Popular guitarist, Allou April has developed his own unique style of guitar playing, drawing on the eclectic genres available to him on the South African music scene. He has collaborated with gifted artists such as Sibongile Khumalo, Robbie Jansen, Hotep Galeta, Joe McBride and Al Jarreau.

Allou April began his music career playing with garage bands from the age of 16. In the 1970s he moved from Saldana Bay to Cape Town where he played with some top gospel bands. This launched his career as a session musician. Since then he has toured the city's jazz clubs, doing standards with instrumental jazz bands.

His debut album ‘Bringing Joy' is a collection of material that he as composed over the last 10 year which brings together his multiple musical influences including funk, goema, gospel, township contemporary, and R&B.

What DAN PATLANSKY can do with a six-string Fender Stratocaster at the age of 26, most critically acclaimed guitarists will never quite achieve in a lifetime.

What Dan Patlansky can do with a six-string Fender Stratocaster at the age of 26, most critically acclaimed guitarists will never quite achieve in a lifetime. 

In only ten years on the music scene, Dan Patlansky is one of the busiest and most respected blues artists to ever come out of South Africa. Constant touring as a teenager, won Dan the hearts of even the most hardened blues critics. In the winter of 2001, “Standing at the Station” was released, being a completely independent album, many were surprised at its amazing success. 

After receiving word that “Readers Choice” had voted him “Best Blues Guitarist in Southern Africa”, it was time for a second release. “True Blues” was produced and released by EMI on the famed “Blue Note label” in 2004. Dan is one of the only South Africans to ever achieve “Blue Note” status. 

In February 2005 and again in July 2006, Selwyn Miller, New Orleans based manager of David Gates and Bread, Randy Crawford, and Petula Clark amongst others, brought Dan to New Orleans to showcase this amazing talent. In his time living in the city of the Blues, Patlansky performed at legendry venues (Maple Leaf, Rock & Bowl and Checkpoint Charlie) with many Blues giants such as Henry Gray (Howlin’ Wolf’s Pianist), Snooks Eaglin, The Batiste Family, Rockin Dopsie Jr and many more.  Whilst abroad, Dan performed live on both television and WWOZ radio.   

What this South African boy achieved in a few months, and the following he built up, many thought would have taken years. Touring was cut short due to Hurricane Katrina and he was deprived of the opportunity to play with legendary and world renowned slide guitarist, Sonny Landreth, which performance was scheduled to take place a week after Dan and Selwyn were forced to evacuate New Orleans.

Patlansky moved back to his home country leaving a lot of equipment behind. Dan is still in contact with Grammy award winning producer, David Z, with whom he spent two days writing and arranging on his first trip to New Orleans. 

Fender recognised Dan’s fiery playing and offered him an endorsement deal to promote Fender Guitars and amps.  Dan is one of only six Fender endorsed guitarists in South Africa. 

Dan has played, and more often than not headlined every major venue and music festival in the South Africa eg Oppikoppi, Aardklop (with Arno Carstens’ guitarist Albert Frost), The Durban International Blues Festival (where he performed with veteran New York blues guitarist, Phillip Walker and Pat Savage), The North Sea Jazz Festival (CT), Southern Cross, the Walking the Blues Concert, White Mountain Festival, Up the Creek Festival, Cape Town Blues Summit, Splashy Fen, The Catalina Theatre (Durban) and the Sand du Plessis Theatre in Bloemfontein, BMW Pavilion, Green Dolphin, Die Boer (CT), Blues Room and Tanz Café (Jhb) and many more.  Dan continues to extensively tour small towns to big cities.  Europe, UK and Australia are on the cards for 2008/2009. 

In 2004 Dan was invited to perform at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Concert, headlined by Earl Klugh and Lee Ritenoir, but had to decline due to prior tour commitments. 

