20.09.2011 10:05
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20.09.2011 10:05
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With a gold album & 3 SAMA nominations, Jesse Clegg recorded 2nd album in Toronto with Grammy Award winning producer David Bottrill,due to release in April
Johnny's son - Posted by margie Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:11 am (PST) I dont
know if anyone else has seen this pic or posted the link for it, but i'll
post it anyway
http://www.ringo.com/explore/member/recent/photo.html?photoId=172147431
Jesse Clegg - Posted by margie Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:40 am (PST)
here is the newspaper article on Jesse Clegg. It says he got 6
distinctions and is planning on going to china with a family friend. He has also
written 5 songs and is hoping to release an album this year.
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/46435601/
Artist's
Comments
Johnny clegg's son (jesse) finished matric in 2006 with 6 distinctions
http://johnnyclegg.blogspot.com/2008/10/ot-jesse-clegg.html
The album is available in stores now and will soon be available as a download
on the Jesse Clegg website
Jesse Clegg makes a music video
Oct 08: Today entered the Highveld Homebrew charts at no. 1
The album is available in stores now and will soon be available as a download on
the Jesse Clegg website www.jesseclegg.com.
The video for the first single “Today” is currently in production and should be
released by the end of October. It will also be available to view online here.
Carte Blanche will be airing an interview with Jesse and Johnny Clegg discussing
and sharing ideas about Jesse’s new album. This should be aired for the first
time at the end of October 2008. Jesse will be performing a rare acoustic
version of the single “Today” on the show, a preview of which will be available
online.
Look out for the new Carte Blanche 20th Anniversary advertisement which features
Today in it.
Watch this space for live performance info.
Bio:
Jesse was born in Johannesburg in 1988. By the time he was six months old he was
on tour with his father, Johnny Clegg, and between 1988 and 1994 he spent at
least 5 months a year on the road. He was a classic road kid and grew up
backstage and on tour buses.
Early on, Jesse carved out an independent direction for himself in the rock
genre, very different from the world music style developed by his father. He
strived to express himself in the most authentic way possible and understood the
importance of being able to perform live. He experimented with a number of
different instruments - which included saxophone, clarinet, drums and piano –
until he settled and focused mainly on guitar. By seventeen, songwriting was his
chief musical focus and it was in this period and the years to follow that he
honed his writing skills and put together the songs recorded on the first album.
The single "Today" which was released on radio in mid August 2008 debuted at
number one on the Highveld Homebrew Chart, a considerable feat for a debut
artist with a debut single and an historical first for Homebrew. The album "When
I Wake Up" is due for national release on 1 October.
Youtube: Videos
Jesse Clegg is recalling a weekend visit to "a friend of my dad's" –
a rich bachelor who, among other things, has an aquarium and a
dedicated quad-bike track on his property.
It must be fun moving in such circles, but having one of South
Africa's most famous musicians, Johnny Clegg, in the family is surely
going to be as much a curse as it is a blessing.
"The worst thing is that people come to my album with
preconceptions," says (Jesse) Clegg, who has just released his debut
collection, When I Wake Up.
"But I suppose that can also be good, if they are pleasantly
surprised by what they hear. And obviously, the association means
getting a lot of attention I might otherwise not have received."
Clegg had considered using a band name to avoid these sorts of
issues. "But the songs are really personal, so I wanted my name with
them."
Clegg was often taken along on tours with his Johnny, and has even
played guitar in his dad's band from time to time, so he's aware of
the realities of life on the road.
"I think my upbringing gave me a healthy disillusionment with the
whole process," he admits.
"My family handled it really well, though. My mom was the backbone –
she kept us all together.
"But I've also seen the other side. I've had amazing, life-changing
experiences on those tours.
"So now I can treat it like a career, not some far-off dream. I know
how to budget, how to keep a band together – all that stuff. You need
to have the right headspace, and my experiences have helped."
It would be nearly impossible to replicate his father's success, but
at least trying would have put Clegg junior in a minority. When I
Wake Up's polished pop-rock puts him in a pretty clogged sector of
the market.
"My dad's music worked within the context of its time," he points out.
