Urban Renewal

In 2003 the Red Bull Music Academy took place in Cape Town. As part of the month long session Spektrum Radio received a temporary license from ICASA to broadcast interviews, live sets and various shows from participants in the academy and local DJs. It was great to have the airwaves filled with something other than lazy RnB and hip hop, rubbish commercial house, or moribund rock music. Even if it was only for a month.

The prime movers behind Spektrum Radio, Hein Bekker and Martin Sims, have teamed up with acclaimed musician Neo Muyanga and Chimurenga Magazine to bring another month’s worth of cutting edge music to Cape Town.

The Pan African Space Station is a 30-day music intervention from September 12 – October 12, on radio and the internet, as well as venues across greater Cape Town. You can tune your radio to 91.3FM if you’re in Cape Town or listen live online from the web site. In addition to the radio and streaming broadcasts, a number of live events will take place between 1 and 4 October.

PROGRAMME
BEBSON DE LA RUE & TRYONIX
WITH: Bebson De La Rue (voice); Dicoco Boketshu (bass, video); Djanga (drums, percussion); guests DJs and musicians
WHERE/ WHEN: the Assembly in District 6 (Wed Oct 1, from 9pm); Guga S’thebe in Langa (Fri Oct 3, from 6pm)

CARLO MOMBELLI & THE PRISONERS OF STRANGE
WITH: Siya Makuzeni (voice & trombone); Marcus Wyatt (trumpet); Carlo Mombelli (bass & manipulated strings); Lloyd Martin (drums)
WHERE/ WHEN: Slave Church on Long Street (Thurs Oct 2, from 6pm); Mowbray Town Hall (Sat Oct 4, from 6pm)

CINDY BLACKMAN QUARTET
WITH: J.D. Allen (tenor saxophone); Carlton Holmes (piano/fender rhodes); George Mitchell (bass); Cindy Blackman (drums)
WHERE/ WHEN: Slave Church on Long Street (Wed Oct 1, from 6pm); Slave Church (Fri Oct 3, from 6pm)

MADALA “BAFO” KUNENE: SOUNDS IN THE DARKNESS OF LIGHT
WITH: Madala Kunene (guitars, voice)
WHERE/ WHEN: Slave Church on Long Street (Thurs Oct 2, from 6pm); Slave Church (Fri Oct 3, from 6pm)

FUNSHO OGUNDIPE & AYETORO
WITH: Funsho Ogundipe (piano, wurlitzer, fender Rhodes); Ayo Odia, Shabaka Hutchings, Ayo Solanke (saxophones); Byron Wallen (trumpet); Curtis Shaw, Mike Collins (guitars); Falna Amodu King, Karl Adedare Rasheed-Abel (bass); Pharoah Russell, Frank Tontoh (drums); Dayo Rasaq-Ayandele, Samson Olawale, Angela Paz Alhucima, Hafiz (percussions); Kwesi Frimpong (spoken word)
WHERE/ WHEN: Guga S’thebe in Langa (Wed Oct 1, from 6pm); Guga S’thebe (Fri Oct 3, from 6pm)

BIBI TANGA & PROFESSEUR INLASSABLE
WITH: Bibi Tanga (voice, bass); Le Professeur Inlassable (turntables, programming); Rico Kerridge (guitars); Arnaud Biscay (drums, percussions); Arthur Simonini (violin, keys)
WHERE/ WHEN: the Assembly in District 6 (Wed Oct 1, from 9pm); the Assembly (Fri Oct 3, from 9pm)

ANTHONY JOSEPH & SPASM BAND
WITH: Anthony Joseph (voice); Andrew John (bass); Colin Webster (sax, flute); Adrian Owusu (guitars); Paul Brett, Paul Zimmerman and Craig Tamlin (percussions)
WHERE/ WHEN: the Assembly in District 6 (Thurs Oct 2, from 9pm); Mowbray Town Hall (Sat Oct 4, from 6pm)

BLK JKS
WITH: Linda Buthelezi (voice, guitars); Mpumi Mcata (guitars); Molefi Makananise (bass); Tshepang Ramoba (voice, drums)
WHERE/ WHEN: Guga S’thebe in Langa (Thurs Oct 2, from 6pm); the Assembly in District 6 (Fri Oct 3, from 9pm)

R.U.I. PRESENTS DUB VAULTS
WITH: Rui Sorero (turntables); Paulo Chibanga (turntables)
WHERE/ WHEN: the Assembly in District 6 (Wed Oct 1, from 8pm); the Assembly (Fri Oct 3, from 8pm)

DEEJAY BLAQ T
WITH: Deejay blaq T
WHERE/ WHEN: Guga S’thebe in Langa (Wed Oct 1, Thurs Oct 2 and Fri Oct 3, from 5pm)

GOEMATRONICS
WITH: Mac Mckenzie (guitar); Brendon Bussy electronics
WHERE/ WHEN: Slave Church on Long Street (Wed Oct 1, from 6pm); Mowbray Town Hall (Sat Oct 4, from 7pm)

SCIENCE FELINE
WITH: Charlene Jones (drums); DJs Honey and Miss H (turntables)
WHERE/ WHEN: the Assembly in District 6 (Thurs Oct 2, from 8pm); Mowbray Town Hall (Sat Oct 4, from 5pm)

This is a fantastic initiative, and one that needs the support of as many people as possible. We all know how restrictive ICASA is, and if the airwaves can have music that isn’t created purely for the purpose of flogging products, we ned to pay attention.