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Hugh Masekela copyright Griot GmbH
GRIOT ARTISTS ON TOUR 2011/2012 - JAZZ
SEE ALL HERE BELOW OR LISTED BY CATEGORY: SOUTH AFRICA JAZZ
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HUGH MASEKELA THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC LEGEND
Hugh Masekela Griot copyright Griot GmbH
Hugh Masekela has covered the globe and played with just about every top star you can think of - Masekela wrote anumber of international hits and sold several million CDs..The single 'Grazing in the Grass' topped the Rolling Stones' Jumping Jack Flash in the US charts (and brought him a Grammy).  His hit "Bring Him Back Home"ugh Masekela became the anthem for Nelson Mandala's world tour following his release from prison. His recent albums have all gone platinum.  "The man with the horn" is a living legend, a genius musician and great performer who is even getting better in his "old days".
And Hugh Masekela is more up to date than ever !
He opened both - the kick of concert and the opening ceremeony of the world cup in South Africa worldwide on TV. All concerts in 2010 were incredible events - he was celebretad in Oslo in front of 80 000 people as well as in the Carnegie Hall and the Royal Festival Hall ... all sold out. A number of new CDs came on the market. In 2011 he wil not only come with his band, but also with a number of new productions like "Celebrate Mama Afrika". 
Tour periods 2011: summer including August and October November. Exclusive territory: Europe.
Traveling Party: 11
CELEBRATE MAMA AFRIKA THE SOUTH AFRICAN TRIBUTE TO  
MAMA AFRIKA 
Thandiswa copyright Griot Gmbh Hugh Masekela copyright Griot GmbH A unique and authentic musical tribute to Mama Afrika
by and with Hugh Masekela

Line up: 
Hugh Masekela & the Hugh Masekela Band
Vusi Mahlasela
The Mahotella Queens 
Zolani Mahola (lead singer Freshlyground) Thandiswa.
On special occasions we can add:
The original Miriam Makeba choir (in co-operation with BPR)
Angelique Kidjo (in co-operation with V.O.Music).
Zolani Mahola copyright Griot GmbH Vusi Mahlasela copyright Griot GmbH The show is a tribute to the beauty of the African continent and it´s people and contains the most beautiful songs that became famous all over the world thanks to the great and unforgettable Miriam Makeba. "Celebrate Mama Afrika" had it´s permier at the
Rio Loco Festival this summer and we are looking forward to sending you a DVD if you are interested to book this outstanding event.
The Mahotella Queens copyright Griot GmbH PS: GRIOT toured the late Miriam Makeba fopr several years under direction of BPR. Please find more information about Celebrate Mama Afrika by clicking on Miriam Makeba´s image.      Miriam Makeba copyright Griot GmbH and BPR
Tour periods 2011/2012: summer and autumn.  Exclusive territory: the world. Traveling party: 15 (12 on stage)




MOZULUART ZULU MUSIC MEETS MOUART
MoZuluArt copyright Griot GmbH

"If Mozart was still alive he would have been proud to see two cultures meeting together to celebrate his music and bringing it to an audience that never imagined that one day they will be sitting, nodding their heads and tapping their feet to his compositions..."

MoZuluArt caused a sensation when they first appeared in 2006 and opened the "Festwochen" in Vienna performing together with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra in front of several hundred thousand people and live on TV. MoZuluArt will go on tour with a string quartet with musicians from the Vienna Symphony Orchestra - their album has just been released in Europe by Universal Music
All concerts in the last three years ended with standing ovations !

New Album: An African Christmas with MoZuluArt
(Universal Music). 
Tour periods 2011: main booking period summer – but MoZuluArt will tour all year long !
Exclusive territory: the world. Traveling party: 9




SWR BIG BAND & THEMBA MKHIZE
 SHOSHOLOZA
SWR Big Band and Themba Mkhize copyright Grot GmbH

SWR Big Band is simply one of the best big bands in the world:  three recent Grammy nominations - 2002, 2003 and 2004 - underline their international reputation. For 2010 they are nominated for a Grammy again - category "best large jazz ensemble album". In it´s more than fifty years musical history SWR Big Band worked with musical guests like Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Chat Baker, Slide Hampton and many others. Most recent guests have been Paula Morelenbaum, Patti Austin. Toshiko Akiyosh and Sammy Nestico.

