Press Release – For Immediate Release
Johannesburg, 30th March 2017
In association with Concerts SA and Pro Helvetia, BakTu Musik presents the 2017 Tour of Kgalagadi Soul
Kgalagadi Soul is a collaboration of three top artists – Mumba Yachi of Zambia, Sereetsi from Botswana and South African AusTebza. The trio has acquired a wealth of experience wowing their fans all over the world on stages big and small.
The 2017 tour of Kgalagadi Soul will present a rich repertoire around southern Africa drawn from the trio’s individual projects. They will also be conducting music workshops during the tour in cities where they will be performing to share knowledge and inspire young and local musicians at various universities, community arts centres and music schools.
The one-day workshops will see Sereetsi presenting his 83 page guitar instructional book/CD on the local folk guitar tradition entitled The Solo Four String Guitar of Botswana. He will be teaching the technique of playing a modern guitar on four strings, a tradition originally perfected by herd boys on a self-made tin guitar. Mumba Yachi will be sharing his experiences in the international music business scene and AusTebza will share her experiences as a female performer, session musician and bandleader in the tough music industry. The artists will put more emphasis on talking about the business of music, something artists need to advance their own music careers.
A rose among thorns, affectionately known as The Groove Queen to her fans, AusTebza was the musical director of Feather Awards 2016. AusTebza was born in Krugersdorp and brought up between Boons and Mafikeng in North West province. When her parents couldn’t afford to pay her university fees, AusTebza went to Mmabana Cultural Centre in Mafikeng where she learned to play the acoustic guitar. She is an incredible, vibrant and energetic musician who has worked with various artists such as HHP, Gang of Instrumentals, Maxhoba, Wanda Baloyi, Sazi Dlamini and KB Motsilenyane. While working with these top musicians, AusTebza travelled Nigeria, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, USA, Germany, Namibia and Jamaica and she is constantly performing with her band around South Africa. Her debut album, Make a Difference, has been well received.
Mokambo born musician Mumba Yachi is a UN Ambassador for Gender Equality. He has been active on the music scene since 2009 and has released four albums – I am Lenshina (2015), Mongu Rice (2013), Mokambo (2012) and Inspire Me (2010), which earned him several awards in the Zambian music scene including Best Traditional Album and Best Live Recording. He has become a household name in Zambia and is considered the leading voice in traditional/folk music of his generation. He has already collaborated on stage with South Africa’s Sibongile Khumalo and shared stages with well-known artists such as Femi Kuti, Mokoomba, Hugh Masekela, Joss Stone and Hope Masike.
Another musician who has garnered enormous respect in his country of birth is Sereetsi of Sereetsi & The Natives. He is considered a pioneer on the cultural landscape in Botswana. Sereetsi won four awards from five nominations for his debut album Four String Confessions (2015) at the BOMU Awards 2016. This happened while he was in Sweden performing at the Planeta World Music Festival in Gothenburg and also conducting music workshops around Sweden. Sereetsi has also toured the USA, performing and workshopping his instructional book/CD. His book has been assessed and approved for use in schools by Botswana’s Education Ministry. Sereetsi has shared stages with established names like Jonathan Butler, Oliver Mtukudzi, Caiphus Semenya, Jaziel Brothers, Letta Mbulu and McCoy Mrubata.
Produced by BakTu Musik, the Kgalagadi Soul Tour 2017 is supported by Concerts SA through the Music Mobility Fund, a funding mechanism which offers opportunities for South African musicians to undertake live music tours; and by an Ant Funding Grant from Pro Helvetia Johannesburg, financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
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 twitter.com/ConcertsSA or like us on Facebook at facebook.com/ConcertsSA.
Pro Helvetia Johannesburg is one of five international nodes of the Swiss Arts Council. Located in Johannesburg, it covers the Southern Africa region, facilitating exchange and collaboration between artists, projects and organisations in Southern Africa and Switzerland, through residencies and collaborative projects between the two contexts. Through an agreement with the SADC regional office of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Pro Helvetia Johannesburg also supports transnational collaboration, mobility of artists and work, and network development within the SADC region. Visit www.prohelvetia.org.za and www.facebook.com/prohelvetiajhb.
Artist Links
AusTebza
Web: www.austebza.co.za
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UClqCvAsfVbTOOg8OH4lfgiQ
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AusTebza
Sereetsi
Web: www.sereetsiandthenatives.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCVpFdhDwE_mlkNj5rORVkrw
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SereetsiTheNatives
Mumba Yachi
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mumba-yachi
ReverbNation: www.reverbnation.com/mumbayachi
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mumba.yachie
Events Listing
Pretoria – African Chef Restaurant [Performance]
Thursday 30th March – 8pm – No cover charge
Address: Shop 17, Eco Boulevard, Witch-Hazel Ave, Pretoria, South Africa
Bookings: 012 661 3502 / africanchefrestaurant@gmail.com
Pretoria – Bentley’s Country Lodge [Performance]
Friday 31st March – 7pm – No cover charge
Address: Cnr Brits Rd & Main Str, Heatherdale, Pretoria, South Africa
Bookings: 012 542 1751 / info@bentleyslodge.co.za
Gaborone – Maitisong Festival [Performance & Workshop]
Tuesday 4th April – 7pm – P200 / P 180 (group) / P 160 (students)
Address: Maru-a-Pula School, 4725 Maruapula Way, Gaborone, Botswana
Bookings: +267 391 2953 / director@maitisong.org
Pretoria – Solomon Mahlangu Arts Centre [Performance]
Wednesday 5th April – 9am – No cover charge
Address: Corner Shabangu & Maphalla Street, Mamelodi West, Pretoria, South Africa
Bookings: 012 805 1887 / macforum1@gmail.com
Kuruman – Kgalagadi Jazz Festival [Workshop]
Thursday 13th April – 9am – No cover charge
Address: Thabo Moorosi Multipurpose Centre, Mothibistad, Northern Cape, South Africa
Bookings: 018 381 0413 / info@merakengfoundation.org.za
Kuruman – Kgalagadi Jazz Festival [Performance]
Saturday 15th April – 12pm – R 200
Address: Wrenchville Stadium, Kuruman, South Africa
Bookings: http://online.computicket.com/web/event/kgalagadi_jazz_festival/1114992753
Johannesburg – Wits School of Arts [Workshop]
Tuesday 2nd May – 4pm – No cover charge
Address: 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Johannesburg, South Africa
Bookings: 011 717 4663 / Helen.LeRoux@wits.ac.za
Pretoria – Tshwane School of Music [Workshop]
Wednesday 3rd May – 3pm – No cover charge
Address: 214 Willie Swart Street, Pretoria, South Africa
Bookings: 012 806 6060 / admin@tsom.co.za
Durban – UKZN CJPM [Performance & workshop]
Wednesday 17th May – 6pm – R 40
Address: University Avenue, Durban, South Africa
Bookings: 031 260 3385 / zamat1@ukzn.ac.za
Durban – Jazzy Rainbow [Performance]
Friday 19th May – 8pm – R 80
Address: 93 Smiso Nkwanyana Rd, Morningside, Durban
Bookings: 031 303 8398 / jazzyrainbow@mweb.co.za
More national and regional shows to be confirmed soon.
