Two of South Africa’s leading acoustic guitarists, Derek Gripper and Guy Buttery, are set to kick off their Australian tour next month.
The duo, longtime friends and collaborators, will perform at the Sandgate Town Hall on 5 June, showcasing their fusion of South African, West African and East Asian musical influences.
Derek said he and Guy had developed a show specifically for the tour, incorporating elements of their respective guitar styles but “focusing on long-form exploration, minimalist textures and immersive sounds”.
“I first saw Guy play after he won the coveted South African Music Award for his debut album when he was only 19,” Derek said. “We’ve crossed paths many times over the years, being the most active acoustic performers in South Africa, and naturally started to become friends over the years, guest on each other’s shows and albums, and record and perform together.”
Guy is known as an ambassador for his country’s musical heritage and in 2018, received the highest accolade for a musician in South Africa when he was awarded the Standard Bank Young Artist Award.
Music, Meaning, and the Magic of Connection
Derek discovered his ability to replicate the sounds of the West African kora on the guitar when he was looking for a vehicle to play classical guitar despite not listening to classical guitar music.
“Then I heard the music of Toumani Diabate and realised this was a similar string instrument with a very different history and repertoire, but a repertoire that was also closely aligned to earlier instrumental practices that led to classical music of today,” he said.
As the duo prepare for their Australian tour, Derek said he was very fortunate to be able to travel around half the year.
“You get a feel for the audiences of different countries,” he said. “Returning to cities where you play often is a wonderful way of touching base and seeing what has happened to your music in the last year.”
He said he hoped the Sandgate Town Hall audience had a good time and “connected to the good things in themselves”.
“These are dark times and I often feel that as a musician there is very little I can do to change them,” he said. “Sometimes people say they had a slowing down experience during a show where they got to let go and connect a little more to themselves. Maybe this does a little to make us better people? We need anything we can get to create a better humanity!”
Derek Gripper & Guy Buttery
- Thursday, 5 June, 7.30pm-8.45pm
- Sandgate Town Hall
- Cliff and Seymour Streets, Sandgate
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