Press Article

2006 January   "Standard Bank Young Artist Award winners for 2006"
Publication: Classic Feel
Byline: Standard Bank

Classic Feel
Standard Bank
January 2006

“Standard Bank Young Artist Award winners for 2006”

On 8 November 2005 Standard Bank celebrated 22 years of sponsoring the Young Artist Awards with a fitting tribute to four outstanding recipients for this year.

The Winners of the 2006 Standard Bank Young Artist Awards are Churchill Madikida for Visual Art; Sylvaine Strike for Drama; Hlengiwe Lushaba for Dance; Concord Nkabinde for Jazz.
Concord Nkabinde: Concord Nkabinde achieves Standard Bank’s stamp of approval as he is awarded the coveted 2006 Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Jazz, and, as jazz fundi Alan Webster says, “Concord is going to be a fine ambassador for this award and an outstanding example to those who follow in his footsteps.”

This highly talented, well-respected musician, composer, producer and music educator was born in 1968 in Soweto. He was schooled at Emsebeni Primary School, Vukayibambe Senior Primary School and then matriculated at Jabulani Technical High School. At the age of ten, the church awakened Concord’s passion for music and he was soon involved with gospel music bands in Soweto, playing guitar and percussion. Later he picked up the bass guitar, unsupervised. This intense interest in music and his desire to further his education, led him to four years of study for a BMus in Jazz Studies at the University of Natal. With a degree under his belt and a desire to share his passion, Concord began teaching in Soweto and Johannesburg, first at FUBA(Federated Union of Black Artists) Academy and then at the Funda Centre in Diepkloof, before deciding to pursue a career as a studio and touring musician.

Concord became a highly sought-after bass guitarist working with musicians such as Abdullah Ibrahim, Zim Ngqawana, Hugh Masekela, Ray Phiri and many others. It was during this time that he honed his leadership skills as a musical director and recording producer. His work as a producer includes recordings by Joyous Celebration 1 as well as the late Wendy Mseleku’s Picking up the pieces and Tsunami’s From clay.
Currently playing in Johnny Clegg’s group, Concord has toured internationally with the “White Zulu” as well as with Zim Ngqawana, Darius Brubeck, Deepak Ram, Ray Phiri and Gito Baloi, to name a few, and also assisted numerous international touring artists including Roy Ayers from the USA, the UK’s Colin Vearncombe aka Black, Sergio Diaz from Brazil and Efrain Toro from Puerto Rico. Other artists with whom he has collaborated include Miriam Makeba, Norway’s Bendik Hofseth, Phil Manzanera (formerly of Roxy Music), Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the Soweto String Quartet, Ernie Smith, Vusi Mahlasela, Claire Johnston of Mango Groove, and many more. He currently sits on the Executive Committee of the Composers’ Association of South Africa (CASA).
Concord’s passion for cross-cultural collaborations is evident in some of the projects that he has been involved in: Shuttle ’99 (the five Nordic countries, 1999); Beyond the Rainbow (with China, 2001); Gathering Forces (Jazz and Classical Indian Music, 1994/97) and Imbizo (with Finland, 2003).
His experiences have led him along the paths of Rock, Jazz and Gospel through to Traditional African music and anything in between. He feels strongly that, “this is the time for us all to break down the walls and level the ground so the world can sing together in harmony.”
When Concord Nkabinde heard that he had won the 2006 Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Jazz he said, “I am truly touched by this generous gesture and it makes me want to touch others too. My life will never again be the same. Ngiyabonga.”

About the Awards:
“Standard Bank’s sponsorship of the Young Artist Awards contribute to the development of our country’s up-and-coming artists,” says Khanyi Mlambo, Director Group Sponsorships at Standard Bank. “The awards are a forum for experimentation where innovative concept