“In the Southern most extremes of Africa , there is a tribe, so peaceful and intelligent are they ; they simply sit and think." Quoting from GABRIEL GARCIER MARQUEZ '100 years of solitude':

After the plates shifted by a process of 'geosyncline', to form continents of the world, Africa was tipped with an enormous rectangle rock: TABLE MOUNTAIN . The great meeting of the Indian and Pacific ocean fashioned table mountain into an inhabitable city. In fact a paradise. The KHOISAN often thought to be the original human tribe were first to access table mountain with boats from as far as what we now call Sir Lowry's pass. They called Table mountain "Hoerikwarra" translated to mean sea mountain. As the seas began to subside the Khoisan moved to live on the slopes of the mountain. And how the universe provided for this love-ful humane gathering.

XE KARRA XE : their motto is now our motto. (On the SA Coat of arms). Through diversity we find unity. I owe my breath to the earth mother divine, to the living mother compassionate, to the spiritual mothers unconditinal love and to the angelic mothers gift of guidance. The kiss of life is love.

Their philosophy was kind of like Lau Tzu's classic of the way 'Tao te Ching': TO FLOW LIKE WATER. Goem was the heart or the drum and Gaai was the wind. The Khoisan were hunters and gatherers, never warriors. There was to be a great movement of people here and the Cape was to be called Mother City . In a sense the waiting room or calling window to Mother Earth itself. The Khoisan were eventually to move after the arrival of the Nguni people and then the European people; with a number of immigrants from all the worlds islands between. They left behind an indigenous culture we are only realising these days.

And thus with the mystical allignment of the universe, this community that settled around table mountain became the most cosmopolitan across all the seas. Turn of the century in fact and a carnivale (celebration of the resurrection of the flesh) develops in imitation of the 'parallel stream of socio-cultural oppression' the black faced minstrels of America felt.

The carnival was like a victory lap in the great walk of life itself. An extended period of time spent joyously marching greeting all the friendly faces on the way.

On the bay side of Cape Town City the great table mountain sits between the devils peak and the lions head. It is in their valley that the carnival walks across from sea to sea. They say the Dutch smoked the Devil off the peak and the Germans tamed the lion, however the energy of this mountain runs very deep into an ancient history and time, when the Khoisan would travel there by boat to burry their ancestors. There is much history written in the rock. This mountain is in touch with the earth, the sea, the fire, the weather. Don't mess with it. There is positive and negative energy running from Devil to Lion. With a great flat table between. In Cape Town there is no good and evil only perceptions of good and evil. This is the route the carnival has always walked.

Music begins when dancers find a rhythm and become united by a joyous interaction. Music begins when the soul alone fashions an instrument to express that passion of silence. Music begins when an ancient instrument is mastered through hardwork. Music begins when the wind blows through objects acting as a CHIME. Music is reason itself for music links the inside without. MUSIC IS ETERNAL

it is difficult to know why I ended up making records !

LIVE RECORDINGS : Moments in time, timeless moments. Perfect timing. Listening and sharing honest expression and messages. The audiences become a tangible reflection of the artists' daily lives. And that's when the emotions come out. Live recordings are documents of the most memorable events.

2002 Music is finding itself in Cape Town City.

THE WONDERGIGS : The wondergigs operated out of one of the best studios in Cape Town, the Beach Rd. Studios. It collected some of the greatest bands and collaborations across the city and region, bringing them into studio for inspired recording sessions. Music for the sake of music. This series of live recording is the only one I know that has so actively sought to define the rhythm of the city of Cape Town.

13 live recording sessions in 13 heated collaborative sessions with 13 excited sets of studio audiences. The Wondergigs sought to define a Moment in Cape Town City. There were capacity auditoriums, classic live broadcasts, high quality of musicianship and a general atmosphere of joy and harmony. This is evident on the recordings. I witnessed the great sense of belonging the Cape Town musicians experienced in a period 1st released as 'the Moment in Cape Town.'

cape town international jazz festival 2000 - 2003