Smooth Sound of
New Orleans jazz hits city
by
Bob Eveleigh
A
Little Touch of New Orleans is hitting Port Elizabeth at the moment with
the
visit of representatives of the New Orleans South Africa Connection (Nosaconn),
in association with the US city of New Orleans, as an ongoing link is
forged.
The Connection has identified arts events as a mechanism for economic
growth
in the Eastern Cape region.
According to international show producer and Nosaconn president
Damon J Batiste,
this initial tie will lead to a wider cultural exchange in the future.
The concept arose after Nosaconn featured top South African entertainers
Hugh
Masekela and Jonathan Butler in festival concerts in New Orleans, which
spurred
the idea of reciprocal visits to this country.
The group has now chosen the Nelson Mandela Metropole, with PE as a main
focus
of this programme.
Sparked by a personal visit by Batiste, essentially jazz-related events
have
occurred - and are occurring - here.
Headlined by top saxophonist Donald Harrison, now based in New York, with
ace
trumpeter Christian Scott and New Orleans' largest family act The Batiste
Brothers
in support, performances are taking place at various venues around Port
Elizabeth,
including the Boardwalk's open-air Tivoli Amphitheatre.
JAZZIN' AROUND ... Exciting
PE audiences are visiting
New Orleans stars, from the left, Donald Harrison, Chrystee Pharris and
David Batiste
After a meet-and-greet opening get-together at Razzmatazz, the musicians
will
be performing at the Tivoli Amphitheatre at 10pm on New Year's Eve,
followed by a
New Year's Day show at 4pm at the same venue.
A number of local artists including Gauteng's Vusi Khumala and Denzil
Africa
will share the PE stage.
During their stay in Port Elizabeth Nosaconn personnel have also held two
musical and development workshops, especially aimed at youth, at the
Great
Centenary Hall.
Heading this initiative has been model turned actress Chrystee Pharris,
who
numbers appearances in such American TV successes as the long-running soap
opera
General Hospital and the new MTV series Spyder's Web among
her most recent credits
in 2000.
The project as a whole has also been promised substantial civic and
personal
support by Nelson Mandela Metropole mayor Nceba Faku.
It already enjoys backing from SAA, PE Tourism, the National Arts Council,
Louisiana Senator Diana Bajoie, the Louisiana Music Commission and Arthur
Andersen.
Source:
East Cape Weekend, December 30, 2000
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