RHUMBELOW THEATRE

Cunningham Ave Off Bartle Rd

PRESENTS

 

‘TO BE FRANK ‘

BRENDAN JURY

Accompanist: Durban’s Evan Roberts

 

 

 

FRIDAY        28 FEB 2003    Show starts 8.30 pm               

SATURDAY 01 MAR 2003    Show starts 8.30 pm                

SUNDAY      02 MAR 2003    Show starts 6.30 pm                

      (Venue opens 90 minutes before show for picnic dinner)

 

To Be Frank is a romantic mini-musical featuring Brendan Jury  (winner of the VITA award for best musical theatre performance in The Pianomen 2001) as a battle-weary hitman turned lounge singer.  Musical accompaniment is provided by Durban's maestro Evan Roberts, and the dark noir tale of love and crime features arrangements of many of Sinatra's greatest hits; including Mac The Knife, Under my Skin, Fly me to the Moon, My Way, My Funny Valentine, Everytime We Say Goodbye, New York New York, Chicago and Cancing Cheek to Cheek.

 

The script is deftly crafted by Iain Paton, who is a scriptwriter for Isidingo as well as excellent an actor of repute whose recent credits include, Isidingo, Death of A Salesman and his self-directed and written production of great acclaim, Shift in the Goalposts.

 

Be prepared for a well-written gangster love story with a classic twist in the tale.

 

R 40-00 a ticket      Bring food picnic baskets.

(Braais will be available should you wish to cook some meat)

 

Limited secure parking available     Booking is essential. 

Bar Available (Please note Alcohol may not be brought on to the premises)

 

Phone or email Roland for bookings and get that money rolling in. 

H  2057602      Cell 0824998636        email roland@stansell.za.net

 

PLEASE HELP AND SUPPORT AS THIS IS A GREAT LITTLE VENUE

 

 

 

BRENDAN JURY

 

Brendan Jury born in Durban 12 October 1969.He is an accomplished singer, violinist, pianist and music composer for film, theatre and popular culture. He is adept at styles ranging from world music, Afro-Jazz, R and B, classical orchestral music to contemporary pop and rock.  Furthermore he has achieved considerable success as a conductor and musical director of live performance ensembles.

 

1982

Winner of under sixteen solo piano Tablers National Music Competition

 

1986-1987

Performed as a member of the Natal Youth Orchestra

Conducted the Durban Boys High School Choir.

Performed the title role in the school musical Pippin

 

1988-1992

Studied Viola, Piano and Musicology at the University of Natal

Founder member of the acclaimed Afro-Classical quartet The Imizwilili Ensemble

Invited to play as a member of Darius Brubeck’s Gathering Forces Ensemble with Zim Nqawana, Lex Futshane, Deepak Ram , Lulu Gontsana and Feya Faku.

Studied electro-acoustic composition under Jurgen Brauninger.

Graduated in 1992 specialising in musicology.

 

1993

Honours essay on alternative South African popular music published by Oxford University Press.

Performed the lead role of Sebastian in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at the Loft Theatre.

Performed a leading role in Elton John: This Is Your Song at the Cellar Supper Theatre with Joseph Clarke and Luciano Zuppa.

Performed the role of John The Baptist in Oscar Wilde’s Salome at the Technicon Natal.

 

1994

Formed ground-breaking South African rock group URBAN CREEP, as vocalist and viola player which went on to spear-head the S.A. music revival of the nineties with their debut album  SEA LEVEL.

 

1995

Sea Level spawned two number one singles SEA LEVEL and DO'NT LOOK BACK.  Urban Creep toured the country continuously,

often playing twenty gigs a month. Major support act work included touring with MIDNIGHT OIL and THE URBAN COOKIE COLLECTIVE.

Completed Session work for many Shifty Music recording projects including Jennifer Fergusson, Matthew Van der Want, Robin Auld, Wendy Oldfield and Casper de Vries.

 

 

 

1996

Urban Creep released their second album, TIGHTROPER. Wrote the number-one singles SLOW THIGHS and SEVEN DEPTHS OF SKIN from that album.

