Nobuhle Ashanti – pianist, composer, performer – hails from Cape Town. Her musical journey performing with various ensembles has led to her very own project, Ashanti Tribe. The project’s concept and compositions are brought to life by various Cape Town-based artists. For Ashanti Tribe’s performance at the First Thursdays Sessions on 5 March the band will consist of Jodi Fredericks (vocalist), Sean Bratz (bass guitar), Kurt “Kurt B” Bowers (drums and percussion) and Nobuhle on keyboard. We asked Nobuhle a few questions in the lead up to her performance at the Gin Bar. Read on to see what she had to say. 

What has your journey been as a jazz musician so far? Where did it all start? Over the past couple years, my journey in music has been a rewarding one. I’ve been extremely fortunate and blessed to have had many great experiences and opportunities leading me to where I am now. With music, I have been exposed to art in its most magnificent form, and the many beautiful people placed on my path because of it.

Where did it start? My earliest memory of music was Natalie Cole’s “Unforgettable, With Love” album at the age of 5 (maybe 6). Obsession would be an understatement. Over the years performing at various festivals with local ensembles, the countless workshops, masterclasses, mentors’ guidance and the consistent listening to not only American but South African Jazz has been undeniably inspiring.

What is it like to be a jazz musician in Cape Town in 2020? And what would it be like if you could have it any way? It’s interesting being surrounded by musicians who respectfully tribute and celebrate the older generation of musicians and their music (Bheki Mseleku, Hotep Galeta, Chris McGreggor), as well as celebrate the moulding and evolution of the “New School”.

If I could have it any way, there’d be more venues for live music performances, where people are able to sit and listen, and artists are respected during a performance – not pegged as background.

How did you end up on keys? Or do you play any other instruments? My father, him being a pianist, started me off with a jazz standard “Blue Bossa”. He’d only ever teach me a new song once I’d gotten the first one right. So when he’d leave on tour, I’d practice till playing piano was the only thing I KNEW how to do. I picked up the violin around the age of 9 (It’s harder than it looks! And more rewarding than it seems).

If you could rewind a few years, what advice would you give yourself as a young jazz musician trying to break onto the scene? Practise! Not only your technical ability, but practise improvisation – the spontaneity and creativity of it all, practice the freedom jazz provides you.

Network. Walk up to the artist, introduce yourself. Even the smallest conversation helps show him/her you’re there and keen to work.

Who else is doing interesting stuff on the local scene that you’d recommend checking out? Mandisi Dyantyis, Refentse Ramathlodi, Sean Sanby, Blake Hellaby, Digital Sangoma, Maya Spector, The Unity Band, Dylan Fine, Brathew Van Schalkwyk, The Pedestrians, Androgenuis and SO MANY MORE! These artists are incredibly inspiring and just genuinely dope at what they do.

Top 5 desert island albums (of any genre)?
Seba Kaapstad – “Tagores”
Solange – “When I get home”
James Morrison – “Undiscovered”
Bheki Mseleku – “Home at last”
Bob Marley and The Wailers – “Uprising”

Where can people follow your musical movements and find more of your music? In the meantime, my music can be found on Soundcloud and YouTube under “Nobuhle Ashanti”. And to follow my musical movements (and the release of our album) on Instagram: @nobuhle_ashanti and Facebook: Nobuhle Ashanti

Nobuhle performs with her band Ashanti Tribe at the March edition of the First Thursdays Sessions, presented by Grolsch. The performance takes place at the Gin Bar, 64A Wale Street, and is free to the public. The performance kicks off at 9pm sharp, followed by a DJ set by Illa N (JHB). Swing by from 6pm for Opihr Oriental Spice Gin tastings, and try one of the Opihr signature cocktails served up by the Gin Bar team.

Sean Sanby headlines the February 2020 edition of the First Thursdays Sessions jazz programme. Sean has been performing on the Cape Town jazz scene for a number of years – playing with artists such as Mandisi Dyantyis, Zoe Modiga, Frank Paco, and Mandla Mlangeni. For the past year Sean has been on tour with the international tour of Matilda the Musical, having recently returned to release his new album, coming out on 5 March. We asked Sean a few questions. Read on to see what he had to say.

