‘all killer no filler’

Deborah Rossouw

Bassist for The Rescu, Mike Vaughan, says the reason it took them so long to record their album, was because they had to teach Rusti, their drummer, to play.

It’s this kind of natural, friendly banter, that makes you wish you could have been a fly on the wall to experience the fun these guys, Mike, Graham Lowndes and Brendyn “Rusti” Rossouw, seemed to have recording their self-titled, debut album.

The album took a year and a half to record, something that suited the band just fine.

This was a completely independent project and the band recorded whenever they could around the schedules of their individual music related “day jobs”.

“We were never afforded the opportunity to book out a studio,” Mike points out, adding that because they had no label, they also had no deadline.

“We were never too close to things,” Rusti says, adding that this allowed the band to step away from the project and listen later with fresh ears.

He also points out that the band had a big part to play in the mixing of the album, adding that they wanted a natural sound that they would be able to replicate as a three-piece band live.

“We want to be an honest band,” says Mike.

Graham, the band’s unusually quiet lead guitarist, takes a big breath before stating: “I love the fact that it was an in-house project,” before adding: “It is the recording I am most proud of.”

Graham and Mike know each other from their time together in another band.

They met Rusti when his band opened for theirs. “I was still in nappies while they were rocking out,” he jokes.

Mike adds: “We’ve been buddies for years.”

“It’s funny how it took a good few years for the stars to align.”

After a “situation” with their ex- drummer, The Rescu found themselves with an upcoming gig in just a few days and an incomplete band.

“I went and begged Brendyn to play just the gig,” Mike says.

After just one rehearsal and the band still verbally running through songs in the car on the way, the gig went off without a hitch and they were even approached after the show with an offer to sign the band.

“That led us to believe that maybe we had something to offer,” Mike says.

With that in mind, he set out to write new music for the band.

The band refers to themselves as purists and there is an honest, pure and almost naive appeal to their music.

“We are just trying to carry a positive message,” Rusti says.

“The album is all killer and no filler,” Graham says.

The first single of the album, “I did it or you”, has been playlisted on Highveld Stereo and their video will be screened on MK.

The band are now signed to Sheer Sound, Two Feet Music, the same record label responsible for Dirty Skirts, Taxi Violence and Plush.

The Rescu will be launching their debut album at Hanover Street at GrandWest on Wednesday 31 August from 20:30. Tickets cost R40 through www.webtickets.co.za or R50 at the door.

To find out more about the band, or listen to their album, visit www.therescu.com or their Facebook page. You can also follow them on Twitter at @therescuband.

. One lucky reader can win double tickets to the launch, as well as a copy of The Rescu’s self-titled debut CD.

Visit the competition page on www.tygerburger.co.za to enter.

 

Fiery flamenco!

Saudiq Khan

Guitar maestro, Saudiq Khan, brings his fiery flamenco to Die Boer on Saturday 6 August.

Hailing from Cape Town, Saudiq lived in District Six as a child where he experienced the heart and soul of South African Cape Culture.

He was inspired by flamenco guitar music at an early age and in 1989 he travelled to Spain where he experienced the Spanish culture in the heart of the flamenco world of Seville.

During his nine-month stay, he studied under various flamenco aficionados, learning as much as he could from their techniques and style.

Saudiq is known for his passionate and fiery approach to the flamenco guitar. Great guitarists like Paco de Lucia, Rafael Riqueni and Vicente Amigo provided Saudiq with inspiration to compose his own pieces, which appear on his latest album Pure Soul.

He will perform his superb production Flamenco in Compas at Die Boer in Durbanville on Saturday.

Saudiq will be accompanied by two prominent artists, Robert Davids on cajon, and André Webb on bass.

Tickets cost R90 and can be booked on 021 979 1911.

There must be something in the water…

This year’s Idols Top 10 was announced on Sunday and the Northern Suburbs is proudly represented by no fewer that three of the contestants.

Durbanville’s Mark Haze, Milnerton’s Nolly Meje and Boston’s Kelly Fortuin will be among the top 10 competing for the title of South African Idol.

Kelly Fortuin

The 21-year-old Kelly is taking part in the competition as a tribute to her grandfather who passed away three weeks before her audition. As an ex-Tygerberg High School learner, Kelly is now working as a financial advisor while studying law. She is also very proud of being a mother to three-year-old Storm.

“It’s been Awesome,” Kelly says of her Idols experience so far, adding that the contestants are like a big family. She adds the show is an opportunity for her to “work with the best in the business”.

