It was an incredible experience to attend the opening night last night of David Kramer’s newest show ‘Kalahari Karoo Blues’, which runs at the Baxter Theatre until 19 January.  It follows ‘Karoo Kitaar Blues’, which Kramer staged for the first time ten years ago, and features a number of the artists of the past shows too.

Kramer should receive an award for his contribution to the cultural treasure of our country, in taking to the road and finding our unique musicians, playing unique instruments, and singing as yet unpublished folk music.  For the first time Kramer travelled to Botswana, in search of Ronnie Moipolai, of whom he had been sent a YouTube clip, an amazing talent.  His first attempt to find him failed, but with a connection he found Ronnie, and travelled back to Kapong village in Botswana to include him in the show.

Against a backdrop designed by Kramer, he paid tribute to the artists he had featured in earlier shows, who had passed away, and acknowledged the contribution to his show of Hannes Coetzee and the Sonskynsusters, who have performed with him before.  He warned the audience that he cannot predict how the show will go, and what makes it so charming is that the performers get up to dance while someone is singing or playing an instrument.  Mary Kriel was a hoot, dressed in typical Namaqua dress, with a ‘kappie’, and getting up on a number of occasions to dance. Last year Hannes and Kramer travelled to the USA, where he had been invited to demonstrate his ‘Teaspoon Slide Technique’ of playing the guitar, and teach his method.  They met Dolly Parton’s band’s slide guitarist, and he was most impressed with Hannes.  He also recorded with Grammy Award winning band Carolina Chocolate Drops, whilst in the USA.  Hannes is the first person in the world to play the guitar with a teaspoon in his mouth.  Hannes and Mary danced the typical Karoo Rieldans (the oldest dance form in Southern Africa) on the stage, enjoying the beat of the music.

Ronnie impressed with his guitarmanship, using unusual ‘upside down guitar styling‘ hand movements to create cords, including a number of his fingers, his elbow, and even played the guitar behind his back, to great applause.  His fellow Kalahari performers were Babsi Baralong playing a guitar with a bow made from a branch, the instrument sounding like a violin, and Ondong Piet, who spoke English well and was dressed in an outfit made from buck skins, playing an instrument called a ‘kakao segaba’, through which he could replicate a conversation via notes, and create music too, focusing on educating listeners about safe sex.

Kalahari Karoo Blues is highly recommended, in representing the cultural treasure of our country’s folk music history.

Kalahari Karoo Blues, Baxter Theatre, 9 – 19 January.  R130.  www.computicket.com

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage