sheetmusic.co.za

03/06/2022

George Werner and the Little Giants

This short film documents The Little Giants' recording process for their album "Songs of our Fathers". Enjoy meeting some of the characters behind the music ...

31/05/2022

Then we also got wind of Ellwood Epps, improvising trumpeter & teacher from Boston (USA), who prepared a playlist for "Jika: The South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1)" on Youtube

Del dine videoer med venner, familie og verden

31/05/2022

Here's a nice touch for owners of "Jika: The South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1)":

Pianist and UKZN jazz educator Neil Gonsalves prepared this iTunes playlist in preparation for his teaching year incorporating the repertoire from Jika into his classes:

Playlist · 80 Songs

23/05/2022

George Werner in East London this week with the Umtiza Jazz Ensemble performing tunes from "Jika: The South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1)”, Umtiza Arts Festival East London Guild Theatre Stirling Music Centre & Auditorium

Umtiza Jazz Ensemble is a fitting tribute to Jazz Heritage in the home of legends and South Africa at large. This concert is carefully tailored for the jazz enthusiast. It celebrates the South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1), Jika”, a collection of leadsheets covering 116 compositions by 86 South African composers.
The book, fondly named "Jika" after an album of Winston "Mankunku" Ngozi, was put together over several years by two Cape musicians, educators and band leaders, namely trombonist Jannie "Hanepoot" van Tonder and pianist George Werner, who have both shared the stage with many of the musicians whose work is included. The book will also be featured on the Umtiza Books and Press Fair which will run at the EL Museum on Thursday and Friday in partnership with the South African Cultural Observatory. Umtiza Arts fest is delighted to welcome pianist to George Werner from Cape Town to work with the Ensemble and conduct a jazz workshop for local youth and artists. The selection of tunes will foreground the work of composers from the home of legends. Be sure to catch this concert which is a true celebration of our Jazz Heritage and the Umtiza way of celebrating Africa Day 2022.
All the info on poster below.

27/04/2022

Friday 29 April- Jazz Education resources

Jazz musician and educator, Natalie Rungan chats to George Werner, Jannie van Tonder and Billy Monama about their recently- released publications, as well as Pete Rosser, UK-based ABSRM examiner about their graded jazz syllabus.

27/04/2022

26/04/2022

Jazz-liefhebbers kan vandeesmaand uitsien na uitvoerings van musiek uit die eerste Suid-Afrikaanse bladmusiekbundel vir jazz op die Suidoosterfees.

26/04/2022

George 'PappaG' Werner is a true legend in SA Jazz. His work with The Little Giants and IMAD has inspired and enabled many a youngster to take up and instrument and get serious about playing. Several Little Giants alumni are now music lecturers at Universities in SA and overseas, and many of them have gone on to make a living playing music. He will be performing with the "Jika" band this weekend launching the South African Jazz Real Book at the Suidoosterfees in Cape Town, together with Hilton Schilder, Tete Mbambisa, Ramon Alexander, Tony Cedras, Muneeb Hermans, Byron Abrahams and Jannie Hanepoot van Tonder.

George Werner studied music under Merton Barrow at Cape Town’s Jazz Workshop in the early 1980s before becoming a professional musician in 1983, performing with numerous bands on the casino hotel circuit in Southern Africa and in musical theatre. He has performed and record with the likes of Winston Mankunku, Robbie Jansen, Duke and Ezra Ngcukana, Errol and Alvin Dyers, Sathima Bea Benjamin, Sylvia Mdunyelwa, Thandie Klaasen and Don Tshomela. Internationally he has performed in Germany, France, Japan, USA, Bahrain and Brazil.

George started teaching at the Jazz Workshop in the late 80s, MAPP, in the early 1990s. In 1999 he co-founded The Little Giants Youth Band with sax legend, Ezra Ngcukana. In 2006 he co-founded The Institute for Music and Indigenous Arts Development(IMAD) to address the lack of music education in the townships of Cape Town and the Western Cape.

Other music education program he has been involved in are “Music is a Great Investment” (MIAGI), Artscape, the National Youth Jazz Festival, TOMECY, COMART, schools such as Alexander Sinton, South Peninsula and Christel House, and the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) and University of the Western Cape where he still teaches, at present. He is the recipient of the 2012 South African Association for Jazz Education (SAJE) Distinguished Teacher Award and in 2018. November 2019 he received an Image award for Music.

He has produced albums for the Little Giants and the five-volume “Jazz Potjie” series on jazz in Cape Town. He continues as a professional pianist, Music Director of the little Giants and as co-founder and director of IMAD, the Institute for Musical and Indigenous Arts Development.