"It wouldn't be as relevant anymore. But one thing he says is
that `there's always a market for a melody', and I think I do offer
something different on that front."
Clegg has other ideas for raising his own profile. "I want to focus
on the live act.
"I want to put together something emotional and energetic; something
that showcases our musicianship as well as the songs. I don't want to
just play the album."
Clegg's already enjoyed some radio success and hopes that will
stimulate interest and get tickets to the live act sold.
"It's a way of building a long-term fan base," he says. "These are
the people you're going to fall back on when you have a crap album..."
The music video for "Today" by Jesse Clegg is on his website under
Videos www.jesseclegg.com
Posted by Margie Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:28 am (PST)
Music is the highlight at the Civic Tuesday, 20 January 2009 http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/3393/266/
Local hero
For local music of a different kind, there is Jesse Clegg's first concert, When I Wake Up, at Nelson Mandela Theatre from 12 to 14 May. Clegg, the son of musician Johnny Clegg, released his debut album in October 2008. The first single, Today, entered the Highveld FM Homebrew chart at number one.
The concert includes songs from the album, as well as some new material.
http://www.thetimes.co.za/Entertainment/Article.aspx?id=920488 Published:Jan 24, 2009
Benjamin Moshatama speaks
to the young Jesse Clegg about his newborn career and having a famous father.
Coming from a musical
family how did your own journey begin?
I am lucky to have been exposed to the industry from a young age. I used to
travel around the world with my father when I was a kid.
I had a great experience of watching live shows and being exposed to good
sounds.
When I was about 14, I picked up the guitar and later started to write songs. I
realised I had received a good grounding from the tours I attended with my dad.
Would you attribute your sudden popularity to
being the son of Johnny Clegg?
I don’t think so. What I do is different to what my father is doing. I do more
rock ’n roll, while he has been making world music for most of his life.
I also don’t try to play off my name, but the media enjoy asking me about it. I
doubt people are willing to buy my album just because I am related to a famous
guy but not enjoy the music.
Is singing rock ’n roll a rebellion against
your father’s Zulu chants?
When I started recording my demo, I didn’t make a deliberate choice. I wanted to
communicate from my own frame of reference and express myself in my own right.
How did you end up with a recording deal for
your new album, When I Wake Up?
It took me three years to record a demo. After that, I drove to a couple of
record companies and dropped it off.
I received a positive response from David Gresham, who wanted us to work
together. It was actually nerve-wracking to know that what I was working on for
so long was going out to the world.
You might explore rock ’n roll, but your music has a certain subtlety and
intimacy in its lyricism.
I never want to box myself into any genre, but I am always open to
experimentation. I think the album for me is more about introspection and it
also touches on relationships, but mainly focuses on personal themes.
So how is the experience of performing solo?
I actually haven’t been performing. I have been looking for a band to play with
because I did most of the playing in my album. I have found a couple of guys who
are excited about the songs and they will join me on my upcoming tour.
I have to admit you have a great voice. Is singing something you’ve worked hard
at?
No, I never really aimed to sound American or anything like that. My main aim in
my music is to be honest with who I am. But I guess that as an artist you always
have to compare yourself with great artists.
Jesse Clegg’s Favourite Tunes af all time
# Yellow by Coldplay
# Everlong by Foo Fighters
# Champagne Supernova by Oasis
# Great Heart by Johnny Clegg
# Karma Police by Radiohead
DEBUT: Newcomer to the South African music scene Jesse Clegg, son of legandary
musician, Johnny Clegg, has just released his debut CD
Published:Feb 08, 2009 http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/News/Article.aspx?id=934067
.....
The much-awaited debut CD of Jesse “Umpiyezwe” Clegg, the son of South African
music legend Johnny Clegg, does not disappoint with it’s eclectic mix of pop,
rock, country and blues. The eleven-track album, titled When I Wake Up, features
the hits Heartbreak Street and Today, which is the soundtrack to the Carte
Blanche promos on M-Net. Clegg, who is already planning his second album and a
live show, is a versatile artist who displays talent in tracks like All Ends
Well and Break the Drone and a country-themed Face Value. When I wake Up is
available at music stores nationwide — Wen-dyl Martin
.....
