This is, perhaps, what's so great about the planned series of Monday night jazz sessions being held at the Trinity Super Club in Cape Town's Green Point suburb. With a warm and welcoming atmosphere and a line-up that includes many of of Cape Town's best-known and loved jazz musicians, you're unlikely to find many excuses to stay in.
The first session, held on Monday, 7 June headlining the dynamic, multi-award winning diva Judith Sephuma, backed up by the Mike Campbell Big band, drew out a full house of elegant and sophisticated jazz aficionados to enjoy the music and ambience.
Is a BIG Band making a comeback? There definitely seems to be a melting pot of musicians showing their dedication to the genre. From tenor sax soloist Mike Rossi to legends such as Darryl aka "The White Fox" Andrews on guitar and John Hassan waxing the percussion, to young faces such as Romy Brauteseth and the ubiquitous Dan Shout on alto Sax.
To accompany the shows, owner Kevin King and his son Nick have really paid attention to detail in the venue's finishes and décor. With a winter warmer menu showing some extra nice touches such as the designer soup bowls and oversized steak plates, which all add to the feeling of having a luxurious experience albeit at reasonable prices. You don't have to eat to watch the shows, but seating preference is given to booked tables. By the way, the opening night was sponsored by Johnny Walker which also helped to keep out the cold.
With the Green Dolphin sadly having closed its doors last month, the timing is perhaps just right for another centrally located Cape Town jazz venue and Trinity does the job perfectly, having all the necessary ingredients to become a desirable jazz destination in the calibre of New Orleans' Preservation Hall or London's Ronnie Scotts. With great entertainment, great sound quality, great lighting effects and a very cool crowd, the Trinity music sessions are sure to become a great place to be seen.
Perhaps, and this is asking a lot, even hearkening back to a time before District Six and Sophiatown were more than just an ache in our hearts and where, in the spaces between the notes, we might experience a glimmer of what might have been.
As well as having top Djs, like Roger Goode, and more live music sessions on Wednesdays and Fridays, the planned Thursday evening Cape Songwriter open-mike sessions also sound like a good night out, are sure to be a welcome incubator for fun and talent spotting and entrance is free!
Perhaps there is potential for Cape Town, and indeed South Africa, to promote itself more seriously as one of the world's great music capitals - as another aspect of the stuff of which we are proud and on which we might draw to put some flesh on the bones of the much sought after BrandSA strategy. Need South African Jazz be just about the annual Cape Town Jazz Festival, or an all-year-round destination, at the heart of everything that unites and inspires. Jazz route anyone?
Here are some other venues to try, courtesy of the fabulous Cape Town magazine:
www.capetownmagazine.com/must-see-and-do/Cape-Towns-jazz-clubs/140_52_1674 jazz-clubs
live African music
more jazz