What has your journey been as a jazz musician so far? Where did it all start, and how did you end up where you are right now? I had always done music in school, I played in the big band and almost every other ensemble that I could get into. I think I first encountered jazz at the Grahamstown Jazz Festival. It exposed me to a whole range of music and different approaches to playing – I was hooked. I went on to study jazz performance at SACM, UCT. I loved being immersed in the music. Being surrounded by musicians and lectures all the time pushed me to become familiar with playing and performing music as well as understanding what I was doing. I think in this way I was able to start developing my own sound. Composing has always been a huge part of music for me. I’d always end up trying to practice something and get distracted by other ideas which would then develop into songs. This past year I have been playing bass and traveling around with the international production of Matilda the Musical. It was a big change and an even bigger learning experience coming from a jazz/session world. But it gave me the chance to record and put together my album, which I’m excited to be releasing this March.

What is it like to be a jazz musician in Cape Town in 2020? And what would it be like if you could have it any way? I think it’s a great time to be in jazz right now. In Cape Town we’re surrounded by so many great musicians, some fresh out of studies and some veterans of the scene, and they’re playing all over Cape Town every week. Something I’ve also noticed is how much original music is coming out of Cape Town and how important and special that is. If I could have it any other way I’d just want more venues and spaces to support live music culture, which is why I’m so happy for this opportunity to play this First Thursdays!

You’re principally a bassist. To the layman, explain the difference between an upright bass and a bass guitar, specifically in the realm of jazz music. Upright bass, is an older instrument but still used today, you’ll often hear it in the early jazz years of swing and bebop. Electric bass is the more modern version heading to funk, rock etc. – it’s what most would think a bass guitar would be. Both of the instruments still play a fundamental role in jazz and African music, but each have their different strengths in sound and what they add to the music.

If you could rewind a few years, what advice would you give yourself as a young jazz musician trying to break onto the scene? I’d say just play, play as much as you can. Practicing is great and it’s always the aim to make the instrument less of an obstacle and more of a voice. That said, playing and sharing concepts with others helps you grow so much as well.

Who else is doing interesting stuff on the local scene that you’d recommend checking out? Oh wow so much at the moment! Mandisi Dyantyis is a fire that if you haven’t already found, you’re missing out on! Michael Bester just released a beautiful album, Blake Hellaby as well, Keegan Steenkamp, the Unity Band, as well as Nobuhle Ashanti. I could go on, but I think the list would get too long… Real Wired Music is a great place to follow for gigs going on in the scene as well!

You’ve got a new album coming out soon. Tell us a bit about that. So in the middle of last year I had some down time on tour and decided it was the right time to record, and I knew who I wanted to play with. The music had already been written and slowly worked on through my years at college. The guys did such an amazing job just throwing themselves into the music and afterwards working with Blake Hellaby through the mixing process, I can say it’s something I’m proud of and extremely excited to share.

Top 5 desert island albums (of any genre)?
Malibu – Anderson. Paak
Kind of Blue – Miles Davis
The Second – Derrick Hodge
Stone Flower – Antônio Carlos Jobim
Undercurrent – Bill Evans

Where can people follow your musical movements and find more of your music? You can follow me on Instagram (@san_seanby), Facebook (/SanbyMusic), Youtube and as well all streaming platforms!

 

Sean performs at the February edition of the First Thursdays Sessions, presented by Grolsch. The performance takes place at the Gin Bar, 64A Wale Street, and is free to the public. The performance kicks off at 9pm sharp, followed by a DJ set by Aaron.P (The Other DJs). Swing by from 6pm for Opihr gin tastings.

The performing band includes:
Jesse Julies – Tenor Sax 
Brathew van Schalckwyk – Piano
Sean Sanby – Bass
Damian Kamineth – Drums

Lee Thomson is a Cape Town based trumpet player who is well known for his cross-genre ventures and performances in bands like Hog Hoggidy Hog, Mix n Blend, We Set Sail, and Kesivan and The Lights, amongst others. He also sessions for Goodluck, Toya Delazy, Grassy Spark and many more.

Lee holds a degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Cape Town, and was a member of the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band. He regularly tours the world with his various projects, having played to audiences across Europe, India, Mexico, Reunion Island and South Africa.

We caught up with Lee to ask him a few questions in the lead up to his performance at the October edition of the First Thursdays Sessions.

