Hotstix calls on musos to join Mex18
Icon underlines importance of conference for those involved in the industry
SOUTH African jazz great Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse believes there is a crisis in education around the local and global business of music.
The revered musician with more than five decades experience in the industry is imploring South African musicians to attend this year’s Music Exchange (Mex) in Cape Town.
The packed two-day Mex18 gathering will be hosted at the Academy of Sound Engineering studio complex in District Six, as well as Sun Square in Mill Street, Gardens.
Mabuse, the chairperson and a board member of Mex, said he wanted musicians to take all opportunities they could to cultivate the broader education of the collective music economy.
“I had a question the other day, from a music school graduate that floored me.
“Even with all of their class teaching, this person questioned what was more important, a publisher or a publicist.
“That question scared me and drove home the fact that music conferences are a critical supplement to any textbook training.
“It illustrates, with alarming accuracy, the lack of life skill, real and applicable lessons from some of South Africa’s most established tertiary education institutions,” he said.
Respected as someone open to sharing his experience, Hotstix is committed to empowering everyone in the industry.
“As chairperson of Mex, which is now in its eighth year, I implore musicians, managers and all music business owners to attend the KwaZulu-Natal Music Imbizo in Durban this week, and then Mex18 the week after.
‘‘We then have the Moshito (conference) in Gauteng. If you are in one of these centres, get there,” Hotstix added.
He said conferences such as Mex, Moshito and the KZN Music Imbizo played a critical role in empowerment.
Mex is considered a leading music conference where international songwriters and producers share their experiences and expertise about the business of music in a series of masterclasses and workshops.
The event also welcomes back Abbey Rd Studios master engineer Christian Wright for a second time, having worked with some of the biggest and most respected names in the music industry, including Ed Sheeran, Franz Ferdinand and Blur.
Those in attendance will hear all three international speakers, as well as South African artists such as RJ Benjamin and the keynote speakers, including publishers such as David Alexander and John Fishlock.
Limited delegate tickets for Mex18 are available via Quicket; one-day tickets cost R300 and full conference tickets cost R500.
For booking details and more information, see www. musicexchange.co.za