Dynamite duo at Tivoli fest

By Bob Eveleigh, Entertainment Editor

ANY jazz enthusiast in Port Elizabeth who missed out on the superb sounds emanating from the Boardwalk’s Tivoli Theatre over the New Year period should kick themselves.

Although one show was the victim of inclement weather (it was moved to the genuine jazz club atmospher of Razzmattazz in Grace Street without losing one iota of impact), but otherwise the weather was kind to the open-air programme put together by Damon Batiste, Badi Murphy, Danny Mongo and Glenton de Kock under the Nosaconn (New Orleans South Africa Connection) banner.

A couple of artists – notably ace saxophonost Donald Harrison and keyboards maestro David Batiste – returned after last year’s exploratory festival at the same venue but the “connection’’ concept was far more fully explored this time.

South African artists like top guitarists Jimmy Dludlu and Johnny Fourie and singer/songwriter/ guitarist Selaolo Selota (who played, on invitation, at the New Orleans Jazz Festival last year) impressed audiences just like the other visitors from the US.

Lesser known, more localised talents like Four By Four (with a knockout Take Five included in their set), Another Level and Sagiya also contributed to the entertainment.

Also included in the programme was a workshop session-cum-concert at the Great Centenary Hall, which gave local PE musicians and those simply interested in jazz an opportunity to meet and greet the New Orleans visitors.

The latter included superb songstress Cynthia Dewberry and her accomplished keyboardist Darrel Levigne.

But, for my money, far and away the most exciting act at this year’s Festival popped up on the first night in the form of the gorgeous, lissome of figure singer Kim Prevost and unassuming and diminutive guitarist Bill Solley.

Together they make up the most dynamically unusual jazz act seen in PE in many years – one might even say “ever seen in PE’’ and feel safe from contradiction.

Solley never says a word but merely plays his instrument while the delightful Ms Prevost links the numbers and delivers marvellous vocals on a whole array of standards.

To say merely that Bill Solley “plays his guitar’’ is, however, a tremendous understatement.

It’s a special seven-string instrument allowing the musician to play both lead and bass passages as required and, on top of this, a mini-soundboard allows him to add percussive effects as well.

As Kim Prevost rightly pointed out on-stage, the man is a one-man orchestra and , when not showing off his solo virtuosity (which he does in every item), makes the perfect accompanist. subordinating himsefl to the vocalist in an exemplary manner.

The duo kicked off with a spectacular Fever, followed by What a Differenec a Day Made and the Jerome Kern evergreen, Dearly Beloved.

But, just as Solley hardly just “plays’’ his guitar, so does Kim Prevost do far more with a lyric than merely deliver it.

In the ballads, she caresses the words in a liquid manner that makes the rendition of the song really music to listeners’ ears.

But the pair’s take on another Kern standard, I Won’t Dance, is exactly the opposite, as they swing for all they are worth, taking the melody really up-tempo.

Then again, on Berlin’s Blue Skies, it’s an oh so slow opening, picking up the tempo and staying relaxed till the driving finish.

But just listen to the Prevos/ Solley rendition of Cole Porter’s Love for Sale and she is sexuality personified, as the lyric requires.

Jule Styne’s Just in Time closed the all-too-short set, which included some fine scatting and riffs from Kim Prevost.

This is one act that was wasted at a single concert and Damon Batiste must bring them back to the Friendly City for every show at next year’s jazz fest. As Johhny Fourie, who had to folow them as the top of the bill act said as he sat down on-stage “How do they expcet me to follow that . . .??’’

But to Damon, Badi and the gang from America, backed by most generous South African and New Orleans sponsorships, “Well Done!’’.

See you in 2002/2003!