"Today" is a track from Jesse Clegg's debut album. There is something about
the haunting melody that has propelled it onto all the local charts. It was one
of a couple of songs he recorded as a teenager and then played them back to his
father - Johnny Clegg.
Johnny Clegg (Musician): "So Jesse came back quite shy, and he said, 'Here they
are.' And when I heard them I was just...you know when your son grows up in
front of you in that moment? That was a very big moment for me to see my son and
I heard it and I looked at him and saw him...he's just grown into another thing.
Amazing moment."
Bonita Gorrie-Nuttall (Carte Blanche presenter): "How did you feel about taking
it to your dad for the first time - for him to listen to it?"
Jesse Clegg: "It was terrifying - absolutely terrifying. I honestly thought my
future was in this moment - if my dad liked it I could be a musician; if he
didn't like it I would have to think about something else."
Johnny: "And when I went to see David Gresham to tell him about the album, David
said to me, 'You sound shocked.' I said, 'No, it's just that these songs are so
good and I was never there - he wrote them quietly and he went straight to
studio and he did them and then he presented them to me. And every time it was
like, 'Wow.'"
Bonita: "It can't be easy to have a musical father, and to follow in his
footsteps - especially given that they walk to very different rhythms."
Johnny Clegg is an international icon and he is known affectionately by most as
the 'white Zulu'. His music and energy has played a pivotal role in our
country's cultural transformation. But he is also the father of two sons, a role
he takes very seriously.
Bonita: "So was it really important for you that your kids were also drawn to
music and were involved in it?"
Johnny: "No. Not at all. It wasn't important to me that my children spoke Zulu,
it wasn't important for me that my children did music. It was important for me
that my children got and opportunity to find their way and to find confidence
and independence."
Jesse: "I was exposed to music all the time when I was young. I was going to
shows, my dad had musicians over, my dad would have rehearsals in the lounge.
All day and all night it was just music, music, music."
Jesse was a typical road child. His playpen for the first six years of his life
was the international music stage.
Bonita: "So Jesse, you started going on tour with your dad when you were six
months old. Do you remember being on tour with him as a little boy?"
Jesse: "Vaguely. I remember moments of it, and they're always very fond
memories. They're always amazing."
Johnny: "For a child it's like growing up like a gypsy. You know, you do a five
month tour or a six month tour and you're doing different countries..."
Jesse: "Every gig we went to is a new town and a new environment. It was just so
exciting - it was very stimulating."
Johnny: "When he was four, five we would arrive home and he would say, 'Where's
the bus? The bus is gone.' So it took him time to land. I said, 'No, this is
where we stay.'"
Johnny's work has always been political and at times a thorn in the side of the
apartheid government. As a social commentator, he was acutely aware at the time
of Jesse's birth that the world was going through a tremendous transition.
Johnny: "At that time it was the collapse of the Berlin Wall, so 1989. There was
the promise of a new world. There was the promise of a single super power. There
was the collapse of the national party in South Africa, and the beginning of
dialogue with Nelson Mandela - 1990. That whole epoch held the most amazing set
of promises."
When Jesse was just a little boy, his devoted father wrote a moving tribute to
him to guide on his journey through life: 'Cruel Crazy Beautiful World'.
Johnny: "I wanted to sing a song for my son, and write a song for him which
wasn't really a kind of fairytale, but drew on African experience..."
Clip - 'Crazy Cruel Beautiful World' by Johnny Clegg: "You've got to swim with
the sharks in the sea. You've got to live with the crooked politicians..."
Johnny: "And really every line was preparing him saying, 'What you are going to
have to do to get through...' And so some of them are funny and some of them are
sad, but in the end remember, there's always a 'Cruel Crazy Beautiful' aspect to
life in general."
['Crazy Cruel Beautiful World' by Johnny Clegg]: "...keep on believing tomorrow
brings a better day..."
