Preview: Stunning lineup at Jazz & Classical Encounters 2022 Vol 4 at Spier

Preview: Stunning lineup Jazz & Classical Encounters 2022 Vol 4 at Spier Wine Farm, Saturday November 26, 2022

It is wonderful that we are back to “normal” and that the 2022 Jazz & Classical Encounters Festival Vol 4 @ Spier Amphitheatre can proceed with a full seating capacity. The 2022 festival, features some of the best South African jazz and classical artists in contemporary music. It is on Saturday November 26, 2022. It is a fabulous event – starting at 12.30pm and continuing into the evening- until 8.30pm – under the stars at Spier – glorious. Read on for more:

Jazz & Classical Encounters 2022 Vol 4 at Spier Wine Farm

The one-day festival at Spier Wine Farm Amphitheatre in Stellenbosch begins at 12.30 pm (doors open at 11.30am) and will conquer your senses with a mix of jazz and classical music for the next eight hours. This 4th edition of this must-see event will once again present some of the most exciting talents from the South African Jazz and Classical scene. With the Covid pandemic behind us, we can’t wait to present this year’s incredible lineup to a full house in this splendid location and celebrate our top South African music talents.

The show will open with multiple SAMA, (SA Music Awards) Nominee, Winner of 2022 Mzantsi Jazz Awards for the Best Contemporary Jazz Album, Durban based pianist Sibusiso “Mash” Mashiloane and his sextet who will present works from his latest album Music from my People. The album is a project with a compréhensive approach that echoes many rhythmic languages, multi-generational comradery in sound, an exploration into self-identity. The creation is weaved in the fabric of family, community, country, the African continent and the world. The Jazz genre is interpreted in its many phases and decades, carrying along with the introspective experiences linked to those specific relevant times. The sextet features Nick Ford on bass, Bonolo Nkoane on drums, Buddy Wells on saxophones, Muneeb Hermans on trumpet and Wandithanda Makandula on vocals.

They will be followed by the formidable Kirby Ensemble, revisiting Beethoven and Schumann. The Kirby Ensemble was formed out of previous winners and current competitors in the 2022 Schock Chamber Music Competition. All five have enjoyed considerable success in competitions, as well as undertaken professional work of an extremely high calibre, given their relative youth. The ensemble are: Nic Bruiners on violin 1, Kaitlin Downie on violin 2, Micaela Arries on viola, Ashlin Grobbelaar on cello and Gerhard Joubert on piano.

Following Kirby Ensemble on stage, is without a doubt, one of the most influential drummers on the SA’s Jazz scene, Ayanda Sikade. Ayanda who hails from East London, will present his latest project and album “Umakhulu”, a magnificent piece of music dedicated to his grandmother and pays homage to his heritage. He will be accompanied by none other than master, Bra Andile Yenana on piano, the highly sought-after bassist Nhlanhla Radebe and rising alto saxophone sensation Kagiso Ramela.

Our next act is the amazing young talent, Khanyisile Mthetwa, multiple award-winning flute player, named “Top Young South African” by the Mail and Guardian newspaper and is one of the leading virtuoso instrumentalists in Africa and throughout the world. She has been nominated in three categories in the 2022 SAMA awards for her debut album ‘African Bird’ and won in the category for Best Classical Instrumental Album and Newcomer.  Ms Mthetwa currently holds a Licentiate and fellowship in flute performance from Trinity College of London and is the principal flautist for the Johannesburg Philarmonic Orchestra. She is accompanied on piano by the incomparable, Peter Cartwright.

We are very excited to have one of SA’s inspiring veterans, legendary bassist Herbie Tsoaeli to close this incredible lineup. “If you have been listening to South African creative music in the past 25 years, you have probably been grooving and swinging to the bass of Herbie Motlatsi Tsoaeli. His sound carries history and memory. Adroit, uncompromising, yet always soulful –Tsoaeli’s voice as a bass player is alive in the South African Songbook” Steve Kwena Mokwena. His unique sound and improvising style will captivate the final set. He will be presenting his latest album “At this point in time” and will be accompanied on stage by Keegan Steenkamp on trumpet and flugelhorn, Steven Sokuyeka on trombone, Mziwakhe Cekiso on piano and Tefo Mahola on drums and percussion. What a way to end this superb line-up.

A message from organizer and co-producer, Aymeric Péguillan

Says 2022 Jazz&Classical Encounters Festival organiser and co-producer Aymeric Péguillan, of Pegs Music Project: “So grateful and excited to be hosting again that festival at Spier in such a grand setting. We have managed to gather enough resources to bring a volume 4 of the festival to follow up on the past 3, and we can’t wait to reconnect with that beautiful and loyal audience of ours. Some magnificent SA artists have responded favourably and with lots of excitement to our invitation to perform at the festival again this year, and we are very proud to present a superb line up of great South African musical talents making waves in and beyond the borders of the country. We have no doubt that audience members will be equally excited to discover (or rediscover) them and the compositions they have prepared for us.”

Aymeric Péguillan, co-producer with Akhi Kahn’s Penny Lane Studios, adds: “The journey continues and we keep working at presenting the best of two musical art forms that uniquely inform our South African identity.”

The spectacular Amphitheatre at Spier provides once again, the ideal venue for the showcase with several outlets for picnic and casual dining. 

Presented proudly in association with Ian Burgess Simpson Pianos and Fazioli. 

A variety of Food and Beverages available on site during the entire event. NO Cash transactions.       

Cards and SnapScan only. 

✳ Sponsored content. Image supplied.