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Some time in December last year I published a post about the initial line-up for this year's Cape Town International Jazz Festival (see HERE). Yesterday I attended the press conference and launch where the rest of the artists gracing the different stages at the spectacular festival for this year were announced. Celebrating 10 years since its inception, it's promising to be another great feast of music spanning the globe. With an assortment of genres, sounds and disciplines, what a great way to celebrate a decade of this magnificent event.
The artist everybody seemed to be most excited about as event organiser Rashid Lombard went through each musician on the line up was rapper Mos Def. Known for his conscious and educational lyrics in his music, as well as his colorful acting career, it sure would be interesting to see what he brings into the festival. Other big names that caught my eye included our very own Jonathan Butler (accompanied by Dave Koz), 340ml, Sibongile Khumalo (a collaboration with Mike del Ferro and Shannon Mowday), Shakatak, Abigail Kubeka, Siphokazi, and of course other names that had been mentioned in December last year, musicians like Incognito, The Stylistics, Zap Mama, Hugh Masekela, Freshlyground, Diane Reeves, and many more.
The Cape Town Internationa Jazz Festival is taking place at the same venue, Cape Town International Convention Centre, on the weekend of the 3rd - 4th April . There are other activities though happening the week leading to the final spectacle, namely, the notorious free concert at Green Market Square, taking place on April Fools Days, as well as the signature workshops running from 28 March 2009 to 4th April 2009. For only R485 for a weekend pass and R330 for a day pass (and an extra R25 per show for the acclaimed Rosies stage), you can be part of the Mother of all Celebrations.
This is a not-to-be-missed music extravaganza so start preparing now. It's not called Africa's Grandest Gathering for nothing. Please go to capetownjazzfest.co.za for more details on the complete line-up, tickets, accommodation and other information you may need.You can also check out YEAHBO.DOT.NET for artist profiles and more as the date draws closer.
Just a few days ago I wrote about the Oscar buzz and mentioned a few films that are among the top contenders in this year's awards. Another such film is Clint Eastwood's 1920's revolutionary drama, Changeling. Taking a break from the front of the camera on this one, he delves into what has made him a formidable force behind the scenes as a director. You cannot help but emerse yourself into adulation for his latest remarkable work.
Based on a true story, Changeling is centred around a woman in the 1920's who dared confront the status quo on women seggregation and police corruption, and emerged victorious in her quest. Christine Collins, played by Angelina Jolie, finds herself distraught after her son is kidnapped from their home. Her prayers to have him recovered are answered, but not until she gets herself involved in a police corruption mystery many just pretend doesn't exit. Her conviction and love for her son brings about a change that is needed in the community.
Changeling takes you through the emotions and engages you in a very deep level of compassion. Angelina Jolie brings her character to life with her soft, yet effective demeanor. John Malkovich is also impressive as a preacher who is instrumental in fighting Christine's course. It's amazing how Clint Eastwood brought into the surface Angelina's character, obviously making them a phenomenal team. The way he was able to draw out her passion and emotions to jump onto the screen makes for phenomenal viewing. It is therefore no wonder that this film is also up for a few Oscars, including Best Actress for Angelina.
Changeling opens at cinemas nationwide on the 20th of February 2009. Be sure not to miss it. Although very heavy, it's worth watching, if not for the brilliant acting and directing, for education on subjects women and people in general went through in that era. I must say the little espionage also left me intrigued. This is another amazing film to come out this year.
Soccer fans, especially UEFA Champions League fans, are in for a treat. Heineken® today announced it will give its African consumers their first ever chance to hold the UEFA Champions League Trophy aloft when it takes the famous cup on tour in April this year.
After two successful tours in Asia and South America in 2007 and 2008 it is now the turn of African football fans in Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt and South Africa to have the ultimate experience, to be able to see and touch the famous Trophy.
Franco Maria Maggi, Heineken® Marketing Manager in South Africa commented, “South African consumers are passionate about the UEFA Champions League and the Heineken® brand. The Trophy Tour, proudly presented by Heineken® promises to be a fantastic series of events and a truly memorable experience.”
UEFA Marketing Director, Philippe Le Floc’h added, “The UEFA Champions League has a long and distinguished heritage and is the pinnacle of European club football. The Trophy itself represents the ultimate prize of the UEFA Champions League globally. We are happy that by taking the Trophy to Africa with Heineken®, African football fans will have the chance to glimpse the Trophy that so many of their compatriots who are playing in Europe are striving to win. The Trophy Tour with Heineken® is a chance for us to give something back to the football fans in Africa.”
