Tuesday, March 22, 2005

YOUNG BASADZI – on Simphiwe Dana

The BatCentre certainly was alive with so much of the arts over the long easter weekend. And I was blessed to have been part of the programme as I was the MC on Thursday and Saturday nite.

Saturday nite was the highlight for me, and everybody that came to the show. So we were serenaded by a local group, the ‘All G’s’ - an all woman band. I can assure you: it is quite something watching India Ari playing guitar – but quite something when a bunch of talented women - on guitar, piano, drums- just perform 'Brown Skin' like they own it.

Anyways – Simphiwe soon made her appearance with her band. Okay – I am a huge fan ( I am actually listening to her CD right now) – but I'll try to be as objective about her performance as I can be. My favourite track on her album is no. 7, Ingoma - and she opened and closed the show with it.

She was absolutely amazing – took me off my chair(although I was still seated) to a higher place, somewhere beyond the infinite space that is. I remember thinking to myself: 'this is better than orgasm'’... and 'I wonder if being in heaven feels anything close to this' - I can not explain it, but it’s still better than orgasm!

As she sang, I don’t know if it was the whole effect of seeing the veins sticking out her neck as well. But there was so much more to the song, so much power– the feeling it seemed to evoke in her leaving us the audience tranced.

Like a child – I could not sleep on the nite, and in the morning I lay awake… ‘yo!'

Please feel free to mail us at: youngbasadzi@webmail.co.za