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Delft Big Band musicians produce emotional experience at the 2011 Artscape Youth Jazz Festival

6 Jun 2011

The Delft Big Band started three years ago as part of a programme to equip vulnerable youths with life skills. More than 100 learners from the community have participated in the programme and the more advanced musicians comprise the Delft Big Band. The band is directed by Ian Smith, a celebrated jazz performer and teacher who has poured his expertise into the band, with fantastic results. Ian believes in the value of being a proficient sight reader. Although none of the members could read a note of music when the band started, Ian attributes the band's success to his emphasis on learning to read music.

Delft Big Band musicians produce emotional experience at the 2011 Artscape Youth Jazz Festival

Passion and proficiency

It was a very moving experience to witness the Delft Big Band perform with passion and proficiency. The six soloists are super-talented and really young (unlike the young of political parties!). Adelia Douw, vocalist, is 17, but sings with such vocal maturity that she could be mistaken for Ella Fitzgerald (if you couldn't see her sweetly smiling, moving and owning the stage). Matthew Ehrenreich is 18 and plays the saxophone with sophisticated artistry. The other soloists, Lorenzo Blignaut on trumpet; Dayna Pearce, saxophone, clarinet and assistant director of the band; Sandile Gontsana charming vocalist; and Mark Williams virtuoso guitarist, impressed us with their talented and spirited performances.

Well-known numbers

The Delft Big Band performed a well-chosen set of mostly well-known numbers, such as Summertime , Take Five, Mac the Knife, Hey Big Spender, Get Happy and many others, with the effective backing of the band's three trumpeters: Brandon Hendricks on bass guitar, three trombones, four saxophones and Cameron Davids and Ashwin Motha on drums. Andrew Ford and Clayton Saul kept the keyboards cooking. The driving, energetic performance all happened in front of an effective backdrop of a New York sky line.

Ian Smith has the power to sweep the band along as he conducts with energy, physicality and some impressive leaps! The band members clearly respect him and he has recognised and nurtured the talent of these committed young musicians. What they produce is really worth listening to and supporting. I felt like crying because of the beauty that the Delft Big Band has created out of nothing.