TopDog SA, will be performing the third instalment of the Nama Jazz Series at the Artscape Arena from Friday December 28 until Sunday December 30.
The group will be drawing music from the ancient well of African music and music instruments, fusing it with modern Cape Jazz traditions and genres.
This presentation, known as Nama Jazz III will be underlined with the narrative “This is who we are”.
TopDog SA’s Camillo Lombard said: “Nama Jazz III will explore deeper into our indigenous roots. Our quest in pushing the indigenous envelope has led us to understanding our genealogical thread as a Southern African people, and in our case, the people from the Western !Xamka (Cape). People will experience musical stories of our journey endorsing our musical geniuses of the past, within a modern jazz context influenced by our visit to the San Park on the West Coast Route !Khwa ttu”.
In the show, TopDog SA will use mouth bows, the Boesmans Klawier (African piano), the talking drum, rice shakers – instruments used by the Cape Khoena.
These instruments are the origins of their music which links these indigenous instruments to contemporary sounds such as the accordion, banjo, melodica and flute that will equally feature in the performance.
The band is composed of an all-star cast including Don Vino on saxophone, Camillo Lombard on keyboard, Charlton Daniels on bass, Mornay Hoffmeester on drums and Mark Williams on lead guitar.
The band will be performing songs from their album Griqua DNA that was released in March 2016 at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, as well as new songs that were composed for this show.
Performance dates are Friday December 28 at 7.30pm; Saturday December 29 at 7.30pm; and Sunday December 30, at 4pm and 7.30pm. Tickets cost R80 and are available through Artscape Dial-a-Seat at 021 421 7839 or at Computicket.