By Ayabonga Kosi
Renowned South African musician and former Standard Bank Young Artist award winner Guy Buttery has returned to the National Arts Festival, where audiences are in for a treat.
Buttery, who has been to many fests, shared his experiences of what he calls a uniquely magical place.
Marvelling at the fact that not many festivals make it to 50 Buttery said when people spoke about going to the fest “they mean this one.”
According to Buttery Makhanda become a special place during this time of year, showcasing the arts and adding a collaborative spirit to the city and the artists in it.
“There’s a good vibe even in the streets, and there’s not a weird competitive thing happening,” he said.
Commenting on what made him love the city Buttery said: “There’s a heartbeat in this town [Makhanda] that I love the sound of.”
Over the years of attending the NAF Buttery said he had many collaborative experiences which had led to future projects, some of which had led to the evolution of other projects as well.
“Over the years, you can get picked up and booked for other arts festivals around the world.
“There are collaborations that are spoken about at the Long Table at 2am that end up happening a year later in Amsterdam. The possibilities are endless.
“I’ve been picked for all kinds of shows ranging from magic to comedy shows where Rob Van Vuuren is tormenting me on stage,” he said.
Commenting on his current project Buttery said that the evolution of his past projects had changed over the years and that his brand of music and soundscapes blended with traditional string players, consisting of double-base, viola, violin, and guitar.
“It’s trying to re-contextualize a bunch of my old and new pieces”.
Although excited to perform, Buttery said it was not a common piece for him and that the performance may put him in an uncomfortable role due to its nuance and detail.
“It puts me in a place where I need to be aware of everyone I’m performing with in a detailed fashion,” he said.
Outside his own project, Buttery, a firm lover of jazz and all that goes with it, said he looked forward to the jazz shows that take place throughout the festival.
“I’m a sucker for jazz and the young jazz artists the festival brings, and there’s always amazing artists that come from outside of South Africa,” he said.
A true native and regular of the NAF Buttery said his top spot to go to was the Long Table where he had many fond memories, even some bittersweet ones.
“I remember someone had passed away that day, and we all sat there together in silence and in remembrance of this person,” he said.
On returning to Makhanda Buttery said he was excited to be back in a place where he had spent a lot of time “and not paid a monthly rent”.
Buttery said the festival was not only an event but also a week-long celebration of collaboration and the elevation of the arts.
“There’s nothing like it, and I have done many festivals around the world,” he said.