25/04/2022

Jannie "Hanepoot" van Tonder is probably better-known for his contribution to the Afrikaans rock revolution of the late 1980's as part of satirist Johannes Kerkorrel's notorious Gereformeerde Blues Band, however by then he'd already spent years on the road playing marabi with Ntemi Piliso's "African Jazz Pioneers", and mbaqanga with renowned Gallo saxophonist Winston Nyaunda's "Jive-Mixup". The common thread between these projects was the importance of being yourself, and projecting your own identity to the world. This led to him starting the Hanepoot Big Band in Cape Town in 2001, the only such band playing a strictly South African repertoire, about half/half originals and his arrangements of SA jazz tunes, and transcribing all these tunes for the band gave rise to the idea of a SA Real Book. Having been part of various other projects on the Johannesburg jazz scene in the 1980's incl. Victor Ntoni's big band where he got to work with musicians like Barney Rachabane, Duke Makasi, Johnny Mekoa, Stompie Manana and George Tyefumane, and in Cape Town playing with musicians like Basil Coetzee, George Werner and Errol Dyers he has a healthy insight into the history and a respect for the musicians who have spent their lives creating this body of work. These days he runs the Hanepoot Brass Band, a New Orleans style acoustic brass band playing goema and mbaqanga driven jazz. He wishes he'd had a South African Jazz Real Book when he was growing up!

Come see Jika - Sounds of the SA Jazz Real Book this weekend at Suidoosterfees https://tickets.computicket.com/event/_jika_sounds_of_the_sa_jazz_real_book/7184450

19/04/2022

Joining us on stage at Suidoosterfees will be Elsiesrivier-born multi-instrumentalist, Tony Cedras who played in gospel groups before graduating to rock, jazz and fusion with bands such as "Pacific Express" and "Estudio", performing with the likes of Jonathan Butler, Robbie Jansen and Russell Herman. He moved to New York in the mid '80s where he worked with progressive jazz musicians such as Henry Threadgill, and world-wide with Hugh Masekela and Paul Simon.

Tony contributed the composition Ngena Ngena (To Move) to Jika - The South African Jazz Real Book Vol 1.

Photo by Gregory Franz

15/04/2022

As part of the worldwide International celebrations we will be showcasing the publication of "Jika: the South African Jazz Real Book" with 2 concerts for the Suidoosterfees at the Zip Zap Dome next to Artscape in Cape Town. The concerts will feature 4 living composers Hilton Schilder, Tony Cedras, Tete Mbambisa and Ramon Alexander as well as tunes by Jonas Gwangwa, Shakes Mgudlwa, Kippie Moeketsi, Winston Mankunku, Buddy Wells, Mackay Davashe, Miriam Makeba and others. Concerts take place on 30 April at 17h00 and 1 May at 15h00. Get a ticket at https://tickets.computicket.com/event/_jika_sounds_of_the_sa_jazz_real_book/7184450 or buy a book at https://www.sheetmusic.co.za

04/03/2022

Here are some comments we have received about The South African Jazz Real Book Vol.1 "Jika", now available for order from https://www.sheetmusic.co.za/sheetmusic-shop

"I am pleased to see that this publication has eventually seen the light of day."
-- Ramon Alexander, composer, Stellenbosch University

"Many congratulations to you on the release of 'Jika'. I’ve heard mention of a SA Jazz Real Book for the best part of 3 decades now, and the many challenges that would make its realization such a daunting task. It’s a phenomenal achievement and I am eternally grateful to you, both as a musician and educator."
-- Neil Joseph Gonsalves, lecturer, University of KwaZulu-Natal

"I collected the book today. Fantastic. I hope it’s a great success all round."
-- Paul Hanmer, composer, Johannesburg

"The South African Jazz Real Book is a move towards the right direction."
-- Nduduzo Makhathini, composer, Fort Hare University, East London

"I want to congratulate you and the team on the fantastic book. Well done on what I know must have been a labour of love."
-- Terence Scarr, Head of Music, Rondebosch Boys' High School

"A much needed resource in our schools and in higher education..."
-- Henriette Weber, Director, Centre for the Performing Arts, UWC

"Fantastic job. The care that was taken shines through."
-- Jonny Blundell, musician/producer, Cape Town

"I am so thrilled about the South African Jazz Real Book. This is a beautiful collection that is done so tastefully."
-- Bob Sinicrope, Director of Jazz, Milton Academy, Massachusetts, USA

"We are SO excited to receive this magnificent compilation of SA Jazz! Our Jazz band is delighted and we can't wait to start working through the book."
-- Kronendal Music Academy of Hout Bay

"What a brilliant realbook of SA jazz standards! I've been thoroughly enjoying my copy I see this becoming a classic in years to come."
-- Daniel Zachariah Franks, jazz violinist, Cape Town

"Congratulations on the Real Book - it looks stunning and is filled with gems!"
-- Debbie Mari, Project Manager, UKUSA

"I was absolutely delighted when I received a package last week. It is absolutely brilliant, and the biggest gift. I will spread the word and advertise the book in my circles as I think it is phenomenal."
-- Elsabe Fourie, Kingsmead College, Gauteng

"I just wanted to write to thank you so much for the SA Real Book that you sent through to AMP. We were so excited to receive this. It is going to be a wonderful resource for our learners and teachers."
-- Shiloh Marsh, Access Music Project, Makhanda

