World Aids Day

Thursday, 29 October 2009 10:08

Award winning musical icons lend their voices What does Gladys Knight and the Pips, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Anita Baker, The Rolling Stones, Luther Vandross, Black Eyed Peas, Madonna, Whitney Houston all have in common?  They are a part of the elite list of performers and musicians worldwide who have been recognized by their peers with the infamous Grammy Award. Ladysmith Black Mambazo, South Africa’s elite international ambassadors of music are on the top ten list of those artists mentioned above, are soon to make their first appearance in the Western Cape in many months. On December 1, 2009 at the Artscape Theatre, they will join American born singer and actor Jimmie Earl Perry on stage together celebrating the 5th Annual World Aids Day Gala Concert. This is the biggest event on the African continent commemorating the 21st year of World Aids Day.  The Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management at Stellenbosch University has hosted this event since 2005 and it has elevated itself to being the must attend event of the year. Prof. Jan Du Toit, the director of the Africa Centre has made significant successes with the academic program of the Africa Centre on HIV/AIDS and delights in the cooperation of partnerships in this country and abroad. Jimmie Earl Perry, producer and director of the event and a South Africa permanent resident for 5 years, is a former broadway performer having performed in “Starlight Express”, “Cats”, “Miss Saigon”, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Dreamgirls” and many other hit musicals.  He is currently recording his second South African produced album along with Ladysmith Black Mambazo joining him on several tracks. He is delighted to be among the very special artists, like Dolly Parton, Michael Jackson, Mavis Staples and Paul Simon, to work with this incredible group. Jimmie, the director of Educational Theatre and Creative Arts at the Africa Centre is a force behind the awareness concerts and prevention campaigns on HIV/Aids in South Africa. Joseph Shabalala, the lead vocal of Ladysmith is delighted to join this project and to collaborate on such a necessary event to continue the fight against HIV/Aids. Performing with our own South African artists such as Sterling EQ, Rouchelle Liedemann, Soli Philander, Voices of Love Ensemble, Cape Philharmonic conducted by Marcel Koning of the Netherlands and the European X-Factor winner Sharon Kips and many others.   Last year, the new Western Cape premier (then the best mayor of the world) Helen Zille attended and plans to be an integral part of this years “Celebrating Heroes” themed gala concert along with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Presidency and many other decision makers and esteemed invitees. World Aids Day Gala Concert, Artscape Theatre December 1, 2009……7:30pm Formal with a touch of Red.