LIVE music platforms are in short supply in Cape Town. And by that measure, the fourth instalment of Woodstock Live at Trafalgar Park this Sunday should be commended.
Not for being the biggest event, but for opening up just one more regular space for music. One more space which targets a diverse and inclusive Cape Town audience.
Of course, we have the impressive Cape Town International Jazz Festival and world-class acts make appearances at the Cape Town Stadium and Grand West Casino.
But thinking beyond big time show business, we have a long way to go to make this a vibrant music city. Indeed, as much as Cape Town may be acclaimed as a “creative hub” our city has seen a diminishing number of venues and spaces, which are available, accessible and used for music throughout the year. The leasing of the Good Hope Centre for film sector, or the closure of successive small music venues obviously have economic underpinnings. That, however, does not diminish the fact that the “music map” loses density.
Cape Town shares this trend with other cities globally, where rapid property development mitigates against affordable and accessible space for music.
The fallout has been acknowledged in cities such as London, where policies are being reviewed.
Internationally, the value of regular smaller music events and spaces is being acknowledged.
Strategic intervention – such as London’s appointment of a “Night Mayor” to stimulate the “night-time economy” – have yet to find currency here and until they do, live music promotion of all but the biggest name bands and brands will remain a challenge for the passionate (or foolhardy) few.
Woodstock Live – presented by the Kaggen Arts & Culture Trust – is an initiative which paves a new path. The three editions during its debut year served up musical genres spanning from indie rock through to reggae and hip hop, and importantly included showcasing the brass band and street music of our city. The programming formula for Woodstock Live consistently nurtured a cultural inclusivity that would fall outside the scope of a promoter simply looking at the bottom line. The emphasis rather has been on building. Not a clichéd Rainbow menu, but a program diversity that speaks to musical excellence, acknowledged and respected through professional production and presentation.
Building its audience, Woodstock Live returns to Trafalgar Park with a “Lazy Sunday Jazz” edition. The line-up offers a multi-generational window on our jazz-fusion roots from younger artists, such as guitarist Derek Gripper through to icons such as Hilton Schilder, pianist Paul Hanmer and Reedman McCoy Mrubata.
Sunday’s musical menu also includes vocalist Auriol Hays, Afro-futurists TheCity, the Lee Thomson Quintet, TopDog SA and the Delft Big Band. The line-up speaks to “Cape Excellence”, but escapes falling into two of the most common traps, which a “Cape” branding often begets: Firstly, the series is not locked into tired nostalgia – it includes younger artists, alongside established names.
Secondly, it presents Cape-based musicians alongside out-of-town guests. That live music has both societal and economic benefits is well argued. Recent years, however, have seen the economic prerogatives of “entertainment” and “events” being motivated with much more vigour than societal ones. In a city as divided as ours, it now becomes an imperative to consider again the unifying cultural value of music. We must find ways to incentivise and support platforms which can be enjoyed by communities, which have been separated for generations.
Woodstock Live alone cannot deliver that higher agenda. Neither can the Jazz Festival. There are 52 weeks in the year, so let’s get building, our music needs it. And so does our city.
l Gordon is a music activist, partner in Making Music Productions, and co-author with Basil Breakey of “Beyond the Blues – Township Jazz in the ‘60s and ‘70s”. He serves on the Advisory Panel of Concerts SA