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Mail & Guardian
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Jazz hands: Carlo Mombelli and The Prisoners of Strange are performing at Wits this weekend. Photo: Jonathan Rees

IF THERE’S ONE THING YOU DO THIS WEEK …

M&G Friday brings you the pick of this week

Bombshelter Beast – a gypsy family of maverick musicians

Old-school kwaito, hip-hop and house meets ska and Balkan-tinged jazz in a riotously, joyful sound.

Greenside gig: Marcus Wyatt with drummer Jonno Sweetman and upright-bass player Romy Brauteseth.

Marcus Wyatt’s quiet big-band riot

One of SA’s top jazz trumpeters has roped in an orchestra to add a new side to his sound.

Marcus Wyatt’s harmonic rebellion

There are no solos in the Maji Maji album, as one would expect from a jazz album. The album is then perhaps an unconscious rebellion.

Jazz plays on in ZAR

Jazz plays on in ZAR

You start to suspect that jazz in Jo’burg might really be dead when players start penning elegies for it. That’s exactly what Marcus Wyatt has done.

Room for improvement

Room for improvement

I always like to introduce my visitors to other interesting people who live in this crazy town. I find the people in Jo’burg are a bit more open.

Room for improvement

Marcus the maestro

Schizophrenia is the name of the game on the Johannesburg jazz scene, says trumpeter Marcus Wyatt.

Take a deep breath

Strings may be an unexpected addition to Chris McGregor’s jazz, but his music was always about expansion, writes Shaun de Waal.