Little Giants celebrate 25 years

The Little Giants jazz band celebrated their 25th anniversary with a performance at the Artscape theatre on Friday that explored its past, present and future.

Formed in 1999, the 20-member band works at York Road Primary School in Lansdowne and Eluxolweni Primary School in Khayelitsha, teaching pupils how to play musical instruments, says conductor Duncan Johnson, who plays bass and the saxophone.

“It is unique. When you go overseas people want to hear South African jazz. The longer I am in the Little Giants, the more I fall in love with it,” he says.

However, he adds, many musicians in South Africa still have to work full-time jobs to earn a salary because they struggle to form connections in the music industry and make ends meet.

“I would like musicians to just worry about the music and not other things. When we do get support, many people pocket 90% of the money.

“There’s a lot of musicians and organisations in Cape Town who need help with marketing. I’d like to encourage people to look out and support in whichever way they can. We all need each other at some point. The work that we do is for the community. These are kids who will become parents and teach their kids.”

Jazz lover Fadia Manie, of Wynberg, says the show took her back many years.

“There was old school jazz and songs I didn’t know. It was very entertaining. They are quite talented and I hope they go very far.”