A jazz trio led by bassist Rich Syracuse of New York, USA will perform at the Unisa Music Foundation Concert Series on Friday 20 June at 19:30 in the Miriam Makeba Concert Hall.
Joining Syracuse on drums is his long time rhythm section partner Jeff “Siege” Siegel, also from New York. Mageshen Naidoo, the renowned guitarist of Pretoria, will join the rhythm section.
The trio came together last summer, performing at the International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ) meeting which was held in Denmark. As it turns out, Syracuse and Naidoo had met briefly in a teacher/student relationship back in the early 90’s when Syracuse was on a concert and teaching tour throughout South Africa along with musician Darius Brubeck.
This time around Syracuse and Naidoo reunite as peers as Naidoo has gone on to achieve his doctorate in music and has become a university professor himself.
String & electric bassist, composer and bandleader Rich Syracuse has been a mainstay on the New York area scene for more than three decades. While performing at an early age in New York City, he was the winner of the prestigious Congress Of Strings Award, going on to receive a Bachelor of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. Rich performed with The Group for Contemporary Music under the Conductor Charles Wournin and Harvey Solberger, The Hartford Ballet and the New Jersey Lyric Opera Co.
For the past 20 years, Rich has been the bassist for female pianist Lee Shaw, one of the great elder statesmen of Jazz. Rich has toured throughout Europe and Southern Africa. In addition to his touring schedule, he is in demand as a bassist throughout the Northeast region of the USA.
He is the Adjunct Professor for String and Electric Bass Studies at Skidmore College in Saratoga, New York and Hotchkiss School in Connecticut.
Drummer / composer / bandleader Jeff "Siege" Siegel is a veteran of the New York jazz scene and has worked with a virtual "who's who" of artists.
A member of the Sir Roland Hanna Trio from 1994 to 1999, Siegel's diverse career has also led him to perform and record with legends such as Ron Carter, Kenny Burrell, Jack DeJohnette, Benny Golson, Frank Foster, Sheila Jordan, Helen Merrill, Mose Allison, John Medeski, Arthur Rhames and several others.
He has performed over 30 European tours including four as leader of the Jeff “Siege” Siegel Quartet and several others as co-leader at various festivals, concert venues and clubs.
His touring has also led to performances and clinics throughout South America, China and Canada. Siegel is a faculty member of The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, The State University of New York at New Paltz as well as at Western Connecticut State University. He holds a Masters Degree in jazz from Queens College where he studied composition with Jimmy Heath.
South African guitarist, composer and educator, Mageshen Naidoo hails from the township of Chatsworth in KwaZulu/Natal.
His many performance highlights include performing at the private birthday party of President Nelson Mandela and performances at both the Commonwealth Heads of State and African Heads of State conferences.
As a US Fulbright Scholar, Mageshen graduated with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree (Performance) from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. He also holds a M.M. degree (Studio Guitar) from USC, a MMus Degree (Performance & Jazz Composition), cum laude and a BMus degree (Jazz Studies) from the University of Natal. At USC, he studied guitar with the legendary Joe Diorio and master classes with Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Mike Stern, Paul Jackson Jr. and Kurt Rosenwinkel.
Mageshen has won numerous awards for music including the Old Mutual Jazz Competition, both in the Composer and Performance categories and USC’s Faculty award for distinguished scholarship and leadership.
He is the former Director of the Centre for Jazz & Popular Music at UKZN and Acting Head of the School of Music, University of KwaZulu/Natal. Currently he is Deputy Director in the Directorate Music at Unisa and Vice President of the South African Association for Jazz Education (SAJE).
This unique concert will feature original compositions by all members of the trio as well as a possible standard or two from the North American and African continents.
No matter what the material, the group will be speaking the international language of jazz!
For further information contact Alet Joubert, Unisa Music Foundation - tel: 012 429 3336/3311
www.unisa.ac.za/musicfoundation