The annual, free-to-public festival, hoested up-and-coming live bands, and newly discovered talent, and as per usual, featured a few surprise artists and Jazzathon legends.
“This musical formula seems to work well for the festival,” says festival director Craig Parks. “We try our best to feature as many jazz-related music genres at the Jazzathon, as possible. The Jazzathon Summer Showcase lineup was extremely diverse as we have a whole range of music styles including Afro Jazz, Cape Jazz, Hip Hop and RnB, Reggae, Gospel and Neo Soul, and Straight Ahead all crammed into three days of back-to-back entertainment”
Heinrich Frans is a stalwart of the SA music industry. His career spans from solo performances with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (under the direction of Bernard Gueller), live performances as lead and backing vocalist for Allou April, Ernie Smith, Wanda Baloyi, Mynie Grové, and recording sessions as lead and backing vocalist for Vusi Khumalo and Ivan Mazuze.
He also performed as the lead and backing vocalist for international artists Jonathan Butler, Kirk Whalum, Oleta Adams, Diana Ross, Bebe Winans, Josh Groban, and Mark Fransman.
We chatted with Frans, who performed with his stellar 3-piece backing him (Charlton Daniels: electric bass, musical director; Roderick McKay: electric piano and Damian Kamineth: acoustic drums) at the Cape Town Jazzathon 2024 on Saturday, 13 January 2024 at 5pm.
My purpose is to live a life in service of humanity.
To me, music is one of several mediums through which I can serve humanity.
Life.
Be encouraged and encourage others.
In today’s day and age particularly, fame is about everything except that which truly matters.
I am deceased.
Bad music.
Duruflé.
My music library.
The music.
Yesterday by The Beatles.
Catching the giggles with a duet partner... Monique Hellenberg can attest to this. We laugh about that moment to this day.
Too many to mention. Freddy Arendse is one that I was able to meet with - for the first time recently.
Wynton Marsalis.
Freddy Arendse. His sense of humanity and grace, is second to none.
Family.
Jack Daniels and Coca-Cola, for sure.
The Heinrich Frans Quintet; live at Carnegie Hall.
My commitment to serving the music, first and foremost.
Biggy.
I would be a chef, for sure.
Patient, kind, caring, nurturing and humorous.
Electric Relaxation - A Tribe Called Quest
Let It Ride - Nicholas Payton
That’s the Way of the World - Earth, Wind and Fire
Ah Yeah - Robert Glasper Experiment
Everybody Loves the Sunshine - Roy Ayers
The Departed
The Bible.
Walk Tall by Mark Fransman’s ‘Strait & Narro’.
My soon-to-be-born son and his mother.
Music.
Spending a winter in New York City.
Having survived a global pandemic.
Inequality.
The fear of not being a good enough parent.
Family.
Sing with my soul.
Rest is for the privileged.
Life.
I spend much of my existence sharing knowledge and experience. Developmental work – in the context of music – has always been a focus of mine.
Equal access for all!
