Abie Thomas - At the V&A Waterfront

Another Capetown Street musician records for Julian Burnett - 53 tunes on a double CD -Produced by Jonny Blundell at Paris Studios in Fishoek.

This is music to make you smile by. Abie Thomas missed the music boat in the hidden years, but has been entertaining people of Capetown for over 20 years. Enter Julian Burnett once again - his second Street music album. We announced the imminent release of another prominent Capetown Busker that Julian produced - Pennywhistler James Armoed - whose CD will be out early next month.

Technology & good old fashioned philanthropic heart, has given these old timers a new & exciting lease on life. Once again, we must ask the question. Why does it take an out-of-Towner to realize our cultural potential? What's wrong with us?

Abie Thomas was born Simonstown 1929. Schooled until std 6. Father was a guitarist. He took up guitar as his first instrument when 19. First heard trumpet live when he was 20 and fell in love with the instrument. He is self taught and is still learning how to play. He first heard his trumpet hero Satchmo, on the old 78's.

He and his family were forcibly removed from Simonstown. His mother was sent to Guguletu. He himself went to Port Elizabeth for music reasons and played in quite a few Dance Hall Bands.

Moved back to Cape Town in 1977. Abie has spent a lifetime in the Cape Carnivals - playing trumpet, mainly in the Goodhope and the Starlight's. Started busking on the streets for tourists about 15 years ago. Had own band for the last 10 years playing everywhere & all kinds of music. Started playing at the Waterfront when it opened about 10 years ago & has become a continuous feature. When he returned from Port Elizabeth he took his mother out of Guguletu and then stayed in a shanty in Free Ground near Muizenburg. They were again forcibly removed by the government. All the Shanties had to go and they were moved to Valhalla Park

Abie Thomas now lives in Mitchell's Plain with the rest of the V&A Waterfront Band:
Claude Fry - Bass; Duke van der Berg - Rhythm guitar; Magmoet Adams - Banjo. On the CD, Kevin Gibson did the drums & Jonny Blundell produced & played percussion.