Image by Laura Mccullagh

Let’s start at the beginning. Where did your love for music begin and what lead you to pursue the trumpet? I was always drawn to music as far back as I can remember, obsessed with choirs and the drums. My love for the trumpet started when I was lucky enough to see Hugh Masakela for the first time at Kippies in Joburg with my dad and my stepmom. That coupled with an opening trumpet slot when I was 14. My first teacher was Trumpet legend Ian Smith. He really inspired me to practice and take the instrument seriously.

You have a degree in Jazz Performance from UCT, but you’re also well known for performing in bands that fall outside of the jazz genre? How did the one lead to the other? For me music is music. If it moves me I aim to explore it. Jazz is definitely home base and has given me the tools to dive into all sorts of genres. I really do enjoy the variety both musically and culturally. From Jazz to Punk to Electronic music. I find being able to contribute across genres extremely satisfying.

Image by Gregory Franz

What is your experience of being a musician in South Africa right now? I love being a musician in South Africa. I get to play with world-class musicians on a weekly basis. I also get to play a lot of varied gigs which keeps things interesting. The jazz scene is thriving in Cape Town and there’s a real sense of community happening. You can see great jazz at least five times a week. I’m a full-time musician and don’t do anything else to make a living.

You recently came back from Europe where you performed at a bunch of shows and festivals? How would you compare playing abroad to playing locally? Going to Europe is as much about gigging as it is checking out new music and meeting new people. I look at it as an inspiration top-up. It’s different in the sense that there’s just more of everything. More festivals, more venues, more artists and more audience. Being there affords me the opportunity to check out my musical heroes and to collab with my peers. It also reaffirms that we have a world-class scene here in South Africa.

Image by Laura Mccullagh

What advice would you give to young jazz-influenced musicians looking to break into the local and international jazz scene? Travel a lot, stay humble, practice and always be open to new things!

Who’s doing interesting stuff on the local scene that you’d recommend checking out? I’m really enjoying the Unity Band and really love what Mandisi Dynatyis is doing. If you haven’t checked them out please do! Really exciting stuff!

Image by Laura Mccullagh

Top 5 desert island albums (of any genre)?
Miles Davis – Kind of Blue
Felix Laband – Deaf Safari
Pat Metheny – One Quiet Night
Dave Douglas – Poses
Bonobo – The North Borders

Where can people follow your musical movements and find more of your music?
https://www.instagram.com/leelips
https://www.facebook.com/leethomsonband

Lee Thomson will be taking the stage together with Jason Reolon on keys and Jonno Sweetman on drums at the fifth edition of the First Thursdays Sessions on Thursday 3 October 2019. The performance starts at 9pm, followed by a vinyl set by DJ Mighty from 10pm. Upstairs at the Gin Bar, 64a Wale Street. The Spring season of the First Thursdays Sessions is presented by Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky and produced by Thursdays Projects.
 Event staging provided by LEVO Staging & Audio.

Tefo “Talking Drum” Mahola is a young up and coming multi-talented drummer, pianist, arranger, composer and poet in the world of music hailing from Gugulethu, Cape Town.

His ear for music, love for playing new ideas and constant hunger for pushing to newer levels brings about a truly fresh and cooking sound. His music career has barely started, having already done tours and festivals like Rocking the Daisies, Cape Town Jazz Festival, Oslo Jazz Festival and Muizenberg Jazz Festival to name a few, playing with many musical greats.

Tefo was recently chosen in a program by the EU called MAISHA, where 6 Africans and 6 Europeans were chosen in an intense 2 week collaboration between cultures and indigenous instruments with the end goal of putting together an album and performing live in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in May 2019. He has recently toured in Hungary with Fatime and her Kolibri in July, visiting all the cities in and around the country.

Although he plays in many styles and genres, his most enjoyed genre to play is jazz. His compositional work depicts that of jazz with all influences of music incorporated within. Tefo Mahola performs original music accompanied by poetry and stories.

We asked Tefo a few questions in the lead up to his performance at the First Thursdays Sessions.

Where did your love for playing music begin? And how did you end up on the drums? It all started in primary school when I started acting and doing dance, I later changed schools to one that focussed on music, where I discovered a piano. In high school, I auditioned for the piano and was asked if there was another instrument I’d love to try out, and little 13 year old me saw the drum set and it was love at first sight.

