Afro-Kiwi Holiday concert ready to bring you Christmas cheer with a difference!
Black Creatives Aotearoa (BCA) is excited to partner with UBUNTU (specialising in events, home decor and accessories) to bring you
JINGLE BEATZ! Aotearoa’s very first Afro-Kiwi Christmas concert!
Produced by Jane Benney and with musical direction by Thabani Gapara, the 90 minute concert will showcase six exceptional performers from the Afro-Kiwi community. These include Mazbou Q, Domingo Candelario, Jane Benney, Nesu, Munashe Tapfuya, Keshia and Layla Pitt and will feature a range of songs including Silent Night, The Little Drummer Boy, Do You Hear What I Hear, This Christmas and many more.
For Benney, whose experience over the past two decades has included a rich portfolio as a singer and actress, this concert is particularly meaningful to her:
“For most of my life, Christmas and the holiday season has been populated with songs that were distinctly characterised by white Christmases’ and snow bells, however, an African Christmas in Aotearoa promises to bring the heartbeat, the DRUMBEAT - of Africa to the jingle bell rock of yore.”
Musical Director and Jazz Musician Thabani Gapara is equally excited to bring this collection of African talent together, especially as it offers a glimpse into how classic Christmas songs can get an exhilarating African-makeover.
“This is going to be an exceptional event that celebrates the joy of Christmas and the holiday season with a community of outstanding artists in a completely novel way,” he says.
Gapara is creating unique arrangements for each singer to complement their style and voice and is drawing upon influences from hip-hop, afro-beat, R&B, Mbaqanga and Zouk and more.
The event will also feature a phenomenal five-piece live band; musicians Warren Duncan, Jay Moyo, Vion Slinger, Nesu on guitar, and of course Thabani Gapara himself on the saxophone to share the sounds of the African diaspora with an Auckland audience, and hosted by MC Menzi Mdwara. The evening will conclude with a lively set by one of Aotearoa’s best DJ’s: DJ ORIKoL, guaranteed to have you dancing into the night!
Tickets available via Eventbrite HERE
JINGLEBEATZ! will be taking place at 8pm on the 9th December at Anthology Lounge, K Road, Auckland. Tickets available here: https://tinyurl.com/JingleBeatz