire!!! Especially since these cats are playing together Reza Khota (guitar) Jonno Sweetman (drums) Shane Cooper (bass) and Buddy Wells (saxophone). This concerts is supported by Concerts SA.
“ The Reza Khota Quartet navigate the modern music scene – at once fully conscious and respectfully subverting the traditions associated with jazz”. Martin Wolfaardt
WHAT: Jazz in the Native Yards
WHERE: kwa Sec, NY 138 no. 52 Gugulethu. See map
INFO: Luvuyo Kakaza 060 960 8935 E luvuyo.pkakaza@gmail.com
TICKETS: All gigs cost R60 per person, tickets purchased at the door.
Reza Khota was born in Johannesburg in 1977 and was introduced to the guitar by his father. He began his formal training with Jeremy Karodia at the age of ten, studying rock and classical guitar as well as chord theory. He later studied classical guitar and improvisation with Faizel Boorany, who fired his enthusiasm for experimental jazz, the classical avant-garde and progressive guitar music. After enrolling for his B.mus degree at Wits University, he furthered his classical guitar studies under David Hewitt. Reza has since received master-classes from Norwegian guitarist Vegard Lund and the Austrian crossover guitarist/composer Helmut Jasbar. He has been a recipient of several important awards, including numerous Samro bursaries and merit awards. In 1998 Reza was awarded first prize in the National Classical Guitar Competition adjudicated amongst others by the well-known Czech guitarist/composer Stepan Rak. He also received master-classes from the maestro during his visit to South Africa. Reza now holds a B.mus degree with a distinction in performance, a Performers Certificate with distinction from the Trinity College of Music and a Masters degree with distinction from Wits University.
Shane Cooper was born in Port Elizabeth in 1985 and now lives in Cape Town. Long before he started studying music professionally, he had picked up a guitar and was jamming and listening to records at home with his drummer brother. Cooper attended Victoria Park High in Port Elizabeth, where he joined the school band aged 14. Music teacher Graham Beyer got him listening “to everything” and Cooper migrated from rock guitar towards jazz and to the bass, drawn by the intriguing grooves. Soon, music took over to the point at which he persuaded his parents to let him home-school and make more room for it. He graduated from the South African College of Music at the University of Cape Town in 2008 with a degree in jazz performance, and won several prizes along the way, including the Jazz Studies Medal.
Jonno Sweetman is one of the most original sounding drummers on the music scene in South Africa at present. His sound and approach has attracted attention where ever he has played. Drumming is in his blood. His father, the late Robert Sweetman, was a great drummer who played professionally in the 60s and 70s. Jonno is currently a member of the amazing jazz trio Offshore, The Kyle Shepperd Group, Tones of Note Quintet, Hayden Gardner Band, Jason Roelon Trio and Jonathan Crossley Electric Band. He is also a member of, and is touring with, Melanie Scholtz and Shannon Mowday groups which have both recently recorded albums and are due to release them this year. Jonno has also played with top jazz artists including Buddy Wells, Marcus Wyatt, Wessel van Rensburg, Herbie Tsolie, Rus Nerwich, Mark Fransman, New York-based saxophonist Sam Thomas and US guitarist and proponent of Thelonious Monk’s music, Gary Wittner. Being a resident in the city of Cape Town now has given him the opportunity to work with many more great musicians.
Based in Cape Town, the South African Saxophonist, composer, and arranger Buddy Wells has had the pleasure of performing and recording with many well-known South African and international music legends. He has performed at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival every year from 2000 to 2015, and is a regular performer at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown and the Joy of Jazz festival in Johannesburg. International peformances include several North Sea Jazz Festivals in the Netherlands; the Swedish Jazz Celebration, Stockholm; and the National Jazz Scene in Oslo, the Nehru Center in Mumbai India, the Festival d’Automne à Paris, and the Oslo Jazz festival.
Current projects include The Buddy Wells Quintet, The Reza Khota Quartet, The Kyle Shepherd Quartet, Offshore Jazz Quartet, Andreas Loven Quartet, Breakfast Included, Tucan Tucan, The Adamu Trio.
