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revelling in cross-cultural grooves

It makes perfect South African sense: a cellist swopping his cello for a segankuru (Tswana tin can bow); a saxophonist deserting his sax for a kudu horn.

STAGE REVIEWS

Revelling in cross-cultural grooves

May 23, 2008   By Adrienne Sichel Ancestral Grooves Performers: Mzantsi Traditional Orchestra. Guest artists/trainers: Pops Mahomed, Anthony Caplan, Ross Johnson. Director: Laurie Levine. Where: Old Mutual Theatre on the Square. When: Today, lunch-hour concert at 12.45pm and another concert at 8.15 pm. Saturday at 6 and 9pm. Rating: *****  It makes perfect South African sense: a cellist swopping his cello for a segankuru (Tswana tin can bow); a saxophonist deserting his sax for a kudu horn. Ancestral Grooves, the showcase for the revived, pared down, Mzantsi Traditional Orchestra, is all about crossing over musically and culturally from the contemporary to the traditional and back again. This is an experiment, spawned by the Drum Café and developed on National Arts Council and Basa grants, whose time has come. For three months 10 young musicians, under the vigilant eye and ear of composer and conductor George Gobingca Mxadana and trainers Pops Mahomed, Anthony Caplan and Ross Johnson, either discovered or expanded their knowledge of our African musical heritage. And treasures are there for the taking (the various bows, pipes, horns strings and xylophones) with knowledge and respect. Apart from getting their fingers and lips around the instruments, the challenge of this ensemble has been, to quote Pops Mahomed, "to discover what we don't know". For one, who knew that Michael Jackson's Billy Jean could strut and moonwalk around so effectively on marimba? Or that Abdullah Ibrahim's Mannenberg (arranged by Mahomed) is even more hauntingly beautiful when the umaKhweyana (calabash bow), kalimba, mbira and marimba set fire to the melodies? Part of the training was vocal . Not all of the musos are up to speed in that department. The launch performances also contained some jarring moments. Bass guitarist Bigteddi joined George Mxadana to sing Libiamo, from La Traviata, accompanied by marimba. Not a good idea. As someone in the audience noted: they do this in Cape Town - with real opera singers. The four women, Drumstruck's ace-drummer Tiny Modise joined on marimba by Basadi Le Moropa's Xoliswe Mjali, Juliet Qhobosheane and Mpho Rasenyalo, bring versatility and vitality to the orchestra, but their style of dancing is often inappropriate, the choreography too showy.  The arrangements by Antony Caplan and marimba and pennywhistle maestro Ross Johnson (the mlungu with masses of rhythm) are a treat. Part of the experimentation is looking beyond the traditional specialists. Neill Solomon's arrangement of Yello's Oh Yeah, highlighting sekgankuru, ixilongo (irrigation pipe flute) and marimba, really rocks. Ancestral Grooves is an odd mix of lecture-demonstration, commercial pitch and amazing musicianship. Lurking amid the clap-along its lekker-to-be-African Drum Café vibe is a revolutionary concept and a substantial show. The Mzantsi Traditional Orchestra has the potential not only to invigorate composing and music-making, but to keep ancient rhythms and sounds alive.