You’ve played at the First Thursdays Sessions before, with Keegan Steenkamp back in June. It’s always great to see jazz musicians popping up in different bands and projects. Who else do you play with regularly or what other groups or projects are you a part of? I play with bands such as MSMF, a fresh upcoming jazz quartet with my good friends, also with Thembelihle Dunjana, Malek and the THUNDERTONES to name a few.

The Talking Drum Clan is something a bit different – mixing jazz and poetry. How did the project come about? It was actually a sound I was looking for, and through life I’ve been grateful to come across and play with musicians who’ve helped me get to this point. I’ve also had a strong influence in my family with many poets, visual artists and musicians of all styles.

We hear you have some new music coming out soon. Can you tell us a bit more about that? Yes, I have an album that I am currently busy writing before hitting the studio with my 7 piece band. It’s all really compositions of mine that I’ve written this year, and it’s been a long time coming I guess since I’ve been writing and have tons of songs. I feel that the tunes I’ve already written will rather be released in forthcoming albums and rather have a beacon of where my life is this year, which is why I’ll be featuring new compositions.

What is your general experience of being a jazz musician in South Africa in 2019? It’s quite a lot. It’s a bumpy and happy sad journey filled with beautiful faces and experiences, and I’m grateful for the fact that I’m in this industry. This year has and is still promising a lot for Jazz and I’m excited to be a musician at this time.

What advice would you give to young jazz-influenced musicians looking to break into the local and international jazz scene? Believe. Be grateful. Be positive.

Who’s doing interesting stuff on the local scene that you’d recommend checking out? Unity band is doing great, and lumanyano himself being a drummer and friend of mine is really inspiring me to get out and record, as he’s recently released his new album. Check him out!

Top 5 desert island albums (of any genre)?
Kind of blue – miles Davis
Brian Blade – body and shadow
Mama’s gun – Erykah Badu
John Coltrane – my favorite things
Christian Scott – yesterday you said tomorrow

The Talking Drum Clan will be taking the stage at the fourth edition of the First Thursdays Sessions on Thursday 5 September 2019. The performance starts at 9pm followed with a DJ set by ROASTIN’ RECORDS from 10pm. Upstairs at the Gin Bar, 64a Wale Street. The First Thursdays Sessions are presented by Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky and produced by Thursdays Projects.


Shane Cooper is hands down one of the most progressive jazz artists in South Africa. His willingness to explore multiple musical landscapes within his recordings as Card On Spokes has become his very identity, drawing from his experiences as a double bassist and pulling them into music made for the dancefloor. The album Oscillations was awarded the 2014 SAMA for Best Jazz Album. In 2018 his new project, MABUTA, was launched with the album Welcome To This World.

Taking influence from hip hop, house and of course, his jazz roots, Shane has crafted a unique style that is constantly evolving. Card on Spokes has seen rapid success in the last few years, reaching #1 on YFM, getting airplay on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 6, as well as support from Gilles Peterson and Boiler Room debuts.

As a live electronic act, Cards on Spokes incorporates keys, electric bass, and controllers, often flexing out into psychedelic bass solo frontiers, atop a bed of heaving dancefloor-centric beats.

We asked Shane a few questions in the lead up to his performance at the First Thursdays Sessions.

Image by Alexis Dominguez

You’re involved in a range of great musical projects. What’s keeping you busy at the moment? And any other upcoming performances we can look out for? I’ve started writing for the next MABUTA album as well as a new Card On Spokes EP. I’m very excited for MABUTA to play at Endless Daze in November, and a bunch of other cool shows over the next few months. All my upcoming gigs are listed on www.shanecoopermusic.com

Image by Jono Jebus

Where did the love for playing music begin and what lead you to pursue the bass guitar of all instruments? I think my love for playing really started when I first picked up an acoustic guitar at age 12. I got into bass guitar through an opening in my high school jazz band when I was 14, which lead me to discover a passion for the 4 string bass and for jazz music.

What is your experience of being a jazz musician in South Africa in 2019? It’s a very creatively driven period for jazz music in South Africa, but at the same time it’s a very difficult country to tour within because of infrastructure challenges. It means we spend a lot of energy trying to get projects to tour abroad, and this is a mountain of a task due to flight costs, visas etc.

