April-May & August-September 2023 — Music

Well-known in the South African jazz scene, bassist Romy Brauteseth has frequently performed at the Bird’s Eye Jazz Club in Basel, Switzerland, accompanying other South African composers such as Marcus Wyatt, Bokani Dyer and Keenan Ahrends. For a period of three months split into two sojourns in April-May and August- September 2023, Romy will be an artist in residence in Basel and will use the time to develop her own musical projects.

The residency represents an important moment for Romy, who will be stepping outside of her comfort zone as a side-musician to present and record her own original music. The residency will offer her the opportunity to deepen her networks in the Swiss jazz scene and spend extended musical time with Swiss musicians jamming, sharing ideas and collaborating.

Romy has given the project the working title “Outline”, which she explains is “not only because of its visual connotation, but also because of it being a starting point and a canvas with much room for something to develop.” Romy will perform the project over four consecutive nights from 23-26 August 2023 at the Bird’s Eye Jazz Club with a live recording on the last evening.

Alongside playing music, Romy is also a graphic designer and visual artist. In parallel with her musical projects, she plans to use the residency to continue work on a series of musician portraits from photos taken while filming the Jazz Community Showcase concert series at House on the Hill during lockdown.

During the first phase of her residency Romy will join fellow South Africans onstage for a series of performances at the Bird’s Eye Jazz Club:

• 21.04.2023 Keenan Ahrends Quintet
• 22.04.2023 Keenan Ahrends Quintet
• 30.04.2023 Sisonke Xonti Quartet
• 02.05.2023 Mthunzi Mvubu Quartet
• 03.05.2023 Feya Faku Quintet

BIOGRAPHY

Romy Brauteseth is a South African bass player. Born in Port Elizabeth, she grew up in a musical family and played piano and guitar at an early age. She learnt to play electric bass in church, and learnt to read music in the Victoria Park High School Big Band. Along with fellow students she formed a combo that for many years performed at weddings and other events. Romy was chosen for the Standard Bank National Schools Big Band in 2005 under the leadership of musical virtuoso Graham Beyer. While studing graphic design, she continued a freelance music career in various bands, collaborations and theatre shows. She was chosen for the National Youth Band in 2010 under well-known composer and bass player Mike Campbell. Romy found her musical match in the upright bass which started her off as a freelance musician with some of the country’s finest musicians such as Dan Shout, Gorm Helfjord, Melanie Scholtz, Mark Fransman, Bokani Dyer, Kesivan Naidoo, Dave Ledbetter, Alvin Dyers and many more. Romy currently gigs and tours most frequently with Marcus Wyatt (ZAR JAZZ Orchestra, Bombshelter Beast), Bokani Dyer Trio and the Keenan Ahrends Trio.