Music On The Vine: Jazz On The Vine

Jonathan Rubain

Jonathan Rubain is a bass player who heads up The Jonathan Rubain Band, an up and coming contingent that is headed for greatness.
Jonathan has recently released the band’s first album titled ‘Happy People’, which is fast becoming the music of choice amongst avid jazz lovers and those who are appreciative of good music, alike.

Having been born to reside in and be subjected to growing up amidst some of the toughest conditions; in one of Cape Town’s most criminal and gang-ridden suburbs, Hanover Park, Jonathan has excelled to become the bass player of preference for legends such as Mac McKenzie, Errol Dyers and Robbie Jansen. He has also played with David Kramer and several other prominent South African musicians as well as international superstar, BeBe Winans.

Jonathan has played with the Cape Jazz Band and the Goema Captains of Cape Town, at various festivals in France and Malaysia, amongst others. The track ‘I wish I could Groove’, which was written by Jonathan, features on the Goemarati compilation of Cape Town classics and his performances have featured on several albums, including the Goema Captains’ acclaimed album ‘Healing Destination’.

Jonathan consistently delivers a winning combination of youthful exuberance, raw talent, charm and integrity. He started playing drums at the age of seven and by the age of nine, he was playing guitar in the Shiloh Pentecostal Church band, in Hanover Park. His music is strongly influenced by the rhythm life in Hanover Park and the greater Cape Town, Pinkster church music and Cape music culture such as the Cape Minstrel sound and Ghoema, but he is supremely versatile in his delivery of any sound that will best grab the audience. Jonathan is particularly proficient in engaging the audience and delivering the music to their hearts.

Glenn Robertson Jazz Band

The band comprises Tony Drake on Piano, Andre Henry on Bass Guitar, Jaimie Sandoval on Drums and Guest Artist, Donveno Prins on Saxophone. Glenn Robertson plays percussion and fronts the band vocally. The musical style of the band is rooted in Jazz, but covers various genre of musical styles. The band is flexible in that it moves from the blues to swing and from bebop to modern Jazz and is spiced with a latin flavour. A unique formula, which this band has encompassed is the introduction of Gospel Jazz as a part of their repertoire.

Andre Henry played with various bands for the past 20 years. He did his studies at the Jazz Workshop in Cape Town with Alistair Andrews. He played in various venues in Cape Town either as a band member or session musician. Tony Drake is an incredible piano player, producer, recording engineer and songwriter and has also been playing around Cape Town for approximately 25 years. Glenn Robertson was a founder member of the band Airborne and was lead vocalist for the Tony Schilder Trio, for a season, at the Sherwood or better known as Club Montreal in Manenberg.