Jazz at sunset
2006-11-16
THE Frank Pietersen Music Centre Jazz Ensemble, consisting of Samuel Haas, Enrico Keyser and Xavier Heskwa will take the stage on Sunday at 18:00 for the Centre’s next sunset concert.
Haas studied the pipe organ under the tutorship of Barry Smith, well-known organist in Cape Town. In his fourth year Samuel received tuition from Thomas Rajna on the piano.
He visited five countries in Europe during a concert tour. He proved himself worthy as an accomplished accompanist.
Currently he is gospel bandleader in his church, academic teacher at Ebenezer Primary and piano accompanist at the Frank Pietersen Music Centre.
Enrico Keyser, who is busy with his matric, plays the bass guitar. He took piano lessons with Samuel Haas.
Xavier Heskwa plays the drums. He is a former student of the Frank Pietersen Music Centre, where he studied percussion.
Tickets are available from 872-2123/4.
* The percussion duo, Cobie van Wyk and Ilse Minnie, made an inindelible impression on Sunday during their concert at the Frank Pietersen Music Centre.
The opening was mysterious, the atmosphere almost spooky. Like ballet dancers, moving swiftly behind the two grand marimbas, poking the bars with four sets of mallets, creating pipe organ-like sounds, they pinned the audience to their seats for about an hour and a half.
The acoustics of the hall perfectly created the exact reverberation the marimba so dearly needs.
The speed, the accuracy and confidence with which they attacked the wooden bars was astonishing to say the least.
There was a harmonious blend in the first pieces Komm Süsser Tod by Bach. The timbre was almost organ-like rich and vibrant, making this the perfect opening to show the marimba’s possibilities.
In Prokleti Koreni by Zinvkoviv, which sounded very Spanish, Ilse performed those runs at lightning speed.
The Inventions of Bach no 8, lend themselves very well to this type of instrument. The two players do what two hands would do on the piano, giving a modern tone colour to these marvellous miniatures of Bach.
In Five Scenes on Sakura II by Albert a little background would have been quite in order. A pity we only got the auditory stimuli and not some text or a few words on what those Five Scenes entail.
This piece permeated the air with vibrant energy, touching the soul.
The last series of pieces, Il Canto dei Gondoleiri, Michi, Wind Across Mountains and Nancy evoked a lyrical atmosphere, enhancing already created memorable moments.
The modern work Michi is a showpiece packed with dissonance, syncopation and chromatic runs, demanding every bit of energy and concentration the performers need - an intricate and complicated work.
Two virtuosi in action, so young and yet so accomplished, blessed in abundance with musical talent that exceeds the ordinary by far. A programme packed with excitement, suspense, mystery and virtuosity, all in one! - Samuel Haas
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