Performed solo with Nataniel and Mimi Coetzer at the Pretoria State Theatre.

Nominated for SAMA best song, best album and best group awards.

Performed lead role in the acclaimed musical, The Pianomen at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.

 

1997

Urban Creep toured Belgium where they played on the same stage as Elvis Costello at the Draunouter Festival

Performed with Vusi Mahlasela and Louis Mahlanga on tour in Belgium.

Urban Creep then toured to France where they played to great critical acclaim, culminating in the Nantes Fin De Siecle Festival.

Performed and recorded with Darius Brubeck’s Gathering Forces Ensemble in France.

 

In August of 1977 Brendan left Urban Creep and formed TRANS.SKY with celebrated Kalahari Surfer Warwick Sony.  Transsky's debut release was the E.P. HEAVEN TO TOUCH in late 1997. Warwick and Brendan soon became renowned as film and television composers.

 

Transsky composed and produced tracks for the B.B.C., Discovery Channel, Tube on SABC 2, Channel Four and several films including HUSK (which was nominated for an award at Cannes).

 

Musical Director and composer for William Kentridge's UBU AND THE TRUTH COMMISSION, which toured for over a year in the U.S.A., the U.K. and Europe.

 

1998

Transsky released the album KILLING TIME to extraordinary critical acclaim; fusing African music, electonica, rock, kwaito, techno, trance, hip hop and ambient music.  In October 1998 Transsky toured with MASSIVE ATTACK

Co-composer with Warrick Sony of the music for Junaid Ahmed’s short film The Vow.

Performed with celebrated poet Lesego Rampolokeng

Composed theme music for actuality programme Fokus on SABC 2

 

1999

Brendan formed the rock-act OHM and embarked on three successive national tours, OHM released it's first album in November 1999 (Entitled OHM) OHM's first album received great critical appraisal.

 

Brendan also featured as a lead performer in the long-running cabaret hit The Piano Men which featured the music of 50’s Broadway, and the more contemporary styles of Elton John, Billy Joel, Ray Charles and others.

 

Co-composed the music for the BBC award winning documentary :River and Memory

 

2000

Brendan toured with OHM to the U.K. and secured a recording deal with Melt 2000

Co-composed and performed the lead role in Jeanette Ginslov’s dance drama Julia at the Pretoria State Theatre.

Composed and directed music for various television commercials.

Conducted Soweto String Quartet for One Giant Leap album by British group Faithless.

Performed as solo violist on One Giant Leap.

Played with Nibs Van der Spuy at the Awesome Africa musical festival.

 

2001

Toured with Julia to Holland.  Performed at the Nederlandse Dans Teater.

Reprised role in The Pianomen at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.

Winner of the Vita Award for best musical theatre performance.

Co-wrote and co-composed From Cello to Checkers Packet with Ellis Pearson.

Performed the piece at the Grahamstown and Hilton Arts Festivals.

Performed, composed and co-wrote To Be Frank with Iain Paton (script writer for Isidingo)

Performed with Darius Brubeck’s Gathering Forces at the World Conference on Racism.

Toured nationally as a duo with Nibs Van der Spuy

Toured with the Springbok Nude Girls as featured soloist nationally.

Composed and produced the music for SABC 1 programme Get Real.

 

2002

Recorded and produced the second OHM album entitled Start

Recorded, produced and directed Roger Lucey’s album Gypsy Soul featuring: Ray Phiri, Nico Carstens, and Dan Chiorboli.

Toured nationally with Nibs Van der Spuy.

Recorded and Produced DSTV World Summit song with Jabu Khanyile of Bayete.

Recorded and co-composed the song Tsha Tsha Tsha with R and B star Ishmael.

Recorded, produced and composed the song Touch featuring R and B star TK.

Touch was released on 2 albums: Club Anthems 2002 and Derek The Bandit’s World of Dance 3.

Toured with Roger Lucey and Dan Chiorboli to Italy and played at Bologna, Carpi and The Mundus Festival.

Performed with OHM and Arno Carstens at the Awesome Africa Festival.

Re-composed the theme music for Tube, SABC 2.

Composed various theme and incidental music for DSTV