For more than twenty years, the voice of Cécile Verny has been one of the most important in European jazz; uniting her love for the songs of her West African homeland, gospel, chansons and the American jazz standards in a most distinctive way.
Whether sung in English or French; as an earthy shuffle, ballade, chanson, or rhythmic up-tempo number; all the songs capitalise on Verny's uncanny ability to capture a heartfelt story. The key to her successful career, however, has been the collaboration with her award-winning quartet. Featuring Bernd Heitzler (bass), Andreas Erchinger (piano) and Obi Jenne (percussion), they create timeless jazz, with influences from world music to pop. Their new program, Keep Some Secrets Within, is the formidable outcome of their search for a completely personal sound and rhythmic quality.
The Cécile Verny Quartet’s southern African tour is made possible by a partnership between the Goethe-Institut, Institut Français, the Alliances Françaises network, the German and French embassies, and the Elysée Fund - which promotes pa rtnerships between the cultural institutions of European Union member countries. The tour is presented within the framework of the French Season in South Africa 2012.
This Music in the City concert will take place at Hiddingh Hall, University of Cape Town (UCT) Hiddingh Campus, Orange Street, Cape Town on Wednesday, 29 August at 20:00. The performance is free and no booking is necessary. For more information on the Music in the City concert series, please contact the GIPCA office on 021 480 7156 or email
[email protected]. For more information on the Cécile Verny Quartet, see their website,
www.cvq.de.