Insight: In the Spirit of Peace: Bheki Khoza with Kazakyah Ben Israel at Gallery South, Cape Town

Insight: In the Spirit of Peace: Bheki Khoza with Kazakyah Ben Israel at Gallery South, Muizenberg, Cape Town, March 26, 2023

Bheki Khoza with Kazakyah Ben Israel- two acclaimed creatives – are presenting a concert on Sunday, March 26, 2023 at Gallery South in Muizenberg. The concert is titled, In the Spirit of Peace and is a gathering of two spiritual creatives who live in different geographical locations but the universe is aligning so that they can play together on Sunday – at Gallery South- an art gallery- operated by gallerist Claudia Braude – which is becoming a popular venue for live jazz and music. Audiences sit in the beautiful gallery, surrounded by paintings. On Sunday, Khoza will release his new DVD, Identity.

Bheki Khoza is renowned left-handed guitarist and South African jazz legend. He lives in Durban. Kazakyah Ben Israel is a singer, songwriter and performer. He lives in Dimona, Israel.  Ben Israel is famous as a percussionist and for his mastery on the vibraphone. [A vibraphone is also known as a Vibraharp, or Vibes is a percussion instrument that has tuned metal bars and is similar in shape to a xylophone. Felt or wool beaters are used to strike the metal rods]. Ben Israel is said to be the “only vibraphonist who can play and improvise on the vibraphone using five of the longest and heaviest mallets made from solid wooden rods” and is recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records World Guinness for this feat. Khoza met the master percussionist and vibraphonist Ben Israel, in 2002, when he visited “the music-loving community of African Hebrews in Dimona, Israel, during their Passover festival in 2002”, says Claudia Braude.

The concert at Gallery South came about when Khoza visited the gallery during a recent trip to Cape Town. Braude explains: “He saw the piano and sat down and started playing. We discussed a gig. We scheduled it for now as Kazakyah Ben Israel is in Cape Town, visiting him and they are collaborating. We timed this event before Kazakyah flies back to Israel on Monday. He is part of the Black Hebrew community in Dimona. Bheki also identifies in this religious tradition. They are both vegan.”

In a time of turmoil, both of these artists want to commune with audiences and make beautiful music which transcends the turmoil of the world at the moment and resonates with a message of ‘peace’. We can all do with that- peace and good vibes. At the concert on Sunday, they will continue their ongoing collaboration, perform each other’s compositions and will deliver an afternoon of stirring jazz music. This concert is particularly poignant in its timing as it is happening, just before Passover- the Jewish Festival. Passover is a festival which pivots around exile, home, belonging, resilience and freedom – physically and spiritually.

✳ Featured mage of Bheki Khoza and Kazakyah Ben Israel, by Claudia Braude.