Marlon Louis and Feya Faku
Presented by the University’s Arts Culture and Heritage Department, in association with the Music and Performing Arts Department, the concert marks a unique collaboration of education, community and artistic excellence, anchored in the theme “Improvisation and Syncopation: Re-Imaginations”.
Gqeberha-born jazz icon, Feya Faku, celebrated globally for his masterful trumpet work and rich history in South African jazz, will headline this year’s fest concert. Known for his collaborations with legends like Abdullah Ibrahim and Victor Ntoni, Faku’s artistry embodies the festival’s commitment to musical dialogue, cultural heritage and democracy.
Under the musical direction of Marlon Louis, head of Victoria Park High School’s music department, Faku will lead a programme featuring both Victoria Park High students and Nelson Mandela University’s talented students and alumni.
The event kicks off with a segment titled “Anticipating Democracy”, performed by Victoria Park High School, capturing jazz’s role in inspiring the democratic ideals South Africa has fought to uphold.
The second session, led by Faku, delves into “Democracy”, exploring jazz as a form of democratic expression, where improvisation and freedom take centre stage. The evening culminates in a dynamic improvisation session, symbolizing a collective re-imagining of democracy that involves all performers and reflects the evolving voice of Gqeberha.
The concert aims to support community engagement and skills-building in the local music community, providing Mandela University students and local young musicians with invaluable insights from Faku through jazz workshops on 14 November.
These collaborations offer a platform for cross-generational and cultural exchanges, reinforcing the University’s values of inclusivity, social justice and community upliftment.
The ISISUSAJazz Fest Concert is free and open to the public, thanks to the University’s support, showcasing jazz as a transformative force within Gqeberha and beyond. For those who value creativity as a tool for reimagining and rebuilding, this is an event not to be missed.
Event Details:
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Date: November 15, 2024
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Time: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
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Location: Nelson Mandela University, South Campus Auditorium
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Admission: Free
Join us as we celebrate democracy and cultural heritage through the improvisational spirit of jazz!
More information
The ISISUSA Jazz Fest Concert is an annual event which utilises jazz to showcase the musical talents of the University and of the communities it serves.
In changing and often unsettling times, jazz is also understood as a significant catalyst of new social imaginaries and innovations for society.
The 2024 iteration of ISISUSA therefore has the following theme: “Improvisation and Syncopation: Re-Imaginations”, with the intent and hope that through this year’s concert, audience members may be afforded the opportunity to think through our dreams, realities and ongoing aspirations for the democracy we desire.
Why make use of Jazz for this?
In musical terms, jazz offers a platform for musicians who play different instruments to collaborate and improvise together on an idea or a set of ideas at the same time, in the same space. In this way, jazz presents a rich and fertile space for new symbols, meanings, and languages to emerge with the power to influence further innovation and change in society.
In social terms, as we reflect on what we have learnt of ourselves as South Africans over the past 30 years of democracy, what jazz offers us is a bridge into understanding, imagining, re-imagining, and celebrating what it means to create rhythm from our differences. In musical terms, this is known as ‘syncopation’.
The 2024 theme has therefore been chosen as a way for the University to foreground the space for the re-imaginations which jazz provides not only to the broader national dialogue on democracy currently being planned for, but it also offers institutions, workplaces, and communities the ability to reflect on and re-imagine our desired and collaborative futures.
The Victoria Park High School Jazz Band, under the directorship of Marlon Louis, will perform the first set, focused on pieces which speak to the democracy which was deeply anticipated for, and desired. Marlon is an alumnus of Mandela University, who together with other alumni and current University music students work on the development of youths in jazz at the school.
Dr Feya Faku, a Gqeberha-born jazz musician is the 2024 headline act. He is recognised as a world-class jazz musician and improviser. He received an honorary Doctorate from Nelson Mandela University in 2011.
He will be accompanied by Marlon Louis, the University alumni and Victoria Park school learners. Feya’s set will talk to our current state of democracy and will also include an improvisation focused on the theme of the re-imagination of democracy.
Throughout the performances, visual images of the city, photographed by staff and students from the School of Music and Performing Arts will be integrated into the performances.
About Fezile Feya Fako
New Brighton born, a very soft and well-orchestrated jazz trumpeter, since well ages ago. Groomed and linked to many South African Jazz legends, such as Bra Winston Mankunku, Bra Tete Mbambisa, Makhaya Ntshoko, Pat Matshikiza, Bra Dudley Tito, Victor Ntoni, Bra Barney Rachabane etc.
He started playing music informally and got help from the above-mentioned local musicians. He then enrolled at The University of Natal to study with Darius Brubeck. It is in Durban where his career blossomed. He, Zim Ngqawana, Melvin Peters and Lex Futshane formed a quintet that supported all South African jazz greats that played at The Rainbow Jazz Club and Restaurant.
During the mid-90's, Feya started touring the world with Abdullah Ibrahim's band, Bheki Mseleku, Winston Mankunku Ngozi, Sylvia Mdunyelwa and many more. He has recorded eight albums on his own and with many musicians worldwide.
In 2019, Feya took a break from playing due to ill - health. In 2021, he came back full force with two albums. One with a Swiss Quintet - Live At The Birds Eye and the second one is lmpilo - which he recorded with and features an old friend, Cuban born pianist, leader and composer: David Virelles and his collaborator Fabian Gisler on acoustic bass.
This year, 2024, Feya Faku will be releasing a double CD which features Bokani Dyer on piano, Domenic Landolf on tenor saxophone & alto flute, including Sphelelo Mazibuko on drums. The CD was recorded in Basel, Switzerland.
About Marlon Louis
Marlon Louis started playing the trumpet at the Salem Moravian Church in Shauderville, Gqeberha, under the leadership of Tyrone Hitzeroth and till today still participates in some of this ensembles activities.
He has been involved in numerous local and international tours with both the local church band and BBSA. A major highlight of the tours was performing at the European EXPO 2000 in Hannover Germany, showcasing brass music in Church.
He had lessons with Shawn Lyon and later with Professor Erik Albertyn at Mandela University.
Marlon played in various ensembles from Two Tone and Centrestage, based in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Mandela University Brass Ensemble and the ECPO to the Johnny Cooper Big Band. He is a free-lance trumpet player for various events around the metro and most recently the Erle Felkers Big Band.
He has also been involved in theatre music for many years playing in shows like Chicago and Sweet Charity and has been musical director for “Herald Showtime”productions and various school musical productions. He is currently involved in the east Cape wind Orchestra as a trumpet tutor. Education is close to his heart, and he spends most of his days passing on knowledge and skills to the next generation.
Marlon is currently Head of Music and Culture and Brass and Percussion teacher at Victoria Park High School and has been at the school for the last 23 years, where he conducts the Victoria Park High School Jazz Ensemble.