FollowIt’s Thursday evening and the I’ve spent the day trawling through bios of artists who’ll contribute to PASS radio. In parrot fashion (the bling, purple and yellow feather kind) I can recite almost all google articles on Andy Williams, Closet Snare, Dala Flat Music etc. I’m busy loading my bag, when I’m told Andy Williams is in town. I fail to ask when it is that I am to meet him, I will eventually.
It’s at Tagores that I bump into him, towering above me over the bar he’s exchanging greetings with folk who seem to have been expecting his arrival and are thrilled he’s made it to Cape Town so soon. I intro self, maybe with a bit too much familiarity but I guess he’s used to it.
“Yeah, I’m the Canadian,” he answers and laughs at my embarrassment.
I find out he’s in Cape Town for both PASS and a residency at Greatmore, he’s doing a sound installation piece: Jazz vs Apartheid and back home he’s taken some time out of his work as an educator and is busy working on developing a curriculum. I ask if he gets Chimu’s back home; the current issue the Curriculum is Everything. He hasn’t. I ask that he pops into the office in the morning and does a Chimurenga stop as well, pick up a copy.
Andy is a popular cat, when he enters PASS this afternoon he’s greeted like a much loved brother, hugs and kisses . He’s just excited he’s gotten to re-unite with his cousin in Cape Town, they played together as kids and it’s at a dinner party that they meet. Looking through the line up, he can’t stop shaking his head, the Georgia Anne/Declaime tag team has him stumped.
“This is legendary stuff here man,” he says as he brings a flier closer to his face.
We’re in the presence of a legend and it seems Andy is the only person who hasn’t been told.
[Andy Williams plays Monday-Friday 13:00-15:00]
photo by: Neo Muyanga
Great to have you back. Looking forward to learning from the master.
Nice piece. Pam you should be a writer, you know. OK – kiddin.