Jesse Clegg Live at the Joburg Theatre (12 - 14 May)

Jesse Clegg’s first concert production, When I Wake Up, will take place at the Nelson Mandela Theatre at the Joburg Theatre from May 12 to May 14 2009.

The show is presented by 94.7 Highveld Stereo.

The performance will include songs off Jesse’s debut hit album, When I Wake up, as well as some new material.

Jesse Clegg released his first CD, When I Wake Up, in October last year. The first single, Today, has received extensive airtime, and shot to number 1 on the Highveld Homebrew charts in the first week it was released.

It has also charted on 5FM, OFM, RMR, Kovsie FM and is play-listed on Jacaranda FM, Algoa FM, Bay FM, UJFM, East Rand Stereo, RSG, Taste FM, Bay FM, East Coast radio, MFM, UNIFM, and UCT.

Jesse was born in Johannesburg in 1988. By the time he was six months old he was on tour with his father, Johnny Clegg, and between 1988 and 1994 he spent at least five months a year on the road. He was a classic road kid and grew up backstage and on tour busses. In 1994 his father’s band broke up and the touring subsided. Jesse schooled in Johannesburg at Crawford College and matriculated with six distinctions in 2006.

In school Jesse experimented with a number of different instruments - including saxophone, clarinet, drums and piano – until he finally settled on guitar. He started playing when he was about 13, focusing mostly on chord structures and simple licks.

Early on, Jesse carved out an independent direction for himself in the rock genre, very different from the world music style developed by his dad. As someone who grew up in the environment of a successful musical father, he strived to express himself in the most authentic way possible and understood the importance of being able to perform live.

After Jesse matriculated, he took a gap year to record more demo tracks and put together an album. He also started a band which gave him the opportunity to rehearse and perform some of the songs around Johannesburg - appearing under a number of different band names. It was here that a few of the songs took shape in terms of arrangement and guitar sounds. By this time, Jesse was looking to professionally record the songs with producer Brian O’Shea, who joined the project and they began work on what was to be the final album, When I Wake Up.

The highlight of Jesse’s career came in June 2007 when he got the opportunity to tour internationally with his father Johnny Clegg once again. He performed alongside his father at a number of festivals in France to crowds of more than 10 000 people. Another highlight for Jesse was when a major Belgian producer, Nicolas Fizman, agreed to co-produce his album alongside Brian O’Shea. By the end of 2007 the album was completed and in early 2008 he signed a major record deal with David Gresham Records.

Be first in line to witness this exciting new talent LIVE!

Tickets are R120 and R150 (excluding Computicket booking fee). Discounted tickets for groups of ten or more are available by calling VIP Ticketing 011 877 6853.
Performance days and times:
Tuesday 12 May – 8pm
Wednesday 13 May – 8pm
Thursday 14 May – 8pm