Kelly says TygerBurger readers should vote for her because she is a true performer: she can dance and sing. “I offer something totally different,” she says.

Readers can learn more about Kelly on her Facebook page or follow her on Twitter at @royalkelly.

Nolly Meje

Idols 7 is Nolly’s second try at the competition. She was in the top 100 in the very first season.

The 24-year-old, who studied public relations at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, is a freelance television presenter and research script writer.

“I’m a performer, I love what I do,” says Nolly, who admits to falling into the role of joker or clown.

“It shows on stage” she says, adding that when she performs, she goes into another world, allowing her to deliver a captivating and energetic performance.

Nolly says her Idols experience so far has been overwhelming. “It’s been intense,” she says. Nolly hopes the competition will expose her to more opportunities and recognition in the music industry.

Nolly has a Facebook page and you can also find her on Twitter under @NollyNolz.

Mark Haze

Mark is well known to Northern Suburbs rock fans as the frontman for his band, 12th Avenue.

“I entered Idols to further my career,” he says.

At 29, Mark has been performing since the age of seven and with his band’s music getting airtime on 5FM, Mark is no stranger to the music industry.

While in the US last year, Mark entered the American Idol experience at Disneyworld for fun and says that winning there gave him the confidence to enter the South African competition.

“I’m really proud that people say I’m bringing rock to Idols,” Mark says, but adds that the competition is an “opportunity to show the country that I am versatile.”

“God gives you these opportunities to give back,” he says, which is exactly what he intends to do.

Mark hopes to change the perception that local music is not on an international level and says that it would take just one performer proudly representing South Africa to create opportunities for other South African artists on an International platform.

“I will give the best performance of my life every time I go up there” Mark says.

He adds: “I would like to personally thank every single person who has sent me messages on Facebook and Twitter and has voted.”

Mark assures 12th Avenue fans that he will not be leaving the band.

Mark also has a Facebook page and a Twitter profile under @MarkHaze12.

. Grade 11 Fairmont High School learner, Chloé Geldenhuys was also part of the Idols Top 15.

“Singing is my passion.” Chloé says.

She says she may try Idols again next year, but she definitely won’t stop singing.

Luna maak stories liedere

Photo: Hannie du Plessis and Jessica Botha

Na tien jaar in die musiekbedryf, is Luna Paige vir die eerste keer met nuwe Afrikaans liedjies op toer.

Met Storielied het Luna van Suid-Afrika se mooiste stories getoonset.

Terwyl baie liedjieskrywers dit al met gedigte gedoen het, is dit die eerste keer dat Suid-Afrikaanse verhale dié eer te beurt val.

Luna sê dit was net natuurlik dat sy haar klavier vra om in Afrikaans te begin praat.

Sy verduidelik dat sy gevra was om by die Woordfees ’n liedjie by Margaret Bakkers se boekbekendstelling te sing.

Sy wou nie ’n Engelse liedjie sing nie en het eerder een geskryf oor die boek.

Daarna het sy begin om stories haar eie te maak en om hulle in storie-liedere te verander.

Met haar nuwe versameling van stories, gooi Luna ’n draai by die see, by evolusie en die sin van die lewe. Sy kuier in die voorkamer van ’n ou vrou wat aan 7de Laan en whisky vasklou.

Sy gaan hurk by die grafte van ’n generasie bevryde slawe. Sy sing oor die veerpaleise en hul spoke en beskou die seisoene vanuit die populierbos.

Luna erken dat sy op universiteit laas Afrikaanse boeke gelees het, maar sê die projek het haar geïnspireer om weer plaaslike skrywers te ontdek.

“Ons het ’n ongelooflike ryk kultuur,” sê sy van die stories wat sy oorgeskryf het.

Luna het in Maart met Storielied begin en is besig om saam met Riku Lätte die liedjies op te neem.

Kom ontdek saam met Luna van ons land se beste skrywers en die stories wat hulle by ons ryk verlede en moederaarde gaan leen het.

Luna Paige sluit haar eerste Storielied- toer af met ’n intieme vertoning by die lieflike Rust-en-Vrede-kunsgalery in Durbanville op Vrydag 29 Julie.

Kaartjies kos R90 en kan by 021 976 4691 bespreek word.

Keeping it in the family

Jody Abel (left) and Callen Petersen make up Acoustic Element.

Classically trained cousins, Jody Abel and Callen Petersen are making shopping experiences a little sweeter for Canal Walk and Tygervalley shoppers on weekends.