At the One World Music Festival (Durban) in 2005 he performed with the renowned New Orleans Batiste family band and shared the stage with the likes of Bob Marley’s son Julian Marley, and past American Idols winner Ruben Studdard.  The concert was attended by the President of Parliament of the State of Louisiana.  He was so blown away by Patlansky’s performance that he promised him the freedom of New Orleans when next he was there.  Unfortunately Hurricane Katrina deprived Dan of this honour. 

In 2005 Dan performed in Dubai at the annual Coca Cola Company celebration, along with UB40 and Shaggy.   

In 2006 Dan Patlansky performed with his New Orleans band at the Cape Town International Jazz Fest sharing top billing with Jose Feliciano, Miriam Makeba, Lou Vega and Freddie Coleman. 

Dan collaborated with top R&B artist RJ Benjamin on one of the tracks of RJ’s recently released and highly acclaimed album “Swimming in the soul of music”, one critic stating that the collaboration took the album to another level. 

Dan was one of the headline acts with Hugh Masakela and Freshlyground at the newly established international Bushfire Concert in Swaziland in 2007.  Similarly he performed at the first Johannesburg Guitar Festival with the likes of Greg Georgiades, Jethro Butow, the headline acts being Dan, followed by Mauritz Lotz. 

Earlier this year Dan played at the Old Mutual Jazz and Blues Roots concert at Emmerentia Botanical Gardens, with international artist Michelle Shocked and Dan, as the two headline and concluding acts. 

Dan has recently returned from Mozambique where he headlined the annual STRAB (Subterranean Rhythm and Blues) Festival.  His performance was voted best by far in voting polls.  Shortly thereafter, he headlined the Tribute to Jimi Hendrix show at Café Barcelona in Pretoria, which included performances by, amongst others, Jan Blohm, Albert Frost and Mel Botes.

Dan has also been approached by Danny K to collaborate with him on a song to be recorded by top South African performers in the fight against crime.   

Dan over the years, has shared the stage many times with legendry blues artists and guitarists such as Larry Amos, Julian Laxton, Steve Fataar (ex Beach Boys / Flames), Cedric Sampson, Valiant Swart, The Late big voice Jack (who performed with Mango Groove and the Dave Mathews Band) and Alistair Coakley.  Dan recently performed at The Catalina Theatre in Durban with Vicki Sampson. 

Dan has been played and/or play listed by many South African DJs and stations such as 5FM, East Coast radio, SAFM Radio 2000, O FM, Bush Radio, countless student stations and Radio To-day (Benjy Mudie, Rafe Levine, Phil Wright, Chris Prior, David Blood, Leon Economedes). 

This young blues guitarist has now released his third album “Real” which showcases his song-writing abilities using an earthy live blues sound with his own take on it.  “Real” has attracted great reviews and articles in most acclaimed magazines. 

His album “Real” is played in Australia on 101 FM and in America on WWOZ FM New Orleans on which Dan played live and on which he has been play listed since 2005.   

“Real” and Patlansky received a brilliant review in the May / June 2008 edition (Issue 43) of top Blues Magazine, Blues Matters!, which circulates throughout the UK, Europe, Canada and Australia.  Out of approximately 150 CD Reviews of Albums by UK, European, Canadian, Australian and American artists, accredited critic, Merv Osborne had this, amongst other things, to say about “Real” and Patlansky:  

“I don’t think I’m going to hear a better album all year. ..... It’s gonna have to be a truly superb CD to better this one” (full text on Dan’s web site).

“Real” is also about to be reviewed by top UK music journalist Rhys Williams for intended publication in other UK magazines and some top American Blues Magazines. 

TV guest appearances: 

MNET reality show, Project Fame (2004)

SABC International interviews

Top Billing (2006)

Dit is hoe dit is met Steve (Kyknet 2007)

Various TV interviews (SABC 2004 – 2008)

Music video, produced by Eduan van Jaarsveld  of Stealthdonkey Productions to be released soon and play listed on MK. 