Image by Barry Christianson

What advice would you give to young jazz-influenced musicians looking to break into the local and international jazz scene? It’s a cliché, but always be true to yourself. Study the work of your idols. Find mentors. Listen to as much music as you can. Build lasting friendships in music.

Who’s doing interesting stuff on the local scene that you’d recommend checking out? Bokani Dyer, Thandi Ntuli, Benjamin Jephta, Vuma Levin, Reza Khota, Siya Makuzeni, Nduduzo Makhathini, Marcus Wyatt, and many more.

Image by Jono Jebus

We hear you have some new music coming out soon. Can you tell us a bit more about that? I’m in the final stages of a new 5 track Card On Spokes EP, which is my follow up to As We Surface from 2016. It’s got several vocal feature tracks and some instrumentals as well. I’m very excited to finish it, and I’m hoping to release it this summer.

Top 5 desert island albums (of any genre)?
Radiohead – OK Computer
Oumou Sangaré – Mogoya
Thundercat – Apocalypse
D’Angelo – Voodoo
Any album by Fela Kuti

Image by Aidan Tobias

Where can people follow your projects online?
On instagram @cardonspokes
on my website www.shanecoopermusic.com

Card on Spokes performs at the First Thursdays Sessions on Thursday 1 August 2019. The event series is presented by Auchentoshan Single Malt Whisky, produced by Thursdays Projects, and hosted at The Gin Bar. The performance starts at 9pm sharp, with a DJ set by BÜJIN from 10pm. Upstairs at the Gin Bar, 64a Wale Street.

The Unity Band has been making a name for themselves in the local music industry since the release of their debut album Fabric. The album beautifully captures the amalgamation of the band’s diversity as they explore elements of jazz, hip hop, poetry, salsa, funk and at its core, a contemporary African sound. We caught up with the band and shot them a few questions in the lead up to their show at the upcoming edition of the First Thursdays Sessions at the Gin Bar, 4 July 2019.

Tell us a bit about how The Unity Band initially came together The Unity Band met at the South African College of Music at the University of Cape Town, where we were all in different years studying Jazz. In 2017 Lumanyano (who’s nickname is Unity) approached each of us individually and asked us to play for his performance class (which is a performance slot that students are allowed to fill and have performances every Wednesday, open to the public, showcasing some the work that they’ve been working on) which was the first one of the year. We hadn’t all played as a collective before so this was our first showcase. After the performance we had people asking us if we were going to perform anytime soon and eventually decided to book our first gig at the Great Wizoo. After those two performances we kinda thought “Hey, we’ve got something going here let’s see if we can make it work”, so we booked a few more gigs around the city and then decided to make it official and became a band.

Where did the love for playing music begin and what lead you to pursue the drums of all instruments? [Lumanyano Mzi] The love for playing began in my father’s house. My father being a bandleader and having all the instruments in the house made it possible for me to choose any instrument. I could have played any other instrument, however my heart fell in love with the drums. What led me to play drums is that whenever I’d go watch performances with my father’s band, I’d always be sitting next to the drummer of any of the bands playing in all the concerts and observing how they played. One of the things that I loved was the fact that they always seemed to be enjoying every minute of playing, and you could see that from how they smiled that they were having a lot of fun. Another thing is that they can always play even if there’s no electricity. I’m reminded of a power cut at a festival when I was 7 where the drummer just kept on playing in the dark and how it made the audience so happy.

What is your experience of being a jazz musician in South Africa in 2019? Being a jazz musician in SA is an exciting experience, there is always room to explore and grow and challenge yourself through the different styles that are found in this vast genre. One also learns to have a great work ethic and to learn how to hustle, because you need to constantly be looking for new opportunities to perform and earn enough for you to live well. We are all still quite young, but we are all doing various things in the industry to ensure that we have a long shelf life, and also still enjoy the process of making music along the way. It’s not always an easy journey because of how the arts are supported in our country, but we make it work and are grateful for all the opportunities we do get and the people who support us throughout our journey.

What advice would you give to young jazz-influenced musicians looking to break into the local and international jazz scene? Explore as much music as you can. You never know where you will find inspiration. Work on your business skills too, as the music industry has evolved from only being handled by big businesses and labels. Independent artists are now at the forefront. The only way one can get to the point as an artist who travels the world playing festivals and so forth is to make sure you have all the necessities such as recorded music, biography, videos and live videos, a good social media following, and a fan base. Collaborate and find booking agents, not necessarily managers, but agents all around the world, that you can sell your product to. Most importantly support other musicians, network and build relationships that can also help your career. Have fun, and be true to the music. If you honour the music it will honour you.

