Original music and acoustic renditions of much-loved cover songs will delight Helderberg Nature Reserve Sunset Concert patrons when the band Acoustica takes to the stage on Sunday, 13 December in Somerset West.

The four members have different musical backgrounds and international experience. Their combined styles result in an extraordinary variety of music, encompasing classical, jazz, blues, pop/rock, ballads, Spanish flamenco, Indian, Irish and African.

Acoustica consists of vocalist Jesse Jordan, guitarist Graham Gillot, multi-instrumentalist Duncan Combe, Jeane Combe and drummer Keith de Kock.

Local and unplugged: Acoustica will perform live at the Helderberg Nature Reserve on 13 December.

Jesse won the “Shell Road to Fame,” with his own hit single, Eastern Bridge. As the front man and lead singer for Jesse Jordan Band, he has had numerous other hit singles on radio, including the well-known songs Not Here and Wendy.

It took Graham only two years to obtain his Grade 8 Classical Guitar with Merit through Trinity College, London. He subsequently played for various bands, including the Jesse Jordan Band. He also did session work for DNA Strings and played for the international star, Rodriquez.

Duncan is a teacher at Parel Vallei High School in Somerset West. He completed his B. Mus. at Stellenbosch University in 1981, majoring in clarinet, the instrument he played for the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra. He left for England in 1983 to study at Leeds Jazz College and started the Do Re Me Music School in 1986. Duncan plays sax, clarinet, bass, keyboard and guitar.

Keith is a recording engineer and producer at Cape Town Sound. He is regarded as one of the finest drummers around, having played for the Jesse Jordan Band, Casual Culture and Watershed. Jeane accompanies on percussion and keyboard.

Acoustica’s set list includes original and reworked versions of well-known favourites and all-time classics such as Stand by Me, Tears in Heaven, Fields of Gold, Fly me to the Moon, Summertime, Thrill is Gone, Layla, Give Me One Reason, Pride and Joy, Change the World, Tucama, Fever, I’ve got you under my skin, Concerto de Aranjuez and Don’t worry, Be happy. Add to this some instrumental classical guitar and Spanish Flamenco, as well as their own original tunes and their repertoire is guaranteed to provide a show that is world class with ‘something for everyone’. A concert not to be missed.

Please join us on the lawns of our lovely Reserve this Sunday. As in the past the concert starts at 17:30 and tickets will be on sale at the gate for R30 for adults and R10 for scholars. There is no admission fee for children under the age of five. The proceeds of the concerts are used to support environmental education projects at the Reserve.

Do bring your picnic and blankets or chairs and join us.

Please call the Information Centre for more information.
For contact details refer to the Information column to the right of the page.