A little bit of musical Cape Town (and South Africa) came to Canberra Australia last week. A crowded house of jazz-lovers soaked up the sounds of saxophonist Mark Ginsburg’s group, The South African Project.

Those in the audience with South African roots – and there were many of them – applauded with great fervour as Ginsburg and his group worked their way through Winston Mnkunku Ngozi’s Yakhal N’Komo, Khalil al Shahib’s (Chris Schilder) Skyride, Victor Ntoni’s composition (Hugh Masekela’s version), Nomali, Merton Barrow’s A Little Rock in Spain, and Abdullah Ibrahim’s Whoza Mtwana and The Wedding.

All those artists are legends in Cape Town’s jazz pantheon.

Group spokesman Ginsburg is originally from Camps Bay but now lives in Sydney and on the night he acknowledged his roots and the high regard he has for the artists whose music he had chosen.

The group’s repertoire was rounded off with Bheki Mseleku’s Vukani and Timelessness, Bruce Cassidy’s Fikele’s Delight, Bokani Dyer’s Fanfare, Fadheli Williams’ Malaika and Miriam Makeba/Alan Salinga’s Ntylo Ntylo.

Ginsburg isn’t the only one in the group who has links to Cape Town. Pianist Ryan Grogan is the son of well-known Cape Times cartoonist John Grogan and singer Judy Campbell is the daughter of Cape Town pianist the late Colin Campbell who featured a lot on the old SABC stations.

The South African Project has been around for about two years now. Let’s hope we can see and hear more of them in months to come.

Mark also released an album titled Generations (The Mark Ginsburg Band) about four years ago which is in part acknowledgement of his Jewish background.

The South African Project . . . a jazz group based in Sydney but wit its roots firmly in Cape Town. From left, saxophonist Mark Ginsburg, bassist Brendan Clark, jnr, Eamon Dilworth (trumpet), Judy Campbell (vocals), Dave Goodman (drums), and Ryan Grogan (piano). Ginsburg, Campbell and Grogan are all originally from Cape Town.