SA National Jazz Orchestra launched in New Brighton
One of SA’s historical homes of jazz, New Brighton, set the appropriate stage for the recent launch of the South African National Jazz Orchestra.
The launch took place at the Mendi Arts Centre.
It was attended by Gqeberha’s living jazz legend, Rev Patrick “The Sax Man” Pasha, 92, who still plays the tenor and alto saxophone.
The R2.5m project is among several being rolled out over the next three years as part of the Creative Mandela Bay Programme.
The orchestra is part of the Vision 2030 Mandela Bay Theatre Complex (MBTC) Legacy Projects by the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality in partnership with the Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of SA (CCIFSA).
Pasha, from KwaDwesi, became involved in music in the 1950s in New Brighton.
He said developing the creative industry was pivotal in allowing local music to be marketed internationally.
“We started in those dark days when it was difficult for us to even get help due to the apartheid system,” he said.
“So there was no development for us as far as black people were concerned.
“We used to listen to records from the Americans. We had contact with the black Americans when their ships would dock in the harbour.
“They would come with books and those books, as well as listening to radio, helped us.
“It was difficult, but as the years went by we ended up having eight to 10 big bands right here in New Brighton.”
Nelson Mandela Bay region CCIFSA deputy chair Zukiswa Cakucaku said the programme was the type of opportunity artists in the region had been longing for.
“Now we know where we are going. The theatre complex as well as our municipality have shown us they have heard our cries. We’ve been fighting for a long time to get what we have today.”
MBTC chief executive Monde Ngonyama said the orchestra was expected to create 300 jobs, with about 30,000 additional beneficiaries.
He said he had engaged veterans and young musicians who all had hope that the orchestra would become a springboard for their musical ambitions.
At the event on Thursday evening, Ngonyama announced McCoy Mrubata as music director, Lubabalo Luzipo and Bongani Tulwana as deputies and Unathi Ngqolombe as administrator.
“We have worked with them, we have seen them working with big bands and we have not had problems.
“The orchestra is going to have a minimum of four concerts, in autumn, winter, spring and summer.
“Each concert needs to be different. We have given them free rein.
“We want them to be as independent as they can.”
Ngqolombe, from New Brighton, and Mrubata, from Johannesburg, said they were excited about contributing towards nurturing and cultivating jazz in the Eastern Cape.
“We will mainly focus on jazz, but we will also take traditional songs and modernise them,” Ngqolombe said.