tickets:
regular: 14,- €uro
students, disabled persons: 7,- €uro
doors: 7.30 pm CET
concert starts:
approx. 8.00 pm CET
After numerous tours and four albums, PLURISM’s new line-up for UMHLANGANO (isiXhosa for “coming together”) brings together a group of musicians who admire each other: Around drummer Dominic Egli’s quirky, nostalgic sensibility, the grounded vibrancy of bassist Raffaele Bossard, the powerful trumpet and flugelhorn sound of the great Feya Faku (one of the “Legends”), and newly Mthunzi Mvubu’s effervescent creativity and Sisonke Xonti’s vulnerable, audacious playing (arguably the most outstanding saxophonists of South Africa’s younger generation) form a dynamic collective.
From the band members‘ compositions, the five develop songlike melodies, multi-layered driving grooves and eruptive solos with raw sensuality, explosive composure and earthy playfulness. Based on friendship and trust, PLURISM combines influences from different traditions, collective improvisations and individual statements to create a coherent sound.
Feya Faku, trumpet & fluegelhorn, New Brighton PE, South Africa
Internationally renowned from his collaborations with such illustrious musicians as Abdullah Ibrahim, Bheki Mseleku, Zim Ngqawana, Winston Mankunku Ngozi and Darius Brubeck, Feya Faku is an important exponent of the South African jazz scene. He was artist-in-residence at the Centre for African studies at the Basel University (CH). His warm, vibrant and full sound on trumpet and flugelhorn, his technical skills, his soulful playing, his melodic lines that even in complex improvisations are lyrical and tight, and finally that certain something that is beyond words but characteristic of South African jazz musicians, all this has made him the band’s first choice.
Mthunzi Mvubu, alto saxophone, Daveyton, South Africa
Mthunzi Mvubu is a South African based saxophonist and flute player.Mostly selftaught, he started his music career at the age of 14 at the Music Academy of Gauteng under the mentorship of the late Dr. Johnny Mekoa. While in the MAG (Music Academy of Gauteng) Jazz Orchestra ,Mthunzi toured with the big band in countries such as England,Sweden,USA,Germany,Russia to name but a few. He was also a part of the big band that accompanied Kevin Mahogany and Everest Greene .With the South African Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival,Mthunzi formed part of the horn section backing the Legendary American groups such the O’Jays on their tour in South Africa.He was part of the South Africa chosen Horn section accompanying the Temptations and Clarence Carter (USA).
He has played on stages around the world with the finest musicians like Abdullah Ibrahim,Themba Mkhize,(the late) Victor Ntoni,Omar Sosa,Nduduzo Makhathini,Feya Faku,Marcus Wyatt,Jason Yarde,Musa Manzini,Jimmy Dludlu, Jonas Gwangwa and Herbie Tsoaeli to name a few. Recently he was part of musicians accompanying Steve Turre at the Tshwane international big band Festival amongst others.Mvubu has also been touring Europe and USA extensively with the Shabaka and The Ancestors group with has won the 2020 Downbeat 68th annual critics poll for rising star-jazz group. Mvubu is undoubtedly the most recorded saxophonist in South Africa,appearing in over 20 albums. Internationally he has recorded and performed with Lionel Loueke and Shabaka Hutchings.
Sisonke Xonti, tenor saxophone, Johannesburg, South Africa
He is the 2020 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for Jazz, is an increasingly well-known saxophonist. Few would have guessed, however, that the musician only took up music as a full-time career six years ago, having studied towards a degree in law throughout his university career. Throughout his studies Xonti had been performing with friends who were all now playing music professionally, building sustainable careers out of the craft. Xonti made the crucial decision to move up to Joburg in 2013.
While he only took the leap into music as a full-time profession a few years ago, music has been a part of Xonti’s life since childhood. It was at the age of 13 that he discovered the saxophone, and he soon fell in love with jazz. Early signs of Xonti’s talent were his selection for three years to the Standard Bank National Schools Big Band (2004-6), and later his selection twice to the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band under the leadership of Andrew Lilley and Feya Faku. Another influential moment came in the form of performing in Jimmy Dludlu’s band which saw him learning from the legendary guitarist as well as performing to audiences across Africa, China, Réunion, Switzerland and more. During his student years, Xonti continued to perform and played frequently alongside South African jazz contemporaries and former Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winners Kesivan Naidoo, Shane Cooper, and Bokani Dyer. Following his move to Johannesburg, Xonti connected with musicians Nduduzo Makhathini and Ayanda Sikade who subsequently introduced him to Herbie Tsoaeli. “That’s the energy of Joburg. You meet new people and collaborate constantly. Through Herbie I was able to meet Zim Ngqawana who was one of my greatest inspirations,” says Xonti. Finally, a moment that Xonti holds dear to his heart was the 2017 release of his debut album ‚Iyonde‘, named after his own middle-name and meaning ‘to be enjoyed. www.musicinafrica.net/ . In 2020 he released his album «uGaba The Migration» and won the Standart Bank Young Artist Award.
Raffaele Bossard, bass, Emmen, Switzerland
Bossard’s powerful acoustic lines can be the base and foundation at any time and yet open up spaces for exploration, provoke, cut in, support the ideas of the other players and in this way coax them to take unexpected detours. His wealth of experiences from collaborating with hip-hop and straight-ahead projects lend his free improvisations a compositional quality, just as his soulful solos inspire the music as a whole; no small wonder, then, that of the Swiss bassists of his generation he is the one everyone wants to play with.
“…Double bass player Raffaele Bossard not only accompanies with distinctive quarter notes, but also adds fat meandering lines to ballads. He was given much space for solos and proved to be exceptionally talented, a great story-teller.” AZ
Dominic Egli, drums, Lausanne, Switzerland
Egli, with his many-faceted drumming style which encompasses a dynamic spectrum from full-throttle power to an airy intimacy, has been the engine behind more than 60 CDs. His sound aesthetics is rooted in tradition, which together with his stylistic diversity and melodious communicative approach to improvisation have made him a musician who has accompanied both international stars and numerous creative bands from Switzerland. He co-lead the bands K:E:B and Miniatur Orchester, befor founding his ensemble PLURISM, with which he tours and records since 2012.
“…always focused and alert, Dominic Egli is quick to respond and constantly up to the moment…” AvU
“…the naturally smooth sounds of drummer Dominic Egli…” MZ
“…like a boxer, Egli dances and weaves around the bassist…”Bund
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