Pupils all jazzed up for live festival

Big band gigs are set to bring schools together at the Baxter

THE Cape Town Big Band Jazz Festival has reached its 20-year mark and will celebrate the occasion with a bang, bringing youth from 25 junior and senior schools across the country together to perform at the Baxter Theatre next month.

The festival, which grew from a onenight concert in 1998 to a full-on festival, takes place from May 30 to June 2 at the Baxter and offers aspiring musicians an opportunity to perform on a professional stage and explore their love for jazz.

Audiences will be treated to music ranging from familiar big band favourites to arrangements of South African jazz and rock classics by schools including Sans Souci Jazz Cats, Rustenburg High Girls’ Jazz Band, Stellenbosch Youth Jazz Band and Pinelands High Jazz Band.

These budding musicians will be joined by two alumni big bands including a band led by Dr Gordon Vernick, professor of music and co-ordinator of jazz studies at Georgia State University in the US. The other will be helmed by Professor Mike Campbell of the SA College of Music at UCT.

“This festival has done more for band music at school level than anything I know of in this area. It’s created a unique kind of performance event that isn’t competitive, where everyone gets on a professional stage with great sound and does their thing for everyone else to hear and enjoy.

“It’s a high point for the bands and something to work towards, a great incentive to do your best and an opportunity to hear some experienced players in the alumni bands doing what you do,” said Campbell.

Diane Rossi, of the SA Association for Jazz Education, said the festival has become a highlight of the Cape Town music calendar and “pays it forward” for disadvantaged communities by supporting band initiatives.

The festival has supported music initiatives such as a marimba project at Ned Doman High School in Athlone which was funded by the festival.

“Being part of the band has enabled us to focus on more positive activities than getting involved with the wrong crowd, gangs and drugs,” said Gail Bedeker, who co-ordinates the marimba band.

Tickets range from R70 (for pupils, students and senior citizens) to R120 a day and can be booked at Webtickets, Pick n Pay or the Baxter Theatre at 021 685 7880.