The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music proudly presents the Roland Moses Quartet, Wednesday 19 February 2025 at 17:30.

 

Roland Moses is a South African pianist, composer and educator with a unique performance style. His versatility has him performing South African Jazz, Jazz, Indian music and world – influenced music with virtuosity and passion. Drawing from a plethora of international and local musical interactions, his compositions and encapsulate the various cultural exchanges. Roland Moses is a YAMAHA artist.

 

The Roland Moses Quartet features Roland Moses (Piano) Abraham Mennen (Saxophone), Viwe Mkiziwana (Double Bass) and Mzamo Mthembu (Drums).

 

The Roland Moses quartet specialises in performing original compositions and arrangements by Roland Moses. The music incorporates a range of local and international styles such as Swing, Latin jazz, Fusion, and Mbaqanga, all infused with African rhythmic elements. These compositions have been influenced by various musical genres, cultural exchanges with countries like Sweden, Thailand, Netherlands, Japan, and the USA, and collaborations with both local and international artists.

 

The performance by the quartet explores a textural and sonorous concept that transforms into a form of storytelling within the compositions and improvisations. The melodies are interpreted on the saxophone instead of the piano, contributing to a new texture and performance dynamic. The instrumental line-up encourages contrapuntal accompaniment and melodic interplay throughout the improvisatory sections and main melodies.

 

Progressive piano techniques intertwine with collective improvisation by the ensemble, fostering creative interplay between the instrumentalists. This interplay is evident not only in the improvisational styles but also in the thematic structure, stimulating the generation of new musical ideas and providing impetus for musical discovery.

 

Abraham Mennen’s saxophone playing is deeply influenced by the rich textures and sounds of South African music, blending traditional and contemporary techniques with a distinctive personal style. One of the standout aspects of his approach is his use of the Uhadi bow, a traditional South African string instrument that he incorporates into his saxophone sound to create unique timbres and expressive nuances. Mennen's mastery of the Uhadi technique allows him to mimic the bow’s sliding, pitch-bending qualities on the saxophone, adding an African vocal quality to his improvisations.

 

 

Gig listing:

Roland Moses Quartet

19 February Wednesday 2025

Doors open at 17:00, Music starts at 17:30

UKZN, Centre for Jazz and Popular Music

University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Howard College Campus, Dennis Shepstone Building, Level 2

Tickets: R130, R95 for pensioners, R65 for students

Online Tickets available on webtickets: https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1562829010