Jesse: "The lyrics, I think, are very wise and in a way I think he was trying to
give me a message. He was trying to just put the world into perspective for me:
you will have great times and you will have difficult times - it's not all
peaches and cream. There's going to be difficult moments. It's an important
message and I've always tried to remember that."
During Jesse's youth he experimented with several musical instruments: the sax,
drums, and clarinet, but like his father he settled on the guitar. The
similarity ends there, at 20 Jesse has found his groove and it is quite
definitely rock.
Bonita: "How do you feel about the fact that some people might have expected you
to be a dancing Zulu boy?"
Jesse: "I don't know. I know there's a bit of a shock factor when they listen to
the song and they say, 'This doesn't sound like anything the Clegg family would
make.'"
Johnny: "I say to him, 'Jess, this is not my kind of music. So I can hear melody
and I can hear rhythm and I like the lyric, but I don't know where you're going
with this. But what I do hear is good, or not really my bag - so good luck.'"
Johnny: "We are very, very close - and at times I think too close. I am
fascinated by anyone's journey and my son's journey in particular has been a
very intense one for both of us. I think he's felt a lot of pressure in his
life. Either to match, or to find a place for himself in my life and me in his
life - as father to son."
Johnny is very aware that the musical language they share has deepened their
relationship and although they walk different rhythmic paths he is justifiably
proud of his son's debut in the musical arena.
Jesse: "My dad is my biggest mentor. If I have any problem I can always go to my
dad and he'll have some brilliant opinion and some brilliant solution that I've
just never thought of - that is awesome."
Published:Jan
31, 2009
Jesse Clegg has a sound that’s already got radio charts taking notice
Like Sean Lennon was to his dad, Jesse Clegg is to Johnny. When I Wake Up is
the debut album from the boy who spent much of his life touring, watching life
from behind the wings and experiencing fame in a way most children could only
dream of.
There is nothing “African” about this album — it’s solid rock, and has the balls
to stand its ground in a landscape of pop-rock bands.
The single Today has become a hit in SA, charting on all the right stations and
hitting home with the people who probably still buy music.
Stand out songs are: When I Wake Up (there’s no one left to blame for all my
mistakes), Walking With Ghosts, the Billy Joel-esque Everybody’s Going To War
and the pop-elicious All Ends Well.
Although not totally unique in sound or scope, this is still a solid effort from
one of South Africa’s new great exports.
Joanne O
For three nights, Jesse Clegg will entertain fans with tunes from his debut album at his first concerts, at the Joburg Theatre Complex.
Jesse Clegg will perform for three nights at the Joburg Theatre Complex from
tonight
JESSE CLEGG, Joburg's latest hitmaker, performs for three evenings only at the Joburg Theatre Complex.
Son of the legendary Zoeloe Blanc, Johnny Clegg, released his debut album,
When I Wake Up, in October 2008. No stranger to performing - he has
appeared on stage with his dad at various international festivals - this is his
first concert production.
The first performance is tonight; he is also on stage on Wednesday, 13 May and
Thursday, 14 May. All the performances start at 8pm.
In an interview in the Sunday Times, Clegg said: "Well, the music is
all about a young person growing up, and the transitions from one phase of your
life to another, dealing with relationships and having responsibilities.
"These are the major themes of the album. These are the things I've had to deal
with and working on this album has helped me grow and work through these issues."
Talking about mutterings that he is riding on his father's wings, the young
artist said: "Of course, there's nothing you can do about that ... It's to be
expected. It's actually a huge honour to be compared with him... When I was
growing up, being seen as Johnny Clegg's son never really bothered me," he said.
"Once they hear the music they'll hear I'm on a completely different message."
Growing up
When he was only a few years old, Clegg went on tour with his father; then, in
June 2007, he got an opportunity to tour with his father once again.
The two performed at a number of festivals in France, to more than 10 000 people.
It was here that Nicolas Fiszman, a leading Belgian producer, agreed to
co-produce the younger Clegg's debut album with Brian O'Shea.
Born in Johannesburg in 1988, Clegg matriculated from Crawford College in 2006
with six distinctions. While in school, he experimented with different
instruments, including saxophone, clarinet, drums and piano before settling on
guitar.
