Album launches by Luna Paige and Vusi Mkhize presented by Castle Lager at the Rainbow Restaurant (28 March)

Luna Paige is a Cape Town based musician who I first encountered at a solo performance at Highfield House in Hillary in August 2009. It was her first visit to Durban and I went along because she had really gone out of her way to inform me of her performance.

 Despite those efforts, there were only around ten people in the audience, most of them linked to the venue or the people doing the sound for her. Most young musicians would have given up right there and then but she got up on stage and sang her heart out. She transported those few of us in the audience to magical places through her stories and songs.

 

In February I got a mail from Luna informing me that she would be returning to Highfield House at the end of March to launch her album, Wonderful Life with her full band. It was when I read the names of the musicians backing her that I decided that this was one I would like at the Rainbow. Kevin Gibson is on drums. Besides teaching at UCT he has toured the world with artists such as Johnny Clegg, Jackson Browne and Winston Mankunku Ngozi. In fact, he has performed at the Rainbow on numerous occasion with Ngozi, The Jazzanians and Darius Brubeck going right back to 1983 when he was studying at UKZN. On bass guitar is Schalk Joubert. This will be his first appearance on the Rainbow stage but if he is good enough as touring bassist for Michelle Shocked he should be good enough for the Rainbow. Completing the backing trio is Willem Moller on guitar. He first came to prominence as a member of the anti-Apartheid Voelvry tour of the late 80's.

Nicola and I have known Vusi Mkhize since our days of working at the BAT Centre in the late 90's when his band Sakhula was a regular performer on the music program. That was followed by a lengthy period where Mkhize was based in Johannesburg. He was a regular guitarist in bands backing artists such as Deborah Fraser, Gloria Bosman and Afro Tenor. A few years back Mkhize returned to his home in Hammarsdale, which he is process of developing as a tavern and music venue. In late 2008 the Hugo Bartel Trust for the Arts agreed to provide funding for him to record his first full length solo album and amaThongo was eventually launched in November 2009 at Phansi Museum. Now it is time for Mkhize to introduce the album to the Rainbow.

Joining him on stage will be Wake Mahlobo on drums, Mthobisi Mthalane and Nathi Shongwe on keyboards, Nelly Kunene and Mbali Majola on backing vocals. (At the time of going to press the bassist had not been confirmed)

DATE: Sunday 28 March

Bring some extra cash for CD's.