With their instruments of choice, Jody on guitar and Callen on violin, they make up Acoustic Element.

The two, who are from Goodwood and Welgelegen respectively, have been soothing shoppers at the two Stutterfords branches for the last four months.

“We have been playing together for a couple of years obviously, because we are family,” Jody points out.

He explains that Callen was playing with a string quartet and one day needed a guitarist, which is where Jody jumped in.

People liked their sound and started asking for them and soon they were playing weddings and corporate functions.

The duo plays mostly jazz and contemporary music, but also do learn new songs on request.

“We like aiming to the younger crowd,” Jody says.

Jody started playing guitar with his library teacher in primary school and started classical training in high school, where he also did grading in flamenco and Spanish guitar.

Callen also started playing in primary school and has only recently started playing contemporary music.

When asked about his favourite song to play, Jody smiles, before answering that it’s “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls.

Besides their music, the cousins are also students. Jody is studying his second year in film and media at UCT, specialising in radio.

After completing his BCom, Callen is now studying fashion design and just did an internship at the Cape Town Fashion Week.

With the help of Jody’s teacher from Settlers High School, Hugo Smuts, Acoustic Element is busy recording a sample CD for promotional purposes.

The band is also looking for a percussionist and vocalist to join their ensemble. To find out more about Acoustic Element, join their Facebook Page or call Jody on 073 750 4902 or Callen on 079 215 2066. You can also email them at ptrcal001@webmail.co.za or abljod001@uct.ac.za.

Taking Cape Town by storm

Ruis Santos performing at the Bands4Africa Acoustic Talent Search Competition

New to Cape Town, songwriter and guitarist, Ruis Santos is looking for local musicians to help him rebuild his Latte Funk brand.

Originally from Nelspruit, Ruis has been living in West Beach for the last month and has already started making an appearance on the local music scene.

Ruis explains that he moved to Cape Town because of the music lovers here.

He adds that Capetonions seem to be more open to his kind of music.

His style is a combination of jazz, reggae, rock and Latino sounds.

“It makes for a really entertaining performance because from time to time it changes,” he says.

Ruis has been performing live for about eight years and comes from a musical background with both his uncles playing guitar.

He started playing at the age of 17 and says: “I am more focused on my vocals than my guitar.”

Ruis uses the guitar to accompany the showcasing of his song-writing skills.

He performs both cover and original shows.

His influences range from Sting, Rob Thomas and Michael Jackson to Rodrigo Ey Gabriella

Besides putting on his own productions in Nelspruit, Ruis has also opened for Prime Circle and played at festivals such as Inniebos, and Woodstock. Locally, he has already performed at Eden Cafe, at the Sunset Fireflies Songwriter’s Open Mic Nights at Trinity and has also participated in the Bands4Africa Acoustic Talent Search competition.

To find out more about the competition, or to vote for Ruis, visit www.bands4africa.co.za.

Ruis is looking for a support band to help him complete his sound.

He needs a drummer, a keyboardist, a bass player, a trumpeter and an acoustic guitarist.

To find out more about Ruis Santos and Latte Funk, visit www.lattefunk.co.za

Musicians interested in performing with Ruis can email him on info@lattefunk.co.za

Ruis will be performing on Tuesdays at the Sunset Fireflies Songwriter’s Open Mic Night at Trinity in Green Point from 20:00. Entrance costs R30 and includes a complimentary select beer or glass of wine.

Going all the way

Brackenfell songbird, Natasha Meister has been hard at work making her mark in the local music industry.

The Canadian born Natasha moved to South Africa a little over a year ago.

Last year TygerBurger reported on her and her band when The Natasha Meister Band became the first female-fronted act to perform at the Table Mountain Blues Summit.

Since then, Natasha has been on tour to Dubai with Jimmy Thomas, Michael Roach and The Crossroads Band.

More importantly, Natasha has become the first woman in South Africa to be endorsed by Fender.

Natasha recently finished recording her debut album with her band members Roger Bashew (bass) and Paul Tizzard (drums).

While the album, Halfway, hasn’t been officially launched yet, it is for sale at her shows.

“Halfway” is also the name of the title track off the album.

Natasha says: “I wrote all the songs within a year after moving to SA.”

She says the album is dedicated to changes in her life such as immigrating, singing without her sister and new love.

When the Meister family moved to South Africa, Natasha’s older sister stayed behind, but she came to visit recently and Natasha asked her to sing some of the harmonies on her album.

“We sound very much alike, so even I can’t tell which tracks we are on,” Natasha says.

