Na 8 jaar het die veteraan kunstenaar Piet Botha weer ‘n Afrikaanse album die lig laat sien.Die nuwe cd heet “Spookpsalms” en bevat 11 splinternuwe komposisies.

“Daar was al ‘n paar liedjies maar toe die TV program “Wie lê waar” opduik het dit die hele album in ‘n ander rigting gestuur.Vanaf September tot Desember 2010 was ons op die pad besig met die verfilming, dwarsdeur die land en omdat die program so ‘n sterk historiese inslag het, het daar ‘n ander element ingetree in die werk nl. ‘n tipe tradisionele , tydlose gevoel…wat dan weer aanleiding gegee het na die idee van die Spookorkes wat hierdie liedjies opvoer.”

Daar is ook gepoog om soveel as moontlik by tradisionele instrumentasie te bly. Derhalwe is die album vol akoestiese kitare, klavier , mondfluitjie, trekklavier, saksofoon en orrel. Dit is ‘n eiesoortige stuk werk, heeltemal buite die moderne genre en totaal anders as Botha se vorige Afrikaanse albums.

“Die moeilikste ding is sekerlik om met eenvoud ‘n gewigtige saak te kan oordra, en dis wat hier gepoog is. Selfs die humor wat opduik is satiries en laat mens lag maar met nabetragting.”

Die album is in April opgeneem deur Lanie vd Walt wat ook die regie en meng behartig het asook die “double -bass” gespeel het. Die tromme is oudergewoonte deur Paul vd Waal gespeel en die baskitaar deur Tertius du Plessis. Piet Botha het kitare, klavier, orrel en mondfluitjie gespeel en gesing.

Die pragtige vrouestem is deur Loandi Boersma gelewer. Verder was dit geweldig opwindend om uiteindelik vir die legende Ollie Viljoen saam op ‘n album te hê , op trekklavier en orrel. Nog ‘n ou vriend en eertydse lid van die Jack Hammer groep, Leon van Zweel het die saksofoon laat huil. Donovan Borne het agtergrondsang gelewer en so het die Spookorkes die liedjies in die lewe gebring.

Wat opvallend is van hierdie werk is die suiwer Afrikaans wat gebruik word.

Daarbenewens die gevoel van “n ander tyd”, as mens dit so kan stel, wat mens ervaar met die deurluister daarvan. En dan die oorspronklikheid.

Piet Botha sal tydens Meimaand ‘n paar vertonings rondom Pretoria gee waartydens die nuwe werk lewendig gehoor kan word en die album beskikbaar sal wees, soos by Cafè Barcelona op Saterdag die 21e en Sondagmiddag die 22e by die Blue Flame Grill in Montana, alvorens daar weer teen einde Mei na Mosambiek gegaan sal word vir die jaarlikse STRAB musiekfees. Hierna sal daar ook vertonings in die Kaap geskied asook in die Vrystaat in Juliemaand tydens die Volksbladkunstefees.

Van die musiek op “Spookpsalms” is ook in die TV reeks (“Wie lê waar”) gebruik maar nie in geheel soos dit op die album verskyn nie. Hierdie opnames is deur Riku Latti gedoen.

Van die nuwe nommers wat klaar aftrek kry by gehore is “Bitterfontein”. “Sysie September” (‘n nuwe verwerking van ‘n tradisionele Griekwa liedjie), “Stad sonder naam”, “Die heks is dood” en “Richmondstraat”.

Hartbeeshuisie



Crimson Chrysalis is a South African female rock artist currently living in Pretoria. I have been in the music industry for quite sometime, but used to perform under the name “René”. I made a total directional change, and went from the Afrikaans acoustic-rock genre to neo-classical rock. I grew up in Bloemfontein, and completed the Unisa grade 1 piano exam already at the age of 5. I got my first guitar at the age of 8, and started giving guitar lessons at the age of 12. The guitar is still my leading, and favorite instrument.

Crimson passion cry is the culmination of a two-and-a-half year journey by the Crimson Chrysalis creative team. René van den Berg, as the singer/composer, and Esther Slabbert, the lyricist, had a vision to create more than just another album. We wanted to establish a sophisticated, wall-of-sound product that has a purpose above and beyond mere entertainment.

As professionals in the healthcare industry we both dreamed of joining the Red Cross or Doctors without Borders, but life interfered and neither of us could fulfil that dream up to now. René pursued the acoustic Afrikaans market for a number of years (“Kampus Lady” – Polygram, 1996 & “Die verkeerde kant van reg” – Bowline, 2003), while working full-time. Both these albums were released nationally and received very good reviews. Esther abandoned her creative side a while to build a practice and raise children.

When we met we realised that we both wanted to take our respective talents to a new level. Music, like their healing professions, has no borders, and we started a project that was, and is, both humbling and inspiring. As a result, Crimson Chrysalis was born. The Crimson was chosen to embody our passion and the passion for the music. The Chrysalis is a figure of change, renewal and transformation. We both believe in limitless growth, in shifting boundaries within ourselves and those around us. That is why the logo was designed to look like butterfly wings. During this creative period we managed to assemble a team of unbelievably talented musicians that share our passion and vision.

We took time to design this product because we wanted to refine our thoughts. During this time we wrote (and discarded) material, brainstormed on what we wanted to create, and finalised the album. We decided to include music that will please a general rock audience, a few powerful rock balads and finally – we included four tracks that embody the spirit of Crimson Chrysalis. In the spirit of reflecting and questioning the world around us, Blood diamond, Deo Volente, Fatal lie and Soliloque were written.

Some heart aching truths are ingrained in the fabric of us as people. Blood diamond was written within this framework and not with a spesific situation in mind. History has always been a testimony of power-hunger individuals or belief systems, and yet the innocent always ends up paying the price. . .this is their post-script.

We live in a world where life as we see it, and the reality of the world around us doesn’t always seem to meet. Deo Volente is a song about the beauty and the tragedy of life.

Fatal lie expresses, without apology, our anger at the system worldwide. Across the globe, we, as a collective society, have a duty to our children and their education. In that we are failing miserably! Soliloque is a monologue. The lyric reflects on the constant boundaries we set ourselves, and the challenge to seek the crossroads that will empower the spirit.

Music is one of the most powerful mediums of expression. We feel the tide is turning towards music that grips the soul. We have a message to share, and we believe people are ready to hear it.


Letters From The Edge (clip)

Much-loved and sorely-missed, Piet Botha was a South African musician who fronted the band Jack Hammer from 1984 to 2019, and also released critically-acclaimed solo albums. He has left us with a legacy of great music.

Hartbeeshuisie

Piet Botha

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