In the audience, people tapped their feet, moved their heads side to side and swayed their waists left and right to the rhythm of Marcus Wyatt’s Jazz Jam Session at The Orbit on Tuesday.
Wyatt, the renowned jazz trumpeter, was born and bred in Port Elizabeth. He has played in South Africa, toured throughout southern Africa and performed for audiences around the globe. But on Tuesday, he gave Braamfontein a piece of his art.
Wyatt’s body became a bellweather for his own music. When he played a slow piece his body responded to the rhythm and he closed his eyes at occasions. However, when he played an upbeat piece his entire body danced to the excitement of the rhythm and sound of the instruments coming together as one. He smiled and constantly looked up, facing the ceiling as he moved across the stage and then stopped to sway down and up again.
TRUMPET KING: Marcus Wyatt performs at The Orbit, leaving his audience in awe.
Photo: Lutho Mtongana
Accompanied by vocalist Tutu Puoane, an artist and fellow graduate of the University Of Cape Town College Of Music, they performed two bluesy and soothing pieces. Together they brought the house in awe and the audience could not help but stand up in ovation, clapping and whistling to the collaborated piece they played, which had silenced the audience for the duration of the two songs.
Puoane had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand. When she broke into song, the audience roared with applause and when she gradually got softer, the audience slowly followed suit reaching a point of complete silence. When Wyatt blew the trumpet to what he called one of his “difficult” songs, he blew effortlessly and with ease. Puoane has also travelled around Africa performing her album Mama Africa which she wrote in honour of Miriam Makeba.
Wyatt has performed in small corner cafes to playing side by side with music greats Makeba, Abdullah Ibrahim and Jimmy Dludlu.
With his music, Marcus has not only made a name for himself but he has created a memory for all those who come to see him play.
The warm and cosy venue was flooded with couples, friends reuniting and a group of older men celebrating a friend’s 68th birthday with a glass of red wine and a meal while watching the playful and yet honest performance of Wyatt.
Wyatt’s peace and tranquility resonated in the room while maintaining a light-hearted atmosphere of fun and laughter among his audience. When he performed he engaged and interacted in light conversations with the crowd showing his rather humorous side.
Wyatt will play again at The Orbit next week Tuesday for his last Jam Session in Braamfontein.
