Cape Talk's Bandstand Boogaloo at Greenways

We are great fans of Cape Talk Radio. It is on while we are working at home during the day, in both our studies and usually in the kitchen. So it was a lovely surprise to be invited by Susanne Faussner-Ringer, Managing Director of Greenways Hotel in Bishopscourt, to come to Cape Talk’s Bandstand Boogaloo last Saturday night and listen to the Ambassadors of Swing, the Jonny Cooper Orchestra, play

This lovely small hotel has wonderful leafy gardens and a lawn perfect for concert watching while picnicking. You could bring your own or order one in advance, made up to your own specifications, which is what we did

Wine, beers and other refreshments were on sale and, later, good coffee or tea

A good crowd started to gather when the gates opened at 6 pm. Cleverly, Cape Talk had organised free shuttles, so you could park at Wynberg Boys High School, where they have ample parking space and, in just a few minutes, be dropped off at the entrance to Greenways

The band was set up outside the hotel on the high ground

and Africa Melane, who hosts the Weekend Breakfast programmes, opened proceedings for the evening for Cape Talk

The Jonny Cooper Orchestra entertained us royally throughout the evening and we all had a great deal of fun, serious jazz, huge big bank numbers with lots of brass, great reminiscences and even some jive and bopping at the end

Allan Barnard, who presents Solid Gold Saturdays and Sundays, talked about Jazz and the music we were listening to

The Jonny Cooper Orchestra is recognised internationally as one of the finest 'copyists' of the Glenn Miller Sound and has been referred to recently in the International Big Band magazine 'Big Band Buddies' as 'One of the best Big Bands in the world'. We heard classics from Glen Miller, Bennie Goodman, and Tommy Dorsey during the first set, the era of Swing , then Sinatra, Nina Simone, Louis Armstrong, Bobby Darin and many, many more favourites we could hum or sing along to

The leader of the band

Lots of brass and many numbers we love

Our picnic hamper contained charcuterie platters, brown rice salad, snoek pate, Caprese kebabs, a small ciabatta loaf and wickedly dense chocolate brownies

Beverley Scott-Brown and Cliff Benton were the guest vocalists for the evening. They know and perform the repertoire beautifully, and amusingly

Two hotel guests had a really good view from the balcony

and we were treated to a lovely sunset

Hey! Jenny Morris was in the audience and at interval generously gave us a taste of her superb picnic: Moroccan flavoured beef salad and some prawn Thai rice pancakes with a delicious Asian spicy sauce

Yes, that is Nicolette Waterford and her husband, all the way across the lawn! Zoom lenses are wonderful things.

Alan Barnard, Jenny Morris and Africa Melane

Cape Talk stalwart John Maytham also did some of the presenting and we loved his black takkies (tennis shoes) with white laces, a really good fashion statement with the formal suit he was asked to wear

Jonny Cooper band in full Swing with both guest vocalists

Atmospheric lighting added to the mood

The crowd enjoying the music. The lawn can accommodate a few hundred people

Jonny Cooper with Susanne Faussner-Ringer of Greenways Hotel

This is how you Boogaloo

And with the last few numbers people could not resist getting up to dance; that included us

What an enjoyable evening. We hear this is definitely going to be repeated. Watch this and Cape Talk's space
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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2014