The album was recorded and produced by Roger and after six months of recording, was ready at the end of April.

“I think it turned out pretty good,” Natasha says.

She was going for a pop-rock and blues-funk sound at the same time and says: “It’s quite a nice mix, I think.”

Locnville fans may recognise her sultry voice on the one of the tracks on the band’s new album, Running to Midnight.

Natasha was featured singing harmonies on “Staring at the world outside.”

She says the experience was quick and easy and lots of fun. “They were surprisingly cool guys,” she adds.

Natasha is also working on a collaboration with The Usual’s James Stewart and drummer, Barry van Zyl, writing the soundtrack for a new South African movie, Skeem.

Natasha is in the process of organising a Garden Route tour at the end of the year and is hoping to tour London early next year with the same musicians with whom she toured Dubai.

In between all of this, Natasha has also recently been interviewed by Seventeen and will be featured along with a prize giveaway in their September issue.

The Natasha Meister Band will be performing on Tuesday 12 July at The Waiting Room from 19:00. Blouberg musician, Matthew Roux will be performing as the opening act. Entrance costs R35.

For more information, visit her Facebook page or follow her on Twitter.

Paying tribute to Cliff Richard & Shadows

Local band, Tribute, is showing that you are never too old to rock.

“Although we are all in our 60s we haven’t stopped rocking,” says Mike Whare, the band’s bassist.

The band members who hail from Bothasig, Table View, Milnerton and Burgundy Estate are all retired, but not about to slow down.

Tribute literally performs a tribute to Cliff Richard and the Shadows.

Mike explains that they started out as a four-piece band doing just The Shadows music, but they took their show further to include more orchestral pieces.

The other members of the band are Ivor Norman on lead guitar, Peter Denyssen on rhythm guitar, Steven Dampster on drums, Roger Harrison on keyboards and Shaun Thompson on lead vocals.

The band plays music made by Cliff Richard and the Shadows from 1958 onwards.

The started out about five years ago, performing in restaurants and pubs around Milnerton and Table View.

Tribute’s dedication to emulating the sound of The Shadows has even seen them importing Burns guitars, the same guitars played by the original Shadows.

Peter points out that this allows them to recreate the exact sound that The Shadows recorded.

The band also owns the only Apache Burns guitar in South Africa.

In the last two years they have played to sold-out crowds five times at Die Boer in Durbanville.

The band members have been friends for many years. “We all grew up within the same streets of each other,” Mike explains.

Peter points out that they lived through the era of “flower power” and got to experience the music of 60s legends like Jimi Hendrix.

He believes that the young people of today don’t have any musicians who are able to set the pace for the new generations.

Mike says the band does Shadows music because it is challenging. “The music isn’t your run-of-the-mill three chords,” he says.

Peter adds: “It’s very precise and exact.”

“You’ve really got to think when you play it,” says Mike.

Peter points out that people enjoy the music of the Shadows because it is nostalgic and something they can relate to. While they have standard songs they play during their shows, they do tweak their repertoire and promise a different show each time.

Before a show, Mike says, the band usually gets together for a few rehearsals “to make sure we haven’t lost anything in the mix”.

The Shadows recorded over 1 000 songs in the 50 years they were together, which gives Tribute a huge range to play with.

They start their sets with lighter melodies before gradually moving up to more up-beat songs.

The band’s started making a name for themselves and Mike points out that people of their age and even younger people are seeking them out.

“It’s exciting for us,” he says.

Tribute will be playing at Die Boer on Saturday 16 July. Tickets cost R80 and can be booked on 021 979 1911 or 083 406 0111.

To find out more about the band  email Mike on mwhare01@gmail.com.

Guiding the seekers

Shiloh Noone (left) with Alan Parson keyboardist, Duncan MacKay, who wrote the foreword for his book.

With a music knowledge that would leave most people baffled and a passion for sounds, Durbanville’s Shiloh Noone is a wealth of information.

His book, Seeker’s Guide to the Rhythm of Yesteryear, has been called the definitive reference to music between 1950 and 1979 and his research has been used for a BBC documentary about musician Nick Drake.

But still, Shiloh remains relatively unknown in his home country.

Shiloh grew up in Rhodesia where he got his first taste of British rock bands thanks to Top of the Pops.

He says he spent lots of time around jukeboxes and record bars when he moved to the Strand and remembers being exposed to music in the mid-60s when he visited the Onrus Caravan Park with his family.

