In association with Concerts SA, iSupport Music Business presents Bernice Boikanyo live in concert. Johannesburg-based Boikanyo and his band will visit the Centre for Jazz & Popular Music at University of KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday 2 May, Luthuli Museum in Groutville on Friday 4 May and Seaman’s Corner in Hammarsdale on Sunday 6 May.
For this performance drummer Boikanyo will be accompanied by Lungelo Ngcobo on keys and Qhubekani Mthethwa on bass guitar.
“I will be playing songs from my debut album “MY SOUL”, which has lots of groovy compositions and immense arrangements that will keep the audience tapping their feet. I will also be introducing some of the latest tunes from my next album, which resonates the love and affection for many styles/genres of music that have influenced me over the years, as jazz is not the only genre that influences me. Furthermore we will be revisiting some of the great South African standards that have paved the path to put South African jazz on the world music map. We promise our audience great listening, love and dancing pleasure.” says Boikanyo.
Born in Naledi, Soweto, from a musical family, Bernice Boikanyo grew up believing that “music is something I’ve been living on even before I was conceived”. On his mother’s side, his great-grandfather was a trumpet player and choir leader, his grandfather was a guitar player, and his two uncles were also musicians.
At a young age Bernice started crafting his own drums, boring holes into 5-litre paint tins, around which he stretched tyre tubes to make and explore different tones. Despite this he took on the bass and guitar into his teenage years. This early passion for the beat, only later unfolded and made a return.
In the early 90’s Bernice studied music – starting at CAMS, then at the well-known FUBA music centre and finally at Soweto’s music and arts academy, FUNDA. For the first four years he focussed on the piano as a fundamental basis for making music then, in 1993, when he heard one of his part-time teachers play the drums, Bernice realised that drums were still his thing.
Kicking off his professional career, he was soon spotted by top artists such as McCoy Mrubata, who encouraged him to practise, saying that “one day you will play with me!” He subsequently honoured this invitation, and performed and recorded with the legendary saxophonist- a version of Missing You (one of the tracks on his debut album My Soul). Bernice has since worked around the globe with an impressive array of artists, including Caiphus Semenya and Letta Mbulu, Jimmy Dludlu, Ringo, Pops Mohamed, Tutty Moreno and Roy Hargrove. He recently returned from a tour of East Africa supported by the Concerts SA Music Mobility Fund.
Boikanyo prefers to play from the heart and the soul, hence he titled his debut album My Soul.
This series of performances by Boikanyo is part of the Concerts SA Venue Circuit which aims to foster a love and support for live music in our communities, as well as anchor small and medium sized venues in urban and rural Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape.
Concerts SA is a joint South African/Norwegian live music development project housed within the SAMRO Foundation. Concerts SA receives financial, administrative and technical support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SAMRO, the SAMRO Foundation and Concerts Norway. Working with musicians, promoters, venue owners and audiences, and providing support to the sector through research and skills development for music professionals, the project aims to build a vibrant and viable live music circuit in southern Africa. It also aims to develop an interest in and appreciation of live music by showcasing music performances and conducting workshops at schools.
For more information please visit our website http://concertssa.co.za, follow @ConcertsSA on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ConcertsSA or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ConcertsSA.
Events Listing
Wednesday 2 May
Centre for Jazz and Popular Music
5.30pm
UKZN, Howard College, Durban
Tickets: R80 // R50 pensioners //R25 students
Available at the door
Friday 4 May
Luthuli Museum
6pm
Groutville
Tickets: R30
Available at the door
Sunday 6 May
Seaman’s Corner
2pm
Unit 3, Hammarsdale
Tickets: R30
Available at the door
