Durban musos to host concerts
DURBAN musicians Zoe the Seed, Neil Gonsalves and duo N’den have partnered to host weekly concerts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Centre for Jazz and Popular Music.
The concerts that feature new and old songs started on November 3 with Zoe the Seed. On November 10, she will join Thabo Sikhakhane, Giandhari and bassist Talent Mbatha.
Closing the concert on November 17 are duo N’den, led by vocalist Thulile Zama, also known from Heels over Head, and pianist David Smith.
About the artists Zoe The Seed
She is a jazz vocalist, music teacher and performer. She has worked with notable artists like Ernest Dawkins and Salim Washington, and holds a degree in Jazz and Popular Music from UKZN.
She is inspired by women who use their craft to address social issues.
“I appreciate the strides of women in leadership who have carried out change not only through words but in their actions. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Winnie Mandela, Sibongile Mazibuko, Zozibini Tunzi and others have stood tall by addressing issues that affect people’s lives. I also have immense respect for the women who nourished our souls with beautiful sounds, like Dorothy Masuka, Letta Mbuli, Mama Africa and Sibongile Khumalo. We have carried every word, every sound, and this will reflect in my performance,” says Zoe the Seed.
Neil Gonsalves
He is a composer, pianist, band leader and music teacher. Through music, he has travelled the world. His album Blessings and Blues was released in April this year.
During his performances, he likes bringing in extra musicians to form a trio. For this concert, he will be joined by Zoe the Seed and Skhakhane “to bring feel-good melodies and grooves”.
N’den
N’den is a musical duo consisting of vocalist Thulile Zama and pianist David Smith.
The duo met in the early 2000s while studying music at UKZN.
Their careers started by them playing music in different restaurants and on the corporate scene.
Smith has always been passionate about music. He was a member of the successful jazz/hip hop band, Big Idea.
Zama is the lead vocalist of the successful all-female contemporary jazz band Heels Over Head (best contemporary jazz nominees, Sama 2011, Yamaha Young Artist winners 2010).
She has performed in Hamburg and Berlin in Germany and New Orleans, US.
Tickets start from R100 a show. The shows will begin at 6pm at the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music in Howard College.
The concerts are recorded and will be available for viewing later viewing via www.nationalartsfestival.co.za