Joburg explodes into spring

Jazz on the Lake was a special day, with people of all shapes, sizes and ages welcoming the warmer weather with hot tunes under a sunny Joburg sky.
ZOO Lake exploded with an abundance of multicultural musical talent yesterday, which had fans singing along – some sitting on their friends’ shoulders – cheering and dancing at this year’s Jazz on the Lake.

340ml heats up the stage340ml heats up the stageThe annual free concert is a key event at the Joburg Arts Alive International Festival, which runs throughout September. This year, the line-up included the likes of Xoliswa Dlamini, Melanie Scholtz, Watershed, Rajasthan Rocks, 340ml, Victor Ntoni and Asa.

Families of all ages flocked to the day-long concert, fully equipped with picnic baskets, blankets, chairs and sunscreen to soak up the spring weather while enjoying the performances.

One reveller, who just wanted to give her first name, Leila, said: “Joburg truly showed itself as the rainbow nation. The crowd sang along in harmony, clapped and danced to the large variety of groups performing with equal frenzy.”

The spirit of ubuntu was evident in the large number of people from all walks of life who turned up. Among them was the comedian Kagiso Lediga, who brought along his family. He took time out to chat to people in the crowd.

Youngsters left their picnics to make their way to the front of the stage, where they could get up close to the music. It was a special day for India’s Rajasthan Rocks, who are in South Africa for the first time.

Rajasthan Rocks
One of the band members, Lorena Garmusi, said that what they’d seen of Joburg was truly amazing. “We’re loving the vibe, the people and the experience. We’re looking forward to seeing the rest of Joburg.”

A reveller gets a bird's eye viewA reveller gets a bird's eye viewIn the audience, Rory McCormick was at the concert with some of his friends, sitting right next to the stage. He said it was the first time he’d come to Jazz on the Lake. It was awesome being among the relaxed, chilled crowd, he said, adding that his favourite band for the day was 340ml.

Carol Mncube, another reveller, said she was dragged to the concert by friends, but having seen some of the performances was singing along and dancing. Asked how she felt about the concert so far, she said: “I love it … It’s great, not too crowded. I like the vibe and the people. I like the multicultural aspect.”

On stage, Nigerian singer Asa – who is based in France – kept the momentum going. It is her third visit to South Africa, and she gave the audience a taste of what’s in store on her second album.

“The first album reflected my state of mind then,” said Asa, whose real name is Bukola Elemide. “I had a lot to talk about – social and political issues. This time, I felt different: I wanted to create something that would help people come out of sad moods and feel uplifted.”

The first single off her second album, Be My Man, is an up-tempo rock-tinged track with hints of 1960s soul. The guitar-driven Why Can’t We is laced with strong horns and harmonies and is a toe-tapper. And the feel-good essence of easy-listening track Dreamer Girl loses the listener in Asa’s soft and floaty vocals.

Dream
“When you catch yourself dreaming, you can sometimes sense that people nearby can hear you, and suddenly, you might feel like it’s a crime. But I’m actually the dreamer girl in that song,” she said.

Having fun in the sunHaving fun in the sunBorn in Paris, Asa returned to her family’s home in Lagos, Nigeria at the age of two. She has been a dreamer from an early age. As the only girl in a family of four, living in an African city that was both vibrant and turbulent, young Asa often sought solace in her thoughts.

With a vivid imagination and dreams of musical stardom, she would often take to an imaginary stage with an imaginary microphone and perform to an imaginary audience. Growing up listening to a diverse range of music from artists such as Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson and Lauryn Hill, these influences all played their part when Asa began to forge her own musical path.

Full of ambition and tenacity, she went to music school when she was 18, learned to play the guitar and shaped her sound: songs delivered in English and Yoruba, with a winning fusion of contemporary soul, pop, reggae and funk, complete with strong vocals and soul-stirring melodies.

As an adult, she returned to France to cut her musical teeth, and it wasn’t long before she was signed to the record label, naïve. In 2007, she released her debut album, Asa, which spawned the hits songs Jailer and Fire on the Mountain.

She is one of the fastest rising artists in Africa, with BBC Music saying: “This Nigerian singer-songwriter might actually be a 21st century Bob Marley.”