Bheki Khoza plays double bill during the Comrades Marathon

Who is going down to Durban for the annual Comrades Marathon? Will you be running or supporting someone close to you? If you happen to be in town this coming weekend, rest assured that there’ll be plenty of entertainment, before and after the race, at your disposal. One such occasion is a double bill of the legendary maskandi guitarist Bheki Khoza who will play in Musgrave as well as Pinetown on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

Bheki Khoza performing in Cape Town in March.

Please see below for more details:

DATE: Friday 1 June 2012

VENUE: St. Clements Garden Restaurant, 191 Musgrave Road, Durban

TIME: Doors open at 6pm for dinner seatings, Music starts at 7:30pm

TICKETS: R50 at the door. Pre-booking is essential on 031 202 2511

EVENT: Bheki Khoza Quartet in concert

Left handed guitarist Khoza originally hails from Umlazi, Durban but now resides in Johannesburg. His early influences ranged from his grandmother, who played the Jewish Harp and harmonica to the vibrant township weddings, funerals and street parties that were so much part of his early years.

Locally, his influences were Philip Thabane, Allan Kwela and Abdullah Ibrahim; whilst from American he names artists such as Wes Montgomery, Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell, Joe Pass, George Benson and Charlie Parker as being inspirations. During his early years in Durban, he learned to perform solo due to the prevailing socio-economic conditions of the time but his skill soon led him to working with such legends as the African Jazz Pioneers, Abie Cindi, Sipho Gumede, Winston Mankunku Ngozi, Rene McClean, Victor Ntoni, Mike Makhalemele, George Lee and Barney Rachabane.

In 1991 he received a scholarship to study music at the University of Hartford, Connecticut under Jackie McClean. Whilst there he became a resident member of bassist Larry Ridley’s Jazz Legacy Ensemble. Returning to South Africa in 1995, Khoza recorded the album Asambe, a bit of a jazz rarity. In 2003 he was the musical director of the Sophiatown documentary and this was followed with musical direction for the film Drum, which premiered in 2004. In 2006 he release the album Getting to Heaven Alive.

Accompanying Khoza will be a great trio of seasoned musicians in the form of Mandla Zikalala on bass guitar, Mncedisi Kupa on piano and Babes Ndamase on drums.

DATE: Sunday 3 June 2012 at the Rainbow

TIME: Doors open at 1pm, first set from 2pm.

TICKETS: R50 at the door

EVENT: Oude Meester presents the Bheki Khoza Quartet

This event is made possible through the support of Oude Meester brandy.

Bheki Khoza performed at this year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival. Unluckily, I didn’t get a chance to see his show at the festival. However, I was lucky to experience his magic at the “jam session” thereafter. Judging by his display as this informal gathering, I can only imagine what he can do in a full show. I promise you, you’ll have a fantastic time. So if you want to get hyped up for the Comrades Marathon or wind down after witnessing this year’s marathon winner, you know what to do.