Jazz Day jumps at Anna’s Kloovenburg

International Jazz Day (30 April) arrives with the rain as an excited audience crams into Anna’s Kloovenburg to mark the occasion in Windhoek.

Sir Ray, who presides over the keys and the festivities,begins the Sunday afternoon with a word fromInternational Jazz Day founder and legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock.

“Today people all across the globe from Argentina to Zimbabwe are paying tribute to jazz and its role in bringing differences and bringing people together,” says Hancock in an audio recording that fills the plush second-floor wine shop and tasting room as the audience quiets in respect of an icon.

“Jazz has always been about expanding boundaries, inspiring musicians towards the future and its infinite possibilities”.

This idea of endless possibility is also what inspired the musical excursion that features Sir Ray (piano), Imms Nicolau (lead guitar), Wayne M (bass), Fernando Piu (drums) and Cape Town based saxophonist Gareth Harvey in an evening curated by Ama Owusu-Agyemang’s August.

For Sir Ray, the event is an opportunity for a number ofsought after session musicians to take centre stage while Owusu-Agyemang aims to elevate local experiences.

“It was a chance for us, who are always backing up other artists, to express ourselves, showcase our talents and do something we love,” says Sir Ray who beams when he repeats the notion that jazz shows don’t make bank before noting that their event, simply titled ‘International Jazz Day Quintet’, sold out in 48 hours.

“Like Ray said, we sold out so we had to add a second show,” says Owusu-Agyemang.

“There’s a lack of these kind of events in Windhoek. Not just jazz but across genres. Night life and entertainment in Namibia can be repetitive. We’re trying to make sure that experiences can be elevated.”

Such elevation seems effortless as Annaloice Penduka of Anna’s Kloovenburg fame runs pistachio crusted prawn, chorizo and mushroom crostini and olive and fig jam ice cream out of a kitchen churning out a menu by Marvin Roman, replete with a five-wine pairing.

As for the jazz that brought us there, each musician has their time to shine amidst an enthusiastic offering that raises the roof and stokes nostalgia with its selection of afro jazz, swing and free jazz.
Sir Ray, a charming host, opens the session with the bestselling jazz single of all time as the combo dives straight into Dave Brubeck’s ‘Take Five’.

As Nicolau wows, Harvey, the consummate jazz cat, blows, Wayne M plucks the bass and Piu drums up a storm, standards like ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ and suprises such as a jazzy take on Gazza’s ‘Chelete’ please a crowd fit to bust with exhilaration.

When Sir Ray, who has been regaling the audience all afternoon, forfeits fingers to tickle the ivories with an elbow, the scene is officially jumping. “Jazz is one genre where there are no rules,” says Sir Ray… and he means it.

With nary a warning or a warm up, he invites local artists Lize Ehlers, SheCantGo and M-Ghyss on stage for a final, crowd-supported rendition of ‘Lean on Me’.

Nobody wants to go. The quintet has to do it all over again in an hour but departures are delayed. When folksfinally start to trickle out, International Jazz Day thoroughly observed, it’s perhaps mainly because of Owusu-Agyemang’s promise.

“This is the first of many”.

– martha@namibiancom.na; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter and Instagram; marthamukaiwa.com