Last season Heineken® took the Trophy to South America for a tour to fans in Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Santiago (Chile), Mexico City and Monterrey (Mexico). More than 51 500 fans saw the Trophy ‘live’ and a further 247 million viewers tuned in to see it on television.
This year’s African Tour dates are:
February 26 – 28 Lagos (Nigeria)
March 11 – 12 Algiers (Algeria)
March 26 – 28 Cairo (Egypt)
April 11 – 12 Cape Town (South Africa)
April 18 – 19 Johannesburg (South Africa)
South African consumers will be able to visit the trophy at the V&A Waterfront from April 11 – 12, 2009 and in Johannesburg at Montecasino on April 18-19, 2009 and get up close and personal to the icon of club footballs top competition.
In each location, famous players drawn from the history of UEFA Champions League will accompany the Trophy. So, soccer fans, don't miss out on this opportunity.
Just early this week I wrote about British films doing it big ahead of the Oscars. Another British star doing it big on his latest film is Guy Ritchie. The man who was at the helm of such memorable and unique films like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels as well as Snatch, is back with an impressive cast of fellow men and women in his latest graphic crime thriller RocknRolla.
The British talent featured on RocknRolla is the first thing that stands out from the film. I'm talking about accomplished actors like the ever-ravishing Thandie Newton, Mark Strong, Gerald Butler, Idris Elba, Tom Wilkinson and Tom Hardy. There are a few actors who are not from the European countries, like Ludacris and Jemery Piven, but it is the local talent that injects substance and familiarity into film.
The title of the film might be mistaken for a movie about music, but the themes and the storyline are so far from it. RocknRolla is a crime thriller that sees different aspects of crimes intertwined into one explosive mystery. The graphic manner in which the film is shot provides an extra edgyness and creates instant visual attraction into the characters and their surroundings. The humour is also very palatable and witty.
Guy Ricthie has done a sterling job in capturing the essence of the different characters and relaying their interesting stories. All actors give their best, each bringing something unique and amazing into the film, especially the young Toby Kebbell who plays a character that brings the pieces all together. Also noteworthy is Thandie Newton's sassy, sharp and sexy nature as the only lady actor in the film.
I believe you are going to really enjoy this film, especially if you are a Guy Ritchie fan. I know I am and have also always been fascinated with the English accent, so that provided me with more to enjoy.
RocknRolla has been out already at Nu Metro cinemas nationwide since end of January.
You may have read and heard a lot about Notorious, a biopic based on the life and death of famous Brooklyn rapper Christopher Wallace, also known as Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smallz, over the past few months. I've just had a pleasure of watching it this afternoon, and surprisingly enjoyed it a lot.I say surprising because I had reservations about the actors selected to play the respective characters. Although I don't doubt some of their acting abilities at all, I wasn't sure how they would fair knowing or being familiar with the people their characters are based on. I have to give it to the debutante, Jamal Woolard, who gave a reasonable portrayal of Biggie. Veteran actress Angela Basset takes the cake for her role as Biggie's mother Vollata Wallace, and there actually are no surprises there. Biggie's real son with singer Faith Evans, Christopher Jordan Wallace, did a great job playing his father from about age 8 to early teens. A young lady who blew me over was Naturi Naughton (who used to be with the group 3LW) who gave a great performance as Bigg's jump off Lil' Kim. There were a few reports about how Lil' Kim didn't like how she was portrayed in the film, so I have to give it to Naturi under the circumstances.
Two of my favourite actors, Derek Luke and Anthony Mackie, are also on the bill, playing Sean Combs (P. Diddy) and Tupac, respectively. Like I said before, knowing or being familiar with Diddy, I wasn't really sold on Derek's interpretation of his character. The same goes for Anthony Mackie, the resemblance to Tupac came across, but the actual mannerisms and how Tupac carried himself, was not impressive. Even the guy who plays Suge Knight, that ruthless nature of the Death Row leader we came to know didn't come across very well. I have to admit though that the casting of Antoinique Smith as Faith Evans was on point. The ladies look so much alike, only if Antoinique gave more in her performance.
Overall, Notorious was a good film, with lots of information for those who didn't know about how the West Coast versus East Coast rap beef began, as well as the fact that these two fallen stars were actually friends before all went wrong. This actually makes what transpired very sad, an emotion that distinctly comes across as you watch Notorious. Another noteworthy fact, and one that I gleefully applaud, is the use of the actors' real voices during the stints when they were singing or rapping, well the lead vocals anyway.