Who’s doing interesting stuff on the local scene that you’d recommend checking out? From our peers, we would say Sean Sandby, MSMF, Thembelihle Dunjana, Muneeb Herman, Zoe Molelekwa and from our big brothers and sisters who have been in the game, Mandisi Dyantis, Mabuta, Saba Kaapstad, Youthphemism, Ronan Skillen, Reza Khota, Blake Hellaby.

Top 5 desert island albums (of any genre)?
The Unity Band’s Fabric (always), but if we’d have to exclude ourselves possibly:
Ancient Agents – Ancient Agents
Mrigya – World Harmony
Mandisi Dyantyis – Somandla
Bob Marley – Exodus
Jimmy Dludlu – Afro Centric

Where can people follow your musical movements and find more of your music? People can follow our musical movements and everything in between on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter all @theunitybandza.

The Unity Band will be taking the stage at the second edition of the First Thursdays Sessions on Thursday 4 July 2019. The performance starts at 9pm followed with a DJ set by Marmite Fox from 10pm. Upstairs at the Gin Bar, 64a Wale Street. The First Thursdays Sessions are presented by Auchentoshan Single Malt Whisky and produced by Thursdays Projects.

Keegan Steenkamp is a Cape Town based trumpeter, composer and trumpet teacher from Muizenberg, Cape Town. At 17 he made his first appearances on the Cape Town music scene in the band ‘Khoitrans’ and at the famed Swingers Monday Night Jazz Jams.

Keegan has since gone on to perform at some of South Africa’s biggest stages including Rocking The Daisies and Cape Town International Jazz Festival, and has also performed in Istanbul, Beijing and Shanghai. Over the past 3 years Keegan has performed extensively with MSMF jazz quartet, and features as a sideman for many artists from all over the country.

We asked Keegan a few questions in the lead up to his performance at the First Thursdays Sessions.

Let’s start at the beginning, where did the love for playing music begin and what lead you to pursue the trumpet of all instruments? If we’re talking right at the beginning, probably through hearing a lot of good music from a young age, and fortunately having instruments at home to make noise on. Further down the line, my high school needed wind players, I had a choice between the trumpet and saxophone, and chose the trumpet ’cause the trumpet teacher there had a nice looking red trumpet.

What is your experience of being a jazz musician in South Africa in 2019? I can only speak myself here. So far so good. Lots of young musicians around my age are sounding great and keeping each other motivated. It also feels like somehow we’re creating more places and opportunities to play (not just jazz but music in general). Something Mandla Mlangeni was encouraging musicians to do a few years back. Speaking of which, there’s this star-studded generation slightly older than us doing amazing work and showing a way forward.

What advice would you give to young musicians looking to break into the local and international jazz scene? Practice! I think that if you sound good enough, the right people will notice. It helps if you’re in an appropriate place though. So go to as many jam sessions as you can, and then go overseas and go to as many jam sessions as you can. It’s something I’m still figuring out for myself but as I said, so far so good.

Who’s doing interesting stuff on the local scene that you’d recommend checking out? Sean Sanby is getting some nice music together for an album recording soon. There’s a really nice weekly gig at Hanks on a Tuesday night, people in the audience just talk too much sometimes. Darren English also started a weekly jam on Thursdays. He’s someone I’d recommend having a listen to, and also someone I’d recommend young jazz musicians have a chat to.

Top 5 ‘desert island’ albums (of any genre)?
Only five!? For now, it’s:
Sonny Rollins – The Bridge
Wayne Shorter – Speak No Evil
Bob Marley – Kaya
MF DOOM – Mm.. Food
Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway – Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway

Where can people follow your musical movements and find more of your music?
Call me! Also Instagram, YouTube, and music streaming platforms in a couple of months.

The Keegan Steenkamp Trio performs at the First Thursdays Sessions on Thursday 6 June 2019. The event series is presented by Auchentoshan Single Malt Whisky, produced by Thursdays Projects, and hosted at The Gin Bar. The performance starts at 9pm sharp, with a DJ set by Holy Funk from 10pm. Upstairs at the Gin Bar, 64a Wale Street.

