Jazz day showcases young talent

THE Jazz Yard Academy together with the Community Chest held a Jazz Day in Bonteheuwel to showcase young and upcoming jazz artists. The event was attended by the mentors of the Jazz Yard Academy, including heavyweight drummer Jack Momple; master drummer Frank Paco; Rashid Lombard, founder of the Cape Town International Jazz festival; singer-songwriter Alan Peterson; Gary van Dyk, veteran jazz journalist; Noel Daniels, Cornerstones chief executive; and Keith Tabisher, curriculum adviser at the Western Cape Education Department.

Joey “Odd Socks” Fourie, social entrepreneur, said, “The event was to showcase the young upcoming jazz artists to a delegation of the University of Rutgers-Newark”.

The line-up of artists included the Jazz Yard Academy members, Trudy Rushin of the Delft Big Band, Momple and Paco, while the young Jazz Yard performed solo projects.

Kyle Farmbry, dean of the Graduate School at Rutgers University, said: “Through the Community Chest partnership with Rutgers University-Newark, we want to empower disadvantaged and marginalised young people in jazz and entrepreneurial development.

“We are excited to work together on development and creating opportunities for the youth. We hope to over time build young successful people in both countries.”

Rutgers University-Newark focuses on SA non-profit organisations that bring about change in young people. Since the partnership began in 2014 with Community Chest, 19 youngsters have seen their life change for the better in South Africa. Lorenzo Davids, director of Community Chest, said they had been engaging with government and different organisations to build “resilient and responsive communities” where access to education and income-generation services are advanced.