Tour periods Themba Mkhize and SWR Big Band plus star guests: before and after 23 July 2011
Exclusive territory "Shosholoza": the world. Traveling party: 28




REGINA CARTER
US VIOLIN STAR PRESENTS
"REVERSE THREAD"
Regina Carter copyright Griot GmbH
 “Regina Carter creates music that is wonderfully listenable, probingly intelligent and, at times, breathtakingly daring…taking the listener into the future of jazz.”
Time Magazine

Regina Carter has repeatedly toured throughout the world, was the first jazz artist and African American to play Niccolo Paganini’s famed Guarneri “Cannon” violin, has been featured with several symphony orchestras and performed with artists as diverse as Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill, Billy Joel, Wynton Marsalis, Casandra Wilson, and Mary J. Blige. Her collaborative album "Freefall" with Kenny Barron was nominated for a Grammy.
 
Regina Carter, one of the most popular contempoary violinists in modern music, further reveals her diverse musical personality with the upcoming release "Reverse Thread" — a celebration of traditional African music with a modern perspective.
Tour periods: 07-20 April 2011, 10/11/12 June, end of July into August 2011 and end of October into November 2011
Exclusive territory: GAS and F  Traveling party: 7 (5 musicians on stage)




DIZZY GILLESPIE (tm) ALUMNI featuring THE HEATH BROTHERS
Dizzy Gillespie (tm) All Stars copyright Peter Purger and Griot GmbH and BPR 

Fresh from their Autumn Tour of the Far East - enthralling and delighting audiences alike from the Cotton Club of Tokyo to the arenas of Taiwan and South Korea, this world-class group, led by bass player and Dizzy veteran John Lee and featuring NEA jazz master Jimmy Heath,  continue the legacy of America's national treasure.

"All I can say is if you know Jimmy Heath, you know Bop" (Dizzy Gillespie) 

"Trane was always high on Jimmy's playing and 
so was I"  (Miles Davis)

LINE UP

Jimmy Heath -  Tenor Sax  ** Antonio Hart -  Alto Sax ** Greg Gisbert - Trumpet ** John Lee - Bass
Benny Green - Piano ** Albert "Tootie" Heath - drums
Tour periods 2011: May, June, July. Exclusive territory: Europe*. Traveling party:  6-7
 DIZZY GILLESPIE (tm) ALL STAR BIG BAND   DIRECTED BY ROY HARGROVE
Dizzy Gillespie (tm) All Stars copyright Peter Purger and Griot GmbH and BPR The Dizzy Gillespie (tm) All-Star Big Band, a veritable who's who among jazz musicians, was formed in the summer of 1998 to perform Dizzy Gillespie's classic big band repertoire and continue the legacy left by the late master... They will come to Europe in 2011 directed by Roy Hargrove.
Many of the arrangements performed by the band are "vintage" and were written for Dizzy's big bands of the mid-1940s to the mid-1950s-but they could hardly be described as old or dated. In fact, they continue to stimulate and challenge jazz musicians today just as they continue to dazzle and delight audiences around the world. Some were written by Dizzy himself, others commissioned from among such distinguished arrangers as Quincy Jones, Gil Fuller, Tadd Dameron, Lalo Schifrin, Melba Liston, and Benny Golson.  
LINE UP