"Thanks so much for copy of the book received – amazing! Congratulations to all involved in this wonderful labour of love."
-- Chris Albertyn, Matsuli Music

"Thank you for such a wonderful book and we know that our music teacher would benefit from this as well."
-- Peter Takelo, Net vir Pret community project, Barrydale, Western Cape

"The book arrived yesterday and I just wanted to reach out to thank you. It’s really an amazing feeling to have this resource to keep this music alive in my home and one can tell how much care went into the details!"
-- Damon Pfaff, Canada

"An invaluable and remarkable achievement."
-- Richard M. Shain

"Thank you so much for this incredibly powerful tool. It is amazing and congrats to the whole team for this wonderful addition to the world of SA Jazz. THANK YOU for sharing it with us... we will definitely be using it!!"
-- Dwyn Griesel, Kronendal Music Academy, Hout Bay

"I was pleasantly surprised with the delivery - a ray of sunshine. A huge warm thank you from my team and I for this wonderful gift that will certainly become a major resource for our annual repertoire. Thank you to your team, each and every person that made it possible for this book to be published. We will treasure this book like gold."
-- Ronel Nagfaal, Groote Schuur High School, Cape Town

"Thank you for sending us this amazing gift all the way to George. What a pleasant surprise indeed."
-- Germaine Leonard, George High School, Western Cape

"I am very excited to have this book. I have been playing Khoisan Symphony and I’ve started working on Song for Biko :)"
-- Craig McClune

"Just top say a big thank you for our copy. What a wonderful idea. I will most certainly get some interest going and will order more."
-- Ben Oosthuizen, St John’s College, Gauteng

"Including the drum patterns was a great move!"
-- Roy Gonsenhauser, Cleveland, Ohio

28/01/2022

“The South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1), Jika”: FREE SHIPPING TO SA ADDRESSES FOR ONLINE ORDERS AT https://www.sheetmusic.co.za

Musicians world-wide have been dealt a blow over the last couple of years, losing out on work opportunities with festivals cancelled, gigs endlessly postponed, in-person teaching reduced, venues closing down etc. and South African musicians have certainly not been spared, with lack of institutional support an ongoing problem. Through the support of the National Arts Council of South Africa we have been able to allocate 150 copies of the book to schools and universities in South Africa, 129 of which have been delivered already. We'd love to able to distribute more copies of the “The South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1), Jika” for free, but that's just not possible, as we're still working on producing Eb and Bb versions, as well as some other publications in the pipeline, all of which has to be funded somehow. However, as a small contribution to SA musicians we will be absorbing the cost of shipping for all online orders to SA addresses for the next 3 months. So please order your book at https://www.sheetmusic.co.za, select Postnet as your shipping method, indicate your nearest Postnet branch and your contact number, and the book will be sent gratis :-)

02/12/2021

We're very pleased to be able to announce the arrival of “The South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1), Jika”, a collection of leadsheets covering 116 compositions by 86 South African composers.

The book, fondly named "Jika" after an album of Winston "Mankunku" Ngozi, was put together over several years by two Cape musicians, educators and band leaders, namely trombonist Jannie "Hanepoot" van Tonder and pianist George Werner, who have both shared the stage with many of the musicians whose work is included.

Says George: "We have such a rich heritage of jazz, which is not being sufficiently taught in our schools and universities, partly because of a lack of such a resource. Despite being widely and internationally recognised, we hardly hear it on the radio or see it on tv. Yet we have definitive styles of indigenous jazz music, on par with Brazilian, Cuban, and American counterparts. Let's try make South African Jazz more accessible to teachers and students everywhere, before our culture gets gobbled up by mass media."

To this end, they are thankful for the support of the National Arts Council of South Africa who sponsored 150 copies of "The South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1), Jika" which are at the moment being distributed to schools and universities country-wide.

“The South African Jazz Real Book (Vol. 1), Jika” will be available from December 1st for order online at https://www.sheetmusic.co.za, or contact Nick Green at [email protected]

28/04/2011

Another concert by the Jazz Orchestra of the University of York, featuring no less than 8 Big Band arrangements by sheetmusic.co.za, in an all South African Jazz programme, performance compositions by Zakes Nkosi, Abdullah Ibrahim, Dudu Pukwana, Bheki Mseleku and more.

For this concert of music by South African composers the University of York Jazz Orchestra were joined by guest soloists Chris Batchelor (trumpet) and Martin France (drums).

28/04/2011

Here's a recording of the University of York Jazz Orchestra playing one of our Big Band scores, Nonto Sangoma by Zakes Nkosi

Welcome to the University of York Jazz Orchestra pages. The band is made up of players from members of all parts of the university student community and is a single seat band that auditions every year. The ethos of the Jazz Orchestra is to present several concerts each academic year that explore var

28/04/2011

UCT jazz graduate and arts project manager Colin Miller has launched the first Cape Jazz Collection, a book of original tunes by South African composers, at UCT's South African College of Music. The event saw some of the Cape's legendary jazz musicians and a room of music aficionados gather to toast