SOUTH AFRICAN JAZZ PIANIST SOOTHES GREENWICH RESIDENTS...

According to the Oxford Dictionary...diverse means various, sundry, miscellaneous, mixed, dissimilar... 

When terrorists struck Woolwich, on May 22nd, 2013, one of their sick aims was to create chaos and make different races and Londoners bicker and fight and hate. London is one of those few places on earth where diversity is the order of the day. Diverse food, diverse cultures, 300 languages spoken here, etc.

That is exactly what Global Fusion Music and Arts is all about. Diversity, variance and divergence. Yes indeed,  GFMA  did promote a diversity night of music on Thursday 20th June, 2013.

Amongst the acts were Tamil Dancers from Sri Lanka, Jewish Jazz band (headlined) and South African Jazz pianist, Mervyn Africa...whose style and tones are beyond words. You had to be there to experience it. But if you could  not. Try to think of Keith Jarett and Abdullah Ibrahim...but don't stop yet.

Mervyn Africa deserves a smile afterwards...he made us happy.

What I specifically liked about Mervyn's set was the "diverse" (that word again) chops, from fast and wild  almost insane and abstract to sudden slow calculated bluesy notes,  to a typical Mbaqanga like groove. He allowed space but also scattered his lines to chaotic melodies and held you spellbound. 

That is why music is such a good mirror of identity and cultures. Listening to Mervyn Africa makes you think you are about to hear a repetition of Keith Jarret, then no, it is  Johannesburg and Soweto, perhaps Abdullah Ibrahim; then you soon realise these are mere  references. He has his own punctuation, his own stops, tinctures and colours. Fantastic signature. I specifically loved this tune he dedicated to the legendary Dudu Pukwana...another South African great who passed away in 1990:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=w6DA_gVXRCo

  

Mission accomplished. Time to reflect before heading off. Here the star stands with one of GFMA volunteers, Frances Cumming...

Louisa Le Marchand who hosted the evening told us Mervyn has a new CD and an expected tour with his band. Watch this space!

MUSICIAN ALAN HAYMAN -Last Images

Seen here in his final days, Alan Hayman the late  South African musician who died on  Wednesday 5th September, 2012 in Xerem,  Rio De Janeiro....this is typical Alan- at his best, a dictionary of music theory and percussion,  a guy who loved humanity, adored working with young people and  mingling with folks of all kind, colour, age...

Born in South Africa in April 1949, having showed his distaste for the abhorring Apartheid system , he moved to the UK where he met Virginia, married and together had a son, Joshua in 1982. 

Josh Hayman is now  an upcoming  magician who can be seen everywhere in the UK.

After a huge contribution in the multi-cultural  world of the UK (including being one of the founding members of the London School of Samba in 1983) Alan Hayman emigrated to Brazil in the mid 1990's where he continued with his active and positive life. One of the main projects he was heavily involved with was working with ill provided communities such as orphans shown in these pictures. Thanks to Vera  Lucia Perreira da Silva his life long partner and confidant in his august years for providing us with these rich,  precious images. 

TRIBUTE TO ALAN HAYMAN – SOUTH AFRICAN MUSICIAN RECENTLY DIED AND BURIED IN BRAZIL

A few days ago when I broke the death news to Jazz musician, Claude Deppa, after the initial shock, the charismatic Claude remarked : "He was too fast for London. No wonder he moved to Brazil.  Alan was ahead of his time."

There are two types of human beings.

 Those whose goals are achieved in their country of origin; and ones whose dreams are fulfilled in foreign lands.  Like Mohammed Farah who moved from Somalia and is now a celebrated athlete in the UK; or the Jewish thinker and author, Karl Marx who fled  Germany in the 19^th century and died in London. Remmy Ongala left Congo in 1978 and brought prestige to Tanzanian music, died and was buried in Dar es Salaam two years ago.

Living in a huge, cosmopolitan city like London makes you meet such individuals.    300 languages are spoken here. In such a maze of cultures and nationalities, I met Alan Hayman, a South African community enthusiast and musician in 1991.

Alan Hayman (first right, seated on his beloved Congas) in his hey days with Sambatucada band. One can see how  Alan enjoyed working and collaborating with others...Pic courtsey of Vera Lucia Pereira da Silva.

 Back then I was living in Rio de Janeiro and had reviewed an international film festival for a London magazine. While visiting the country my agent (who was based in London) said she had got a call from this African guy.