“It was a hive of young people, cabbies and new music,” Shiloh reminisces.

As a child, Shiloh was given a radio from his dad and says he could pick up just about everything on it, including BBC and Voice of America.

“I heard the first Jimi Hendrix performance on BBC,” Shiloh points out.

“Radio was my best friend,” he says, adding: “And then I started collecting.”

Shiloh confesses to being considered a bit of a geek at school, explaining that he leaned more towards an intellectualism in music instead of following the commercial sounds.

“I always looked for the more undiscovered bands,” he says.

After completing his national service, Shiloh started his radio career working for Love Radio in Amsterdam.

Because he was working illegally, he worked the midnight slot in the station’s old haunted windmill.

He also worked for Voice of Peace, an Israeli station broadcasting from a boat.

When asked about the similarity between Voice of Peace and the movie The Boat that Rocked, a movie about a British pirate radio station, Shiloh says: “It was exactly like that, if not worse.”

Shiloh also spent time working at the first Virgin Records store.

“Top musicians used to come in all the time,” he says, listing names like Robert Plant and Kate Bush.

He was also the person who suggested to Richard Branson’s brother that they take a look at Dire Straits.

While living in India for two years, Shiloh learnt to play the Indian sitar.

After years of living abroad, Shiloh returned to South Africa under a bright new democracy. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Nelson Mandela,” he says.

Shiloh says he has a tremendous amount of respect for a man who can spend 27 years in prison and then shake hands with the people who imprisoned him.

“He was the original hippie in his coloured shirts,” Shiloh says jokingly.

The Seeker’s Guide is self-published and while it took seven years to put together, Shiloh say the project was driven by a passion and love of music.

“It’s been a work in progress,” Shiloh says, adding: “I can’t improve it any more.”

He explains that the idea behind the book was to expose the talent of yesteryear to a new, younger audience. It sells well overseas but isn’t stocked in local book shops.

Shiloh presents a Blues and Folk show on Fine Music Radio on Sunday evenings.

To find out more about his book, email Shiloh@telkomsa.net or visit his website.

Master of strings

Louwtjie Rothman

What started out as something that sounded fun has become a passion for innovative and experimental guitarist, Louwtjie Rothman.

He explains that his Grade 4 teacher at Welgemoed Primary School started offering guitar lessons after school and thinking that it sounded like fun, he signed up.

His grandfather took out his old guitar and with a little love from Louwtjie, it was ready to be used as his first guitar.

“I sort of struggled in the beginning,” Louwtjie admits.

Unfortunately the teacher left the school after a few months.

“I think I was the only one who went on to find other lessons,” Louwtjie says.

In Grade 10, Louwtjie started studying music formally and is now busy with his Grade 6 theory and Grade 6 practical through Unisa.

Louwtjie’s trademark is his unusual percussive playing techniques.

“Although I’ve had a lot of teachers, no one taught me the percussive stuff,” he says.

Many might know Louwtjie from his appearance on the local reality series, SA’s Got Talent.

He says the show was a turning point in his music career.

“I probably would have gone to study if it didn’t turn out the way it did,” He says.

While in high school, Louw­tjie played in a band called Ben Nevis who even made it to number one on the MK video chart, but at the beginning of his matric year, the band grew apart.

During his matric year Louw­tjie played solo gigs and at the end of the year, took part in SA’s Got Talent.

He says after the show he found himself having constant work after playing shows for free for years.

He decided to take a chance on music and says: “I started seeing that maybe I can actually do this for a living.”

Two years down the line Louwtjie has his fingers in many different pies.

Besides doing his own performances and corporate gigs, Louwtjie also works as a session musician, teaches music lessons and is even busy doing the tabs for Fokofpolisiekar’s first album.

Louwtjie has recorded a pop/rock EP and his music video will be launched on TV within the next two weeks.

He explains that the songs on the EP were all written in high school and that he played all the instruments recorded himself. Louwtjie is hesitant to record his percussive music. “I can’t play a show like that and sell a CD that doesn’t sound like the show,” he says.

He says his experimentation with sound effects started after watching the movie August Rush.

While he starts his performance with a basic set list, anything goes while he is on stage as classical and bluesy guitars are interwoven with covers and Louwtjie’s own original music, some of which is born during the show.

“I’m trying to get the effect that each song was played by a different guitar player.”

Louwtjie is currently also writing music with jazz pianist, Chad Zerf, with him he is planning a duo project.

Not bad for a guy who was born with webbed fingers …

Follow him on Twitter or join his Facebook page.