5 March 2025
On Tuesday evening, I was presented with an opportunity to attend the Rockin’ All Over the World in Clifton‘s Ken Mackenzie Hall, with saxophonist Andrew Young, accompanied by keyboard player, Shem Mahabeer.
An invitation to attend a cultural or music event is always a welcome break from the flood of sports events and matches that I usually deal with – I, also, work as a writer for, and editor of, the SuperSport Schools Plus website.
It was eye-opening seeing and hearing Young perform, witnessing the apparently effortless ease with which he made his instruments, talk, sing, and communicate emotion. And the programme was multi-dimensional, covering different styles, eras, and influences.
Astonishing, impressive, and toe-tappingly good!
Andrew Young has travelled the world and been impacted by the different places he has visited, which is what he used to drive his music choices. Fittingly, the programme began with Rockin’ all over the World, from Status Quo.
Once upon a time, Young, who was born in Liverpool, was a clarinet player in the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra and he added to the performance by calling upon former colleagues of his from the orchestra, who now serve on the Clifton staff, in the Music Department, to join him on stage. They provided some of the highlights of the evening.
Nina Watson, the Head of Choral Music, accompanied Young for a couple of numbers, playing the cello, while Shelley Downham – without forewarning, she assured me – delivered a magnificent performance of George Gershwin‘s “Summertime“. What a voice!
Riaan Subramoney, in grade 10, led a performance of Grover Washington Jnr‘s “Just the Two of Us” and did an outstanding job.
Talent runs deep in the Clifton music staff and boys, it appears.
The evening was also a community-building occasion, with boarders and staff from Durban Girls’ College (DGC) and Reddam House Umhlanga being invited to attend. They were joined by Clifton families in a barnyard-style, relaxed atmosphere. Great idea!
Andrew Young’s rendition of Gerry Rafferty‘s “Baker Street“, during which he performed both the alto sax and singing roles, was a standout, while his version of A-Ha‘s “Take on Me” was an interesting and cool take, with elements of dub and jazz, beautifully inflected into the song by Shem Mahabeer.
I have no doubt that Young has no problems passing a physical. His lung capacity must be immense. Some of the notes he reached and held for seemingly impossible durations stretched the limits of his instruments, surely.
A fantastic and humble entertainer, whose stories of his travels, cleverly wove the programme together, Young showed why his talent has taken him all around the world and why he has performed with luminaries, such as Dionne Warwick, Van Morrison, Shirley Bassey, James Galway, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo‘s Joseph Shabalala.
It was effortlessly awe-inspiring fare, light-hearted and fun, too, and on the money for a community event. Nice one, Clifton. Thumbs-up!
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