We sat down with the multi-talented, ever-astounding, artist Olivié Keck to chat about her practice, recent movements, animated movements and of course, some of her favourite records. Catch a mini-exhibition of Olivié’s works along with a DJ set by Olivié at the May 2019 edition of the First Thursdays Cape Town Official Warm-Up at the Gin Bar, 64a Wale Street.

Let’s begin at the beginning. How did you get to where you are today?
I did a BFA at Michaelis. From there on out, I basically took it as it came. Most of what I’ve cultivated in my career has been quite organic and I’ve generally just pursued gut feelings about directions in my practise. I guess my recipe is part hard work, part experimentation.

You have an exhibition showing at CIRCA in Johannesburg at the moment. What has it been like putting a show together in the City of Gold? And what’s your general experience of the place in comparison to Cape Town?
Jozi is a pulsing city. My most recent exhibition Drop Dead Gorgeous was perfect for the deluxe energy of The City of Gold. Cape Town is slow and sleepy in comparison and Joburg audiences really know how to come to the party in a big way. I was so grateful for the positive response.

You’ve done some work with VR before. How did that come about? And do you see yourself experimenting with more alternative media in the future, or was it more of a one time thing? Working in VR just kind of happened organically. I loved the medium and wanted to translate my drawing style into an immersive 3D environment. I was fortunate to know the right tech-savy people that could help me bring my aesthetic vision to life. These projects are very much collaborations between myself, Evan Greenwood (programmer) and Jason Sutherland (Sound Artist). I hope to work more in the medium of VR in future. It’s such a unique space for visual exploration to conjure new worlds.

Long Distance Caller Preview from Olivié Keck on Vimeo.

You’ve shown work in the Gin Bar space before, back when it was still Commune.1. What was the last work that you showed there, and what will you be showing on 2 May? Yeah it’s a weird one because this was the first space I had ever had a major solo exhibition (‘False Priest’,2014). At this event I’ll be showing a reminiscent with a mixed bag of O.K. drawings & prints.

What advice would you give to a young artist that you wish someone had given you when you were starting out?
I think sharing ideas and generating discussion is very important for artists. Being an artist is not about being an island. Be generous with your ideas. This will only make your practice more enriched.

Top 5 ‘desert island’ albums?
Beach House Devotion
Youth Lagoon The Year Of Hibernation
The New Pornographers Mass Romantic
Frank Ocean Blonde
Mica Levi Under Her Skin Soundtrack

Where can people find your work and follow you?
Instagram: @oliviekeck
Website: www.oliviekeck.com

Catch a mini-show of Olivié’s work, as well as a DJ set by the artist at The First Thursdays Official Warm Up between 6 – 9 PM, upstairs at the Gin Bar, 64a Wale Street. The party goes on until late. The First Thursdays Official Warm Up is produced by Thursdays Projects in partnership with Roku Gin.

RSVP HERE

You’ll find the considered, seemingly simple forms that define Ben Eagle’s work span prints, ceramics and collaborations with some of South Africa’s top names and brands. We sat down with Ben to chat about his journey, his practice and of course, some of his favourite records. Catch a mini-exhibition of Ben’s works along with a DJ set by the multi-talented one himself at the April 2019 edition of the First Thursdays Cape Town Official Warm-Up at the Gin Bar (64a Wale Street).

Hi Ben! Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Let’s start at the beginning. How did you find your way as an artist and a designer?

I guess it all started with Graffiti, as a teenager I used to sneak out the house in the middle of the night to go paint walls. As I got older I found myself interested in creating more than just letters, I wanted to create art that would be easily relatable for everyone even if art isn’t something you’re into.

Balance is never easy. How do you manage the thresholds between professional, personal and the private in your work and in your life?

I’ve always kept my career as a designer quite separate from my art career, I find it helps not to mix the two because that way they balance each other out and I don’t just rely on one as my creative outlet.

You were born in Johannesburg and you started your career up there, before relocating to Cape Town. How do you find the space between the two cities, specifically with regards to your work as an artist and a designer?

Both cities are amazing because they’re literally complete opposites, I will always have a special appreciation for Johannesburg, particularly the inner city because it’s so raw and unforgiving. Cape Town, on the other hand, has shown me a completely different way of living which has been inspiring in new ways. It helps to have such a strong creative industry with so many different platforms for artists and designers.

