The Andre Petersen Quartet

Award- winning jazz pianist, Andre Petersen is sure to set the Great Hall alight on 27 September with his incredible quartet.

Wits Theatre and Wits School of Arts/Division of Music present The Andre Petersen Quartet

Award- winning jazz pianist, and recently appointed Wits lecturer, Andre Petersen is sure to set the Great Hall alight on 27 September with his incredible quartet featuring recent Berklee College of Music graduate and now New York -based, Kesivan Naidoo (drums), Sisonke Xonti (saxophone) and Romy Brauteseth (bass).

The concert will feature mostly original material from Petersen's two recently released albums, the Norwegian/South African collaboration, "The Storm Inside" featuring Feya Faku, and the acclaimed two-piano album with New York based, classical pianist, Kathleen Tagg, "Where Worlds Collide". It is an eclectic programme of original material with influences of Cape Ghoema, classical, post-Bop and many more, delivering a uniquely Pan-African sound - a concert not to be missed!

“...a compelling writer and lateral-thinking pianist...contemplative...playing both inside and outside the box, his delicate lines like gentle raindrops...”  All about Jazz

“Potentially the most interesting South African pianist!”   Mail and Guardian


“...it’s a joy to notice Petersen’s roots and his formidable piano playing!’  Nettavisen (Norway) 

Free parking is available in Senate House; the entrance is on Jorissen Street, Braamfontein

PRODUCTION: The Andre Petersen Quartet
VENUE: Wits Great Hall, Braamfontein East Campus.
SEASON:  Tuesday 27 September 2016 @ 19h30
RUNNING TIME: Seventy minutes no interval.
BOOKING: webtickets.co.za
Full price = R80.00; discount price = R55.00 (students, pensioners and Wits staff). Tickets are available at the door. Full price = R85.00; discount price = R60.00 (students, pensioners and Wits staff). 

ABOUT THE MUSICIANS:

Andre Petersen (PIANO) is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most sought after pianists and educators. He is the recipient of numerous classical music and jazz music awards including first prize in the Old Mutual Jazz Encounters Competition, first prize in the SAMRO Overseas Piano Scholarship Competition, the Oppenheimer Overseas Scholarship, and the Vuya Foundation Scholarship Award. Participating at the prestigious Parisian 2011 Concours de Piano-jazz Martial Solal Competition as the only African pianist to be selected from 68 international pianists, Andre received a Special Mention Award. His recording and performance credits include working with Grammy nominee, US vibraphonist Stefon Harris, Reggie Washington, Dave Liebman, Marcus Strickland, Dave Young, Morten Halle, Jazz Jamaica (UK) featuring Soweto Kinch, Denys Baptiste, members of the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra and the Norwegian Avant Garde band Soyr. Petersen has also worked with some of South Africa's leading musicians, including, Winston Mankunku, Makaya Mtshoko, Feya Faku, Robbie Jansen, Judith Sephuma, Jimmy Dludlu and many others.Also due for release this year (2016) his second album with award winning Norwegian saxphonist Morten Halle, featuring special guest Feya Faku.

Andre is currently on the faculty of the Wits School of The Arts/Division of Music, University of Witwatersrand.                      

Kesivan Naidoo (DRUMS)
Kesivan is an award winning drummer and composer. He began studying the drums at the tender age of 10. After high school he attended the University of Cape Town and completed a B.Mus Honors in Jazz studies. Kesivan has a diverse musical vocabulary that he has formed across the globe with different groups that highlight the different styles ranging from Modern South African Jazz (Tribe, Kesivan and the Lights), Electronic (Closet Snare), World Music (Babu) as well as Contemporary Classical (Beat Bag Bohemia). Kesivan has performed with some of the world’s finest musicians including:
Dave Liebman, Danilo Perez, Tarus Marteen , Joe Lovano, John Patiticci Maria Schneider, Miriam Makeba, Bheki Mseleku, Zim Ngqawana, Feya Faku, Rene McLean, Jimmy Dludlu, Judith Sepumba, Hotep Galeta, Steve Newman Carlo Mombelli and Winston MankunkuHe is a Zildjian Artist, endorsing both Cymbals and Sticks as well as New Clear Blasts (Blas-sticks under his own special name Kezonators). Kesivan now lives in New York City.

Sisonke Xonti (SAXOPHONE) started playing music at the age of ten but it was only when he turned thirteen that he fell in love with the saxophone and continued playing classical saxophone until he received a UNISA Grade 8 Distinction (2006).His introduction to jazz came at the age of sixteen (2004) when he joined the Cape Town based band, The Little Giants, led by George Werner and the late Ezra Ngcukana. That same year, he was selected to be a part of the School’s Big Band at the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival in Grahamstown. And later (2007) was also selected for the National Youth Band for the first time under the leadership of Dr. Andrew Lilley. He has since played with an array of highly acclaimed musicians, namely Jimmy Dludlu, Victor Ntoni, Lira, Hugh Masekela, Judith Sephuma, Dj Christos, DJ Vinny DA Vinci, Herbie Tsoaeli, Feya Faku, Freshlyground, Neo Muyanga, Bheki Khoza, Barney Wailer from Bob Marley and the Wailers, Mike Campbell and the UCT Big Band, Abdullah Ibrahim and The Cape Town Jazz Orchestra, CODA, Andre Petersen, Kyle Shepherd, Bokani Dyer, Marcus Wyatt, Goodluck, Lwanda Gogwana, The International Youth Jazz Band, Simphiwe Dana, Andile Yenana and also as band leader in his own jazz project.

Romy Brauteseth (BASS).
Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in 1989, Brauteseth was surrounded by a musical family and played piano and guitar at an early age. She learnt to play electric bass and read music and played in the Victoria Park High School Big Band. She was chosen for the National Schools Big Band in 2005 and the National Youth Band in 2010. After matriculating, she studied graphic design at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University whilst continuing a freelance music career in various bands, collaborations and theatre shows.Brauteseth moved to Cape Town and found her musical match in the upright bass, which she started playing in 2011. She has become one of SA’s most sought after young bass players and has played with top artists including Melanie Scholtz, Kesivan Naidoo, Mark Fransman, Marcus Wyatt, Feya Faku, Andre Petersen, Nduduzo Makathini, Dan Shout, Reza Khota, Lee Thomson, Gorm Helfjord, Kevin Gibson, Andrew Lilley, Alvin Dyers, Bokani Dyer and Kyle Shepherd at gigs, Bokani Dyer Trio and festivals across the country, and increasingly internationally.

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