Dr Carlo Mombelli, Wits School of Arts/WitsMusic lecturer, bassist, composer and musical virtuoso takes to the stage in collaboration with one of Holland's most interesting pianists’, Jeroen van Vliet on Tuesday, 16 July. Enjoy these two amazing composers Mombelli and Van Vliet on their creative sound design journey in the newly renovated Great Hall at Wits University. Accompanied by three other musicians, Mbuso Khoza (voice), Kesivan Naidoo (drums) and Sydney Mnisi (saxophone), audiences can expect a musical event of spontaneous freestyle chamber music with deep African influences.

Born in South Africa, Mombelli started playing bass at the age of 16 and seven years later joined the band of one of South Africa's most important jazz guitarists, Johnny Fourie. Multi-talented, he has written works for ballet, film and animation, as well as experimental jazz combinations that have been performed at international festivals including the Rome Villa Celimontana Jazz Festival, the Stockholm Jazz Festival, the German Moers Festival, the Leipziger Festival, the Banlieues Bleues Festival in Paris and the On the Edge of Wrong Festival in Norwa.

A charismatic musician and teacher, Mombelli has recorded with a range of greats including Egberto Gismonti, Lee Konitz, Mick Goodrick, Charlie Mariano, the Grammy Award-winning New York string quartet, Ethel, Zim Ngqawana, Johnny Fourie, Marcus Wyatt, Simphiwe Dana, Sibongile Khumalo and Miriam Makeba. He gives weekly workshops for children in Soweto and Mamelodi teaching music played on recycled material.

This event is a long awaited collaboration with Jeroen van Vliet who is described in the Dutch press as “a master of nuance”, his playing described as “enchanting, emotional and is full of fantasy”. Van Vliet was born in Rosmalen, in the Netherlands where he graduated cum laude from the Conservatory of Utrecht in 1991. At 19, he won both the first and the soloist prize, at the Middelsee Jazztreffen Leeuwarden, and three years later he did the same at the prestigious Meervaart Jazzconcours in Amsterdam. His very particular style has made him an extremely important musician within Dutch improvisation music circles. Van Vliet gained recognition working in the group of Paul van Kemenade and has worked with many international artists such as Bob Malach, Kenny Wheeler, John Zorn, Norma Winstone, and Charlie Mariano. Besides his trio and his group Estafest! with guitarist Anton Goudsmit, for the last few years he has toured the world with the group Gatecrash, in cooperation with trumpeter Eric Vloeimans.

Vocalist Mbuso Khoza learnt his music early as a herdsman caring for his father’s cattle at the age of five in the KwaZulu-Natal mountains. Using Zulu chants to call and direct them, he also learnt the spiritual ancestral music, and listened to the songs of the Zionists singing at night. Winner of the Metro FM Listeners Award in 2012, he lists Salif Keita and Angelique Kidjo as some of the artists who have influenced his sound since arriving in Johannesburg.

Kesivan Naidoo is regarded as one of South Africa’s most exciting and creative drummers. As he takes his seat behind the skins, Naidoo is transformed into a musical force of nature. Since he started playing at the age of 11, the East London-born drummer has scooped one award after the other, and became the youngest-ever recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts’ overseas scholarship (sponsored by SAMRO). He used the prize to travel to India where he studied under India’s percussion guru Professor Sanjoy Bandopadhyay at Bharati University in Calcutta. In 2009, he won the Standard Bank Young Artist Award in the jazz category and has since performed here and abroad with cutting-edge musicians such as Danilo Perez and the Indo-fusion group, Babu.

Sydney Mnisi, on tenor saxophone, waited until he was 28 to decide that his future lay in his love for jazz. Today, he is an accomplished and respected musician who has played with the likes of Abdullah Ibrahim, Bheki Mseleku, and Hugh Masekela. A pure natural artist, his playing is spiritual and exciting, at the ready to explore every musical note and colour.

Free parking is available in Senate House; the entrance is on Jorissen Street, Braamfontein.

Event: Mombelli & Van Vliet
Venue: Wits Great Hall, East Campus, Braamfontein
Date: Tuesday, 16 July
Time: 19:30

To book tickets, visit www.ticket.co.za Tickets cost R75 for full price, and R50 for discount price (students/scholars, pensioners and Wits staff). Tickets are also available at the door at R80 for the full price and R55 for the discount price (students/scholars, pensioners and Wits staff).

For more information, phone 073 121 2112/011 717 1376 or email [email protected].