Jimmy Heath - tenor sax and flute ** Eric Alexander - tenor sax and flute ** Antonio Hart - alto sax and flute **
Mark Gross - alto sax and flute ** Gary Smulyan - baritone sax ** Roy Hargrove - trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals **
Claudio Roditi - trumpet and flugelhorn ** Diego Urcola – trumpet ** Greg Gisbert – trumpet **
Frank Greene – trumpet ** Steve Davis – trombone ** Jason Jackson – trombone ** Michael Dease – trombone ** Douglas Purviance - bass trombone ** Cyrus Chestnut – piano ** John Lee - bass/executive director **
Lewis Nash – drums ** Roberta Gambarini - vocals
Tour periods: 8-14 August 2011, fall 2011 and spring 2012. Exclusive territory:Europe*. Traveling party: ± 20
THANDISWA INGOMA
Thandiswa copyright Griot GmbH
Thandiswa caused a sensation when her first album "Zabalaza" entered the charts and won the hearts of jazz and worldmusic lovers in South Africa. She has been awarded as "Best Female Artist" and also won "Best contemporary album"for her debut album. Also her second album "Ibokwe" reached platinum status within shortest time.

Thandiswa has been celebrated on a number of international festivals in Europe like the Africa Festival Wuerzburg or at Rio Loco Festival when she did not only perform with her own band, but also as guest of Hugh Masekela in "Celebrate Mama Afrika".
Her interpretation of two Miriam Makeba songs were absolute  highlights of the festival

Check out this video  Lahlumlenze  and get an idea about her powerful performance and remarkable voice.
Tour periods 2011: summer. Exclusive territory: Europe. Traveling party: 10 (8 musicians on stage)




COCO MBASSI AFRICA´S SOUL VOICE
Coco Mbassi copyright Griot GmbH The rfi prize winning voice from Cameroon had a sensational success with her debut album "Sepia" which climbed several  charts and brought her a nomination for a BBC Radio Award. Coco Mbassi recorded her second album "Sisea" with special guests like Manu Dibango and Richard Bona. She toured extensively and recieved enthusiastic reviews for her live concerts. Though Coco Mbassi started her solo career just a few years ago she is now playing first league in various European countries.
After a little break and changing her residence from Paris to London she is now coming back with a "best of" choice from her first cds and with some brand new material.
Tour periods: summer plus September - December 2011. Exclusive territory: Europe. Traveling party 9




THEMBA MKHIZE AFRICAN JAZZ & VOCAL MUSIC AT IT´S BEST
Themba Mkhize copyright Griot GmbH

As director and producer he worked with Hugh Masekela, Bayete, Miriam Makeba, Ouma Sangare, Sibongile Khumalo, Busi Mhlongo. His first album deservedly won two SA Music Awards for Best South African Traditional Jazz Album and Best Producer and the Daimler Chrysler Award for South African Jazz. His second album was nominated 4 times in the 2002 SAMA awards (and won three of them). Themba´s most recent offering (Hands On) won two of the major awards in South Africa namely Metro FM Award (Jazz category) and MTN SAMA Award (Best Male Artist).
Themba Mkhize was on tour in November 2008 and presented his new album "Scenes from the South" (SKIP Records) at some prestiguos jazz festivals. He returned in 2009 to record with SWR Big Band and presented  "Shosholoza" - a musical journey to South Africa with them in 2010. 
Tour periods Themba Mkhize and SWR Big Band plus star guests: summer 2011. Exclusive territory: Europe.
Traveling party: more than 20 :-)




LIRA SOUTH AFRICA´S AFRO SOUL QUEEN
Lira copyright Griot GmbH and Jazzworx Lira is known for eclectic sounds comprising elements of Afro-pop, R&B and jazz. She became a mega selling singer in South Africa with her second album "Feel Good" ("Best Jazz Album 2007,  Metro FM Awards). The title song "Feel Good" was the most downloaded song in South Africa in 2008. With her third album "Soul In Mind".Lira succeeded to cause a sensation at this year´s South African Music Awards: she was nominated for 6 SAMA awards ... she finally won in the following categories, making her the most decorated winner of this year´s SAMA awards:  

Best adult contemporary album: English, 
Best remix of the year, 
Best Female Artist 
Album of the Year- Soul In Mind
Tour periods 2011: summer. Exclusive territory:Europe. Traveling party: 9





 





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