THE Oude Libertas Amphitheatre's season of popular Sunday Twilight concerts will start on 14 December with a performance by the FMR Jazz Workshop Biggish Band.

According to the band, they always succeed in getting audiences grooving in no time, true to the band's motto of "We give a hoot!"

The FMR Jazz Workshop Biggish Band was started in June 2001 by Jannie 'Hanepoot' van Tonder, who cut his teeth playing original music as member of successful groups such as the African Jazz Pioneers, the Gereformeerde Blues Band, The Blues Broers, as well as having worked with South African music stalwarts like Vusi Mahlasela, Basil Coetzee, Sean Bergin, Nico Carstens, James Phillips, Abdullah Ibrahim and Jimmy Dludlu.

He currently teaches trombone and trumpet at the Jazz Workshop in Cape Town.

The idea was to offer Cape Town's jazz musicians the chance to play in a big band playing original music and some lesser known South African classics, and to provide a platform for composers and arrangers of big band material to write music for the 18-piece format,

The music covers classic swing as well as some indigenous mbaqanga and goema styles.

Armed with this repertoire they have developed into a well-rehearsed unit with a unique flavour which combines a truly African concept with a sound reminiscent of the great big bands of the Swing Era.

Tickets are R35 for the auditorium and R15 for the lawn.

Please note that Oude Libertas now has its own ticketing system. Book at 809-7380 or come to the Oude Libertas Box Office, weekdays between 09:00 and 17:00, Saturdays from 09:00 to 13:00 and always one hour prior to performances.   

DIE Malkop van Mellville of Me Liriekeraai! Noem haar wat jy wil, maar Saranti Reeders is 'n vrou wat kan sing en daar is min mense wat by haar musiekkennis en repertoire kan kers vashou.

Sy tree Vrydag 12 Desember in die Barnyard teater by Bridge House op.

Die optrede is deel van Saranti se toer al langs die Kaapse Kus, vanaf Kaapstad tot op Jeffreysbaai.

"Ek kan nie wag om al die mense in wie se huise ek so gereeld op die kassie gekuier het, persoonlik te ontmoet nie," sê Saranti.

Saranti, wat aan die meeste mense bekend is weens haar betrokkenheid by Liriekeraai op kykNet en M-Net, is 'n vrou wat spog met formele musiekopleiding.

Sy het 'n BA Musiekgraad met klavier en Engels as hoofvakke. Na haar studies in Bloemfontein het sy drie jaar onderwys gegee en toe as klankingenieur by die radio begin werk.

Gedurende 1994 is sy weg by die SABC en het professioneel begin musiekmaak en sing. Sy was ook al betrokke by verskeie musiekproduksies en die redigering van toneel.

Tydens die toer sal die gehoor 'n kykie kry in die verskillende fasette van Saranti. Grepe uit "Loskruit", wat 'n spitsvondige en opgewekte verhaling van Saranti se musikale loopbaan is, sal deel van die program uitmaak.

Sy sing en speel van Al Debbo tot opera tot by haar eie musiek.

Kaartjies teen R40 is beskikbaar by 874-1505. Die deure open om 18:30  en die vertoning begin om 20:00.

REGARDED by some critics as the next Kiri Te Kanawa, New Zealand's eminent soprano Deborah Wai Kapohe will be singing at La Motte on Tuesday evening at 19:00.

The concert promises to be a showcase of her diverse musical talents, as she will perform not only classical arias and showpieces, but also her own music, including rock, with band and orchestra.

In presenting the concert, Alex van Heerden along with top enterprises in the Franschhoek Valley, La Motte Wine Estate, Môreson Wine Estate and Franschhoek restaurant Le Quartier Francais, join forces in raising funds for the upliftment of music in the Franschhoek Valley.

Funds will be in aid of a project driven by Bridge House and endorsed by the Franschhoek Wine Valley & Tourism Association, where previously disadvantaged children are exposed to music and receive training in playing orchestral instruments with the aim to develop an orchestra in the valley and through music keep the children off the streets and develop a passion for music.

Recognised as an outstanding talent in New Zealand, Deborah appears in concerts, operas, proms and recitals. She made her public London debut in The Cathcart Spring Proms in the Royal Albert Hall in 2001.

The concert at La Motte, presented in the historical cellar on the farm, will be concluded with social mingling while enjoying light snacks prepared by Le Quartier Francais, complemented by La Motte and Môreson wines.

Bookings may be made at 876-3119 (Comari) or at the La Motte tasting venue.

Admission is R120 per person and the concert will start at 19:00.

KOM lag die jaar se sorge weg. Die vermaaklike en baie gewilde Grafsteen-sangers tree  Saterdag by twee geleenthede in die Paul Roos-saal, Stellenbosch, op met hul nuwe program wat vir die Aardklop Kunstefees geskep is.

Hul eerste optrede is by die Pretproe-funksie van die Bevryde Sappige Vroueklub wat van 09:30 tot 13:00 aangebied word. Daar is plek vir alle vroue wat deel van die pret wil wees.

Die aand begin die vollengte-konsert vir alle geesdriftiges om 20:00. Die prys is R75 en dit sluit in eetgoed, wyn en sap. Daar sal 'n kontantkroeg wees.

Kaartjies en tafelbesprekings (10 per tafel) word behartig deur High Street Teater, Bellville (914-7030/1). Krediet- kaartfasiliteite en ander gerieflikhede.

SILENCE! And action! This is not the normal way in which the ladies at the Jepsa Bakery in Paarl carry out their daily routine, but last Thursday was a very special day for them.

They were part of a promotional advertisement being shot for Shell SA and they went about their way like professional actors.

A while back Shell's Ncedo Ntamnani (External Affairs Regional Manager) visited Jepsa in Paarl and donated R40 000 for upgrading of the bakery.

This means that they can now deliver rusks to Pick 'n Pay under a Foodhall etiquette.

Previously they were able to enlarge their weekly supply of 200 12-packet boxes of all-bran and buttermilk rusks to 250 boxes as required by Pick 'n Pay.

On Thursday a film crew pitched up to shoot an advertisement on Shell's involvement in the community.

The women had to get up at 03:00 for their transformation into actors.

At 05:30 shooting commenced with a scene depicting the women on their way to work. Later the action shifted to the Mbekweni Community Hall where a scene from the bakery was re-enacted.

The story of the Jepsa Bakery originated when Ockie and Aletia Grundling applied for a grant from the Western Cape government to start a baking business staffed by previously disadvantaged women. They received the grant and in 1999 Jepsa Bakery, part of the article 21 non-profit organisation, was born.

A total of 17 women, one of them disabled, and two men started the required training, which took up most of the first year. In March 2001 the first rusks were on the market, with the support of Sasko.

Each one of the 19 people involved in Jepsa is an owner of the business and shares in its profits.