Dan is accompanied in South Africa by Andy Turrel or Theron Peterson (USA) on drums, and Errol “Smelly” Fellows (ex Pleasure Machine P/E) on bass.  His sidemen in the US are David Batiste Sr (keyboards), who has worked with Gladys Knight and the Pips and The Meters, Stanley Perkins Jr (bass) and Jamal or Alvin Batiste (drums). 

“Dan Patlansky is one of the most renowned and fiery blues artists in the southern hemisphere and one of the greatest I’ve ever seen.”- David Batiste Sr.” (New Orleans)

“Dan has some of the fastest fingers I’ve ever seen” – Phillip Walker (New York) 

“Dan is a great guitarist and ranks with the best” – Selwyn Miller (New Orleans) 

“I love Dan’s guitar playing!” – Dozi (South Africa)

JOÃO CABRAL ARMANDO: guitarist, composer, songwriter, bandleader arranger & producer

Since 1994, guitarist, composer, songwriter, arranger, producer and bandleader João Cabral Armando has been a passionate musical innovator committed to the exploration of many different art forms on the African landscape.

Cabral has numerous original compositions within the Afro-Jazz musical tradition, combining both traditional and modern elements of jazz. Although he is drawn to the sounds of West, Central and Southern Africa, and to South American and Latin music, jazz remains his first love.

Jeremy was born and raised in Zimbabwe, but has been living in Cape Town since 1995. He studied at UCT’s College of Music and graduated in 1999 with a BMus Honours in Jazz Performance. Since then he has been playing proffessionally as a solo artist and as a session musician/vocalist with many well-known musicians including Shannon Mowday, Frank Paco, Amanda Tiffin and Sarah Theron throughout South Africa as well as performing internationally at various shows, festivals and concerts.

To name a few more recent events:

Grahamstown Jazz Festival (2007), Standard Bank Joy of Jazz (2006, 2007), Cape Town International Jazz Festival (2007), Cape Town Jazzathon (2006, 2007), Leipzig International Jazz Festival, Germany (2007), Show at the Medinat Theatre, Dubai (2008).

His repertoire is varied and he is a versatile musician and vocalist covering many different genres of music.

Luke Siedle is an accomplished singer-songwriter and guitar player. He was born and raised in Durban, South Africa, where he currently resides. He picked up the guitar at a young age, and went on to master the American fingerstyle technique, both on 6 & 12 String guitars, guided by teacher and friend, Guy Buttery.

Having developed an extensive repertoire of his own, influenced primarily by the music of Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and The Beatles, Luke soon withdrew from the Durban music scene altogether to get to work on his own debut record.

At only twenty years of age we can expect many things from this exciting new artist. Already, he is planning a solo instrumental E.P. showcasing his slide work on the 12-string guitar over the last couple of years, as well as a full-length album intended for release in the latter half of 2009 to follow up his startling debut, "Our Stories."

Richard Ceasar is one of the forefront jazz guitar players in Cape Town. He has been playing the guitar for 25 years non stop! His influences are, George Benson, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, Mike Stern etc. In April 2007, he released an album: a joint venture with Bassist, Greg Higgins, who produced and co-wrote a few tracks. The title track "Come back to me" and "Sweeter than honey" are already receiving favourable airplay on most popular radio stations. He has been a professional musician for the last 25 years, and has travelled extensively, playing and touring abroad in Australia, Dubai, and the Comores Islands. He has regularly recorded and performed with Chris Schilder, Tony Schilder and Jimmy Dludlu. He also recently recorded a song called "At the g-spot", which is doing well on the dance floor! His latest offering is a fantastic interpretation of classic soul and jazz favourites, with a few notable Cape flavoured originals!

As far as corporate work is concerned, Richard Ceasar covers a wide repertoire of Latin, Rock, Pop, Classical, Jazz and Swing. He has performed at hundreds of corporates as well as having entertained at a number of 5 star hotels around the world.