2010-03-24:New venue showcases local jazz talent
The Basement theatre in Florida park west rand, is fast becoming a popular and alternative venue for new and emerging talented singers and jazz bands to showcase their work throughout the year.
Since its inception in 2009, the venue has created a vibrant platform for the development of new artists and audiences. Some of the artists who performed at the venue include Khethi Ntshangase, the versatile jazz singer and well known comedian and actor Ntosh Madlingozi who were part of the official opening of the venue.The Basement infrastructure was funded by the City of Johannesburg.
According to Basil Dube, the venue’s new artistic programme manager and director of the Gauteng Music Consortium (GMC), The Basement has the potential to create job opportunities for artists and musicians from historically disadvantaged communities, at the same time offering jazz lovers in the region a taste of quality entertainment.
“In addition to our Sunday jazz programme, bands and artist managers will be offered a series of monthly education workshops and seminars that deals with a range of music business issues including, copyright, artist management, writing music for film and television, royalty collection, live music production and management, music marketing and promotion” says Dube who is also a director of the Soweto Performing Arts Academy, a project he co-founded with award winning composer and producer, Mbongeni Ngema.
Dube said that The Basement is a relevant platform for aspirant jazz artists, singers, comedians and poets who need exposure and career development.
Dube has been invited to attend the International Artist Management Conference to be held in New York in October.The conference organized by the US based Artist Management Resource is expected to be attended by artists managers and promoters from around the world.
One of the key objectives of the conference is to create and promote partnerships as well as formulate new strategies for the development of the artist management sector.
“This engagement will offer me a good opportunity to network and market South African jazz artists abroad” Dube concluded.
Artists, musicians,singers,comedians and poets who wish to participate in The Basement ‘s monthly programmes should contact the programme manager on 078 7387846 or 011 832-2273.
