UCT Big Band Baxter Concert Hall 18 April 2023

The UCT (BIG) Big Band in Concert
with Special Guests
Nomfundo Xaluva
Michael Bester
Directed by Amanda Tiffin
Baxter Concert Hall
18 April 2023

The UCT Big Band has been part of Cape Town’s jazz scene over the past 25 years, having maintained a consistently high standard of performance to date. Under the direction of Professor Mike Campbell, the UCT Big Band has performed on stages all over the country. Amanda Tiffin took over the baton, so to speak, in 2020. The UCT Big Band, and its smaller version, the UCT Little Big Band, have been one of a few performing groups in South Africa to concentrate on the most contemporary sounds in modern big band jazz, and bringing the full big band sound to indigenous South African music. The group regularly features singers from the jazz programme. This year sees the band returning to full strength, after performing in a COVID-friendly, reduced ten-piece format for the last two years. The typical concert repertoire will feature a variety of big band jazz ranging from classic swing to the most contemporary jazz/rock and Latin fusion styles, including original material arranged by notable South African Jazz writers.

Amanda Tiffin directs the UCT Big Band, and is also Head of the Jazz studies programme at UCT.
Amanda is vocalist, pianist, composer and arranger at home in varying genres and settings: from Musical Theatre and pop stage shows, to big band jazz and world music collaborations. She has recorded 7 albums, and has performed on a wide variety of stages nationally and internationally. Amanda is a respected educator, with a passion for youth development, and regularly conducts workshops and master classes in South Africa and abroad. Her students have gone on to achieve success on international stages, as local recording artists and as educators in schools and institutions all over South Africa.

Nomfundo Xaluva
Bio

Michael Bester
Michael Bester is a guitarist, composer and producer who spends his days working to fill the world with beautiful music.
He is a SACM Jazz alumnus, and went on to complete his Masters Degree in Contemporary Music Performance and Production at Berklee Valencia.
Now he lives in Cape Town, playing his guitar, writing, producing and performing music under his own name, as well as with several top bands. He released his debut solo recording, “Now, Not Yet” in 2019 to critical acclaim. Michael is the head of Jazz Guitar at SACM, UCT.

UCT BIG BAND 2023
DIRECTOR: AMANDA TIFFIN

SECTION DIRECTORS:
Saxophones; Justin Bellairs
Brass: William Haubrich
Rhythm: Amanda Tiffin

SAXOPHONES:
ALTO 1 Gilson Amaral
ALTO 2 Max Nattrass
TENOR 1 Jed Petersen
TENOR 2 Dillon Manley
BARITONE Emilie Walters

TRUMPETS:
Bonga Mosola
Lebo Komane
Katy Racionzer
Chad Groupies

TROMBONES:
TROMBONE 1 Tamzyn Freeks
TROMBONE 2 Aviwe Macutwana
TROMBONE 3 Hope Hadebe
TROMBONE 4 Sisipho Mangete

RHYTHM SECTION:
PIANO: Joshua Wheatley
BASS: Joshua Nemaire
DRUMS: Joshua Roelofse

FEATURED VOCALISTS:
Marzia Barry
Pamela Lunguza
Giuliette Price
Khonkco Twalo

Programme:

The Queen Bee
Composed & Arranged by Sammy Nestico

I’ve Got The World On A String
Harold Arlen & Ted Koehler
Featuring Khonkco Twalo

Etosha
Dan Shout
Arranged by Mike Campbell

Cottontail
Duke Ellington
Arranged by Slide Hampton
Featuring Marzia Barry

Slo-Funk
Composed & Arranged by Bob Mintzer
Featuring Michael Bester (guitar)

Count Bubba
Composed & Arranged by Gordon Goodwin

INTERVAL

Blue Cellophane
Duke Ellington
Transcribed by David Berger
Featuring Tamzyn Freeks

Oh Lady Be Good
George & Ira Gershwin
Arranged by Cecil Bridgewater
Featuring Giuliette Price

Themba Lam’
Composed by Mandisi Dyantyis
Arranged by Mike Campbell
Featuring Nomfundo Xaluva

Bayathetha
Composed bu Nomfundo Xaluva
Arranged by Mike Campbell
Featuring Nomfundo Xaluva

Sunspots
Composed & Arranged by Mike Campbell
Featuring Michael Bester

Yehlisan’umoya
Busi Mhlongo
Arranged by Amanda Tiffin
Featuring Pamela Lunguza

Welela
Composed by Gloria Bosman
Arranged by Mike Campbell
UCT Jazz pays tribute the beloved artist, vocalist extraordinaire, composer, performer, former student and dear friend, Gloria Bosman. She is deeply missed.