Jazz Assassins

Instrumentation

The Jazz Assassins offer a variety of setups, allowing clients to pick and choose the combination of instruments that is best suited to their event and budget:

• Solo: solo saxophone or solo piano
• Duo: saxophone and piano
• Trio: saxophone, piano and bass
• Quartet 1: saxophone, piano, bass and drums
• Quartet 2: saxophone, piano, bass and vocals
• Quintet: saxophone, piano, bass, drums and vocals

Each of these formats adds a slightly different feel to the performance, offering a unique sonic and visual experience.

Members

Joe Penn – Saxophone and clarinet

Originally hailing from the Mother City, Joe studied at the University of Cape Town.  As a young musician on the Cape Town scene, Joe was fortunate to be able to play shows with many of South Africa’s top jazz musicians – an opportunity which has granted him a wealth of invaluable experience.  Joe has performed with:  Dan Shout, Ivan Masuse, Kevin Gibson, Kesivan Naidoo, David Cousins, Russ Nerwich, Ivan Bell, Dominic Peters as well as members of Breakfast Included.  He also regularly performs with DJ’s on the Gauteng club circuit.

Devin Howell – Piano

Devin gained his musical education at the Tshwane University of Technology, where he studied piano and flute as part of the institution’s jazz performance course.  Since leaving the Technikon, Devin has been engaged in the Gauteng jazz scene on a professional basis, playing with many of the top names on the local circuit; including Marc Dube, Ernest Mohtle and the John Davies Big Band

Wouter Reynecke – Bass

Wouter is also a graduate of the Tshwane University of Technology, where he honed his skills on the bass guitar for the duration of the 4 year degree.  He has since played in the bands of top Gauteng jazz musicians such as Kevin Davidson, John Davies and Marc Dube; and is the first-call session bass player for many of South Africa’s top Afrikaans musicians, including MJ Greyling and Beeskraal.

Howie Combrink – Drums

Howie is currently in his seventh year of study under South African drumming and session legend Neil Ettridge and operates as a professional session drummer in the same prestigious circles as his mentor.  He is also presently engaged in additional studies through the internationally acclaimed Berklee School of Music based in Boston, USA.  Howie has performed on many sessions for notable jazz and pop musicians, including Mike Slavin’s Blues Train, Sangoma, Higher Ground, Mono and Mosaic Ministries.

The Vocalists

The Jazz Assassins offer the services of top-class professional vocalists (depending on availability), male and female, to supplement the band’s sound:

Edit Klug - Female Vocalist

Edith Klug graduated in piano and voice from the Vienna Conservatory, after which she moved to South Africa with trombonist Dan Selsick.  The daughter of a jazz trumpet player, she was influenced at an early age to move into the realm of jazz vocals. 

Elrine Spies – Female Vocalist

Elrine gained her musical education at the Tshwane University of Technology, from which she graduated with a B Tech Music in 2005.  Since then she has been highly active on the music scene, both as a performer and advanced vocal coach.  A jazz singer with a powerful mastery of both classical jazz and r&b stylings, she performs regularly with established professionals such as Melvin Peters, Jesse Mogale, Mzamo Bengu, Bacco Xaba and Gerald Clarke, and has done big band work with John Davies.  She is also involved in television work; her most recent vocal contribution can be heard in the theme song for Franz Marx’s Dit Wat Stom Is, screened on Kyknet.

Andrew Massey – Male Vocalist

Andrew is an extremely accomplished vocalist and is also currently an educator at the Campus of Performing Arts, having previously lectured vocals at the tertiary level. He started his career as a member of the acclaimed Drakensberg Boys’ Choir and went on to study music at Tshwane University of Technology.  As a freelance singer, Andrew has had the opportunity to work with some of the country’s top musicians. These include: Avzal Ismail, Niell Ettridge, Denis Lalouette, Véronique Lalouette, Brendan Ross, Sydney Mnisi, Sydney Mavundla, Wessel van Rensburg, Kevin Davidson, Marcus Wyatt, Dan Selsick, Annette Louw, Kate Normington, Tim Moloi, Mandisa Bardill, Pete Sklair, Vusi Khumalo, Trevor Donjeany, André Behnke, Bradley Cooper, James Sunney, Deon Kruger, Alwyn Vorster, Peter Auret, Ruedi Wagner, Barry Snyman, Andy Klee, Roland Moses, Jasper van Rensburg, Rob Watson, Jason Green, David Manchip, Graeme Sacks and Lowell Jeffrey.

Noteworthy bookings with Five Seasons

One of our most popular bands, the Jazz Assassins have been booked for a variety of corporate and private events, including:

• House & Leisure Magazine Gala Dinner, In Toto Gallery, JHB
• Jazz evening at World of Golf, JHB
• SA National Energy Association Gala Dinner, JHB Country Club
• Deloitte Social Day, Killarney Country Club
• Sunday Jazz lunches, Mount Grace Country House
• Nissan SA Corporate event, Rosslyn, Pretoria
• Apex Colliers Corporate event, Graceland Hotel, Secunda
• Corporate function for Hoegh Autoliners, Browns of Revonia
• ATIO Corporation coporate dinner, Lombardy Hotel, Pretoria
• The Presidential Guest House, Pretoria, for Dept of Foreign Affairs
• Worldwear Lifestyle and Fashion Village public entertainment
• Numerous weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries etc.

Client Feedback

Just a quick thanks for the bands performance on Friday, it was well enjoyed by all. I hope the band had a great time performing for the crowds. We had about 12500 in the crowd at the zoo that day!
Zandi Tsomo, Star FX Events & Productions

Just a note to say thank you so much to you and the Jazz Assasins for the magnificent evening we shared with them last week.  They really were wonderful, I missed them when they weren’t playing and they were all absolute gentlemen and such a pleasure to have at the dinner.
Fiona Knight, ATIO Corporation

Thanks again for everything, the band was on time yesterday and everything went so smoothly. Please tell the band I say thanks and as well we received great feedback from our members for this event and really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere.
Kevin Eden, Vodacom World of Golf

The music complimented the venue and event very well and we received very positive feedback from our customers and my colleagues.
Hoegh Autoliners

Just wanted to thank you and the band for Saturday night – it was GREAT!!!!! Will you please relay my thanks to them as well.
Private client