Sounds

These Arms of Mine – Otis Redding

Dust My Broom – Fleetwood Mac

(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay – Otis Redding

Me And Bobby McGee – Janis Joplin

Skeleton – BLK JKS

What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye

Say A Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin

Dedication (Daddy Trane, Brother Shorter) – Kesivan And The Lights

Eclipse – Babbu

It’s A Family Affair – Sly & The Family Stone

Otis Redding was the go to guy when slow melancholic soul ballads were what one was looking for. He died unceremoniously in a plane crash in 1967 before his magnum opus (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay was released and therefore like many artists (including Janis Jolpin) he gained unprecedented posthumous fame. Both the songs in the playlist are easy listening numbers and like many of the songs I listen to are nostalgic, tinged with sadness and much like Mr. Redding, a tad fleeting as if on a journey to the heavens.

Now ask any South African who is the country’s premier drama and you’re more likely than not to hear “Kesivan Naidoo!” He is undoubtedly the country’s undisputed King of Jazz Percussion. I have followed his career informally whilst a friend of mine – a Turk follows him excessively so I have pretty good idea of his career. In person he is a rather unassuming albeit large Indian guy with a cheeky glint in his eyes. In front of a drama kit he is a monster. Mad Genius is what I call him but yet there is a method to his madness. Friends of mine who are play the drums find his particular tempo and technique otherworldly. He plays with the style and grace of a Superman, at some point during the many gigs I saw him in you couldn’t even see his arms move, it was all a blur! Above are two lovely songs from two of his innumerable bands Babbu and Kesivan And The Lights. His other band the experimental Restless Natives are not bad either. They all play jazz of course. Not bad for a twenty something year old* Cape Town native.

*Real age unknown, though most would agree that he’s barely touched 30.