"Early on, Jesse carved out an independent direction for himself in the rock
genre, very different from the world music style developed by his dad," reads a
publicity release. "As someone who grew up in the environment of a successful
musical father, he strived to express himself in the most authentic way possible
and understood the importance of being able to perform live."
Clegg's first live concert is at the Joburg Theatre Complex from 12 to 14 May.
Performances start at 8pm on all three evenings.
Tickets for the show range in price from R120 to R150 each, excluding the
booking fee, at Computicket, on 083 915 8000 or 011 340 8000, or through the
Computicket website.
Discounted tickets are available for groups of 10 or more at VIP Ticketing on
011 877 6853.
For more information about the concert, call Salt Bookings and Management on 011
482 3550 or send an email to
jeanette@realsa.co.za.
With a style echoing the mainstream Pop Rock trend, the show was not short on
quality sound, well choreographed lighting and some surprises, with blues guitar
player Dan Patlansky and Arno Carstens making guest appearances.
As Jesse ran through his set he felt the need to explain what his songs were
about, sweet but really the music should do the talking, anyway he sang and the
crowd responded.."I love you Jesse...", one girlie voice screamed. When he sang
his recognisable top singles, Today and Heartbreak kid, which are
currently enjoying extensive radio airplay, he thrilled the crowd who became a
little more vocal, clapping and screaming at some points as if they had just
heard the ice-cream man. Alas there was no ice-cream but rather a slice of ‘cheese’.
Even though some songs managed to capture your attention, on the whole the more
pop than rock melody worked to a point but then the awareness of the sometimes
weak lyrics (remember Jesse is only 21) made there way through all the flashy
lights and smoke machine effects. The songs also seemed to go on a little too
long becoming slightly over-indulgent and monotonous, easy listening for the
most part and enjoyable but failing to hit all the right notes.
Arno steals the show
With this said, it was a good show and Jesse is talented, but unfortunately
not too memorable. Even though he could hold his own with his strong voice and
guitar skills when he invited seasoned musician Arno Carstens on stage – he
unknowingly faded into the background as Arno’s two left feet and quirky energy
became the focus of the audience’s attention. Arno performed his song Blue
eyes, which was a hit with his band the Springbok Nude Girls in 1999, with
Jesse which was a definite highlight.
Watching Jesse perform alongside one of our best rock musicians, reminds you
that he has a long way to go before he might be seen as a musician that stands
apart from the rest, however, for now his debut album is proving to be popular
and judging from public reaction so far it seems to be a good start and it will
be interesting to see how his songs develop in the years to come.
Like father like son, not quite..
Even though his father is the legendary Johnny Clegg, who has been
performing globally for 29 years, it is not difficult to separate the two
musically. A respected musician in the South African music scene for his fusion
of Western and African sounds culminating in Afro-pop, Johnny's style is
distinct. Although Jesse spent a lot of time touring with his father and
constantly surrounded by music, his style is very different, lending itself to
pop rock, with bits of blues thrown in. And because of this you find yourself
not comparing him to Johnny but rather judging him on his own merit and skills.
As Jesse said in an interview with The Sunday Times recently, "It's
actually a huge honour to be compared with him...When I was growing up, being
seen as Johnny Clegg's son never really bothered me...Once they hear the music
they'll hear I'm on a completely different message."
Having his first single Today reach number one on the Highveld Homebrew
Chart, Jesse looks set to hit the right note with a certain type of listener and
most probably be more influential with a younger generation, for now.
--SABCNEWS--
Jesse Clegg's video for 'Heartbreak Street' taken from his highly successful debut album 'When I Wake Up'.
Singer Jesse Clegg on The Von Vodcast http://multimedia.thetimes.co.za/videos/2009/03/singer-jesse-clegg-on-the-von-vodcast/
Interview Speakerbox
http://www.speakerbox.co.za/content/video.aspx?cat=Pop&id=311
"His dad may be a legend, but Jesse Clegg is earning respect all on his own. We
interview the new golden boy of SA pop."
(20.02.2011 - Jesse Clegg - Kirstenbosch Summer Concerts)