Ceramics, prints, fashion-collaborations – your work really gets around! Can you tell us about your approach to working across so many different media?

I don’t necessarily have different approaches when working on different projects. I try make stuff that I would want to own or have in my wardrobe.

What advice would you give to a young artist that you wish someone had given you when you were starting out?

Make whatever makes you happy and don’t be afraid to put it out there.

Top 5 ‘desert island’ albums?

This is a tough one!

1: Toro Y Moi – Anything in Return
2: Archy Marshall – A New Place 2 Drown
3: Erykah Badu – Baduizm
4: Action Bronson – DR Lecter
5: Gucci Mane – Droptopwop

Where can people find your work and follow you?

They can check out beneaglestudio.com or my Instagram @Ben_Eagle_Studio

Catch a mini-show of Ben’s work, as well as a DJ set by the artist at The First Thursdays Official Warm Up between 6 – 9 PM, upstairs at the Gin Bar, 64a Wale Street. The party goes on until late. The First Thursdays Official Warm Up is produced by Thursdays Projects in partnership with Roku Gin.

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Jean De Wet is one of our all-time-top-5-desert island favourite Cape Town-based artists. With a wide-ranging practice and an even wider-ranging set of projects, side-projects and project-projects, we were lucky enough to sit down with the restless traveller to find out a little more about his journey, the relationship between his seemingly divergent practices and his favourite records. Remember, Jean will be playing a set at the March 2019 edition of the First Thursdays Official Warm-Up at the Gin Bar on Wale Street.

Can you tell us a little more about your path as an artist. Where did you grow up? What did you study? What types of jobs have you had and where do you find yourself at the moment?

I moved around quite a bit as a child. I lived in both Queenstown and Durban before moving to Pretoria at the age of 13. I then studied Information design at the University of Pretoria, until I finally moved to Cape Town after getting a job at Illustration studio Am I Collective. After four years of fast-paced working in the advertising and design world, I decided to go freelance in order to focus on more personal projects and develop skills I would otherwise not have any time for. I’ve been doing that now since 2012… and haven’t really looked back.

Your work spans a number of disciplines and media – from zine-making to painting to print-based-media to animation and music-making. How do you make sense of your practice(s)? Do you find that different parts of personality or psyche, play out in different media or projects?

I think that obsession has a large part to play. I find myself going deep into different disciplines because of how addictive the excitement of discovery and experimentation is. I find that the more I juggle disparate thought processes, the more ideas cross-pollinate and become their own unique things. I tend to meander through interests as they emerge and dissipate, which is also a way for me to keep excited about making things.

Music plays an integral role in your work. Can you please tell us about the relationship(s) between the visual and the aural in your practice. How do the landscapes and the worlds that you create relate to the music and soundscapes that you produce?

I think they both share qualities in the meditative part of the process. With both music and visual art, there is a phase where technical and creative limitations are established, which then becomes a ‘space’ where I can just channel thoughts and experiences, unfettered by whether it will ‘work’ or not. As long as I’m having fun during this phase, I can expect to create something that I’m pleased with. In that way soundscapes and landscapes become ‘emotional maps’, etched over time.

Your advice for people trying to start out in the world of art-or-stuff-making?

I’d say that it’s important to know that it takes lots of time and effort… Probably more than you imagined at first. There are times in your career where you think you can’t push or give any more… but I’ve found that it is those extreme times that you learn the most. Be kind to yourself and remember that life exists outside your projects, but don’t expect to get anywhere without working twice as hard as anyone else. You really need to live and breathe your art.

What are your all-time-top 5 ‘desert island’ albums?

This is obviously a super difficult question… but if I was forced to make a decision right now, I’d say…

Arthur Russell – Love is Overtaking Me
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Worn Copy
Animal Collective – Sung tongs
Boards of Canada – Music has the right to children
Cocteau Twins – Heaven or Las Vegas

Catch what will be an extra special set from Jean, alongside a mini-exhibition of his work at The First Thursdays Official Warm Up between 6 – 9 PM, upstairs at the Gin Bar, 64a Wale Street. The party goes on until late. The First Thursdays Official Warm Up is produced by Thursdays Projects in partnership with Roku Gin.