Bass CultureMichael Wyeth
Located at 88 Shortmarket Street, The Base was a popular mixed-race nightclub and live music venue right in the heart of apartheid-era Cape Town. No wonder the cops didn't like it.
About Michael Wyeth: Born in Cape Town (1952), Wyeth studied graphic design at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town, majoring in photography. He has exhibited mostly in Cape Town, notably on SA Photo Statements, at Iziko South African National Gallery (1988), and most recently on the Month of Photography, October 2008. Owner of Imago Visual, a graphic design and photography business, he is currently working towards his first solo photographic exhibition of recent works, scheduled for 2009. This portfolio of The Base/Jazz Den documents the establishment of the club and musicians/performers that appeared there over a period of two years in the late 1980s. Apart from sporadic appearances in newspapers at the time they were made, this body of work has not been shown before.
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Hi The musician described as " drummer with Kenyan guitarist ..." is Punka Khosa, formally of the band National Wake, and now, sadly, deceased. He was a really great drummer. There's a good write up of National Wake (of which I was a member) at the following blog : matsuli.blogspot.com/2008/01/wake-up.html - should you be interested. Ivan Kadey
Thanks for alerting me to Punka Khosa's name as well as the Matsuli blogspot, for more info on National Wake and Punka. Sorry to hear he is no longer with us. I remember him being a very good drummer, loud and very solid. It will be great to add his name to the picture. Michael Wyeth
Michael, This is fantastic work! Really brilliant. Is there a place where one can view more of this work from the eightees? Ntobeko
Thanks Ntobeko. There are plans to exhibit this body of work in the near future. Also, I will post a selection of Base/Jazz Den material on my website, which will feature both past and new photographic work. My web address when I go live will be michaelwyeth.com
For those interested, a selection of Base/Jazz Den photographs are currently on show at Iziko SA National Gallery. The work forms part of the show called 'Jol', which closes August 16 '09.
'Jol', on at Iziko SA National Gallery, has been extended to October 25, '09.
Wow. Amazing work. I am an American and I just happened across this page. I am very happy to see these images of black and white enjoying the transformative powers of music together despite the danger. Thanks! Michael, your work is very moving.
DC Scorpiongirl blog dcscorpiongirl.wordpress.com
For an interview with Willona Sloan of dc scorpion girl, on the Base and the photography check out: dcscorpiongirl.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/as-plain-as-black-and-white-south-african-photographer-michael-wyeth/#more-1407