Notorious opens at Nu Metro cinemas across the country next Friday, 20 Februray 2009.
To make your Notorious viewing experience even more unforgettable, Nu Metro and YEAHBO.DOT.NET are giving away 5 Notorious Soundtrack albums to 5 lucky winners. All you have to do is answer the following simple questions:
1). What is the name of P. Diddy's record label that Notorious B.I.G. was signed under? 2). What is the name of the second album that Notorious B.I.G was about to release when he died in 1997?
Send your answers to yeahbo@yeahbo.net, together with the following details:
Name and surname;
Contact number;
E-mail address;
Your age;
The city where you live; and
Tell us how you learnt about YEAHBO.DOT.NET or yeahbodotnet.blogspot.com.
Good luck. And enjoy Notorious.
Apologies for the lack of postings over the past 2 or 3 weeks. I have been extremely busy, mostly with organisation of the premiere events for The Secret Life Of Bees that we hosted in Durban last Tuesday, as well as Jozi last Thursday. Although the film did not do as much as we would have loved it to, it did post at number 6 for its opening weekend, according to the Top 10 Box Office results.
Still remaining on the movies topic, the Oscar buzz is at its ultimate high, just a few weeks before we get to see which titles walk away with the golden statuettes for this year. There is a clear hint as to which films are in the frontrun, by looking at the results from other industry awards like the Golden Globes, the SAG's, Critic's Choice Awards, BAFTA's, etc. Two of such films happen to be British titles. I've had an absolute pleasure of watching them ahead of the Oscars and their Mzansi theatrical releases. Here is what I thought of both Slumdog Millionaire and Happy Go Lucky, after watching them in the past few weeks.
Slumdog Millionare
Set in Mumbai, in India, Slumdog Millionaire is adapted from a novel titled Q&A, written by South African Embassador to India, Swarup Vikas. The film follows a teen's journey through the slums of India as he strives for survival. His participation in India's version of Who Wants To be A Millionaire, which has led to his subsequent victory in the competition, followed by an arrest, is the vehicle in which his story is told. The flashbacks into his progression in life proves to be a very smart concept, in terms of how the plot develops.
Filled with brilliant acting, a cohesive storyline, and riveting suspense, Slumdog Millionaire is captivating and exhilerating. The way director Danny Boyle engages you as an audience is magnetic in itself. Now I understand why the film has become so critically acclaimed, sweeping awards left, right, and centre. We'll wait to see how it fairs at the Oscars, what with an impressive 10 nominations including Best Director, Best Picture and Best Writing.
This is certainly one of the best films to come out this year. Slumdog Millionaire opens at cinemas throughout the country on the 06th of March 2009.
Happy Go Lucky
You may not expect this easy-flowing drama/comedy to blow you away, but it is the finer details that make it a remarkable piece of work. Also set in England, it's about a primary school teacher whose nature is so oblivious to any bad things that happen around her. Despite the exesperation from everybody around her, she doesn't feel there is anything wrong with her permanent cheery state.
It's amazing that actress Sally Hawkins (playing the role of Poppy, the school teacher) managed to pull smiling almost throughout the film off. Even the very few moments when she doesn't, there's still that trace of ease and glow in her face. That takes a great deal of skill to be able to portray somebody with such traits so well. The stages through Poppy's life, no matter how trying and cruel, her positiveness shines through. I have to admit there is a great amount of lessons that Poppy's character teaches you as a person.
Although most of the subject tackled are serious, the comedic relief from seeing such a character creates an air of understanding. Sally Hawkins has already won a Golden Globe as the Best Actress beating other heavyweights, and we'll see if Happy Go Lucky takes the crown for the Best Writing conquest at then Oscars in less than 2 weeks.
Happy Go Lucky opened at Mzansi Cinema Nouveau theatres last Friday, 06 February 2009.
Although somewhat low-profile than before, the Grammy Awards took place this past Sunday and our very own accapella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo walked away with yet another Grammy. This is their 3rd Grammy, following their victories in 1987 and 2005. They won in the category Best Traditional World Music Album for their tribute album aptly titled Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu.
Although another South African outfit, Soweto Gospel Choir, was just shy away from also collecting third Grammy in 3 successive years, it's good to know they lost to their own country. Ladysmith Black Mambazo are really a musical force to be reckoned with, globally. Seeing them perform at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival a few years ago, as well as at a Gallo Music showcase last year, were both memorable experiences.
Congratulations to Mshengu and his boys. Well done Baba, we will always be rooting for you. We are looking forward to more Grammy's in the future, you have proven you can do it again and again.
