Band Biography

'Absolute Zero' (est. 1997) is an ensemble of musicians who play jazz for the passion and pleasure of the art form. With two critically acclaimed albums 'Spirit' and 'Ballad for Africa', the ensemble has become a household name in the South African jazz scene, and have performed extensively as an ensemble or individually on the jazz festival circuit in South Africa and abroad. Their performances include appearances at the North Sea Jazz Festival (Cape Town), Johannesburg International Music Festival, International Jazz Festival against HIV AIDS, The Jazz Foundation of South Africa, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Circuit, and perform regularly at high profile corporate events, jazz clubs and venues throughout South Africa. Another notable achievement is the sponsorship they receive under the Castle Milk Stout Jazz Brew brand from SAB Miller. With this sponsorship, they perform at a host of SAB events/outlets predominantly in the township ‘shebeen’ environment, and this allows them to entrench their music at a grassroots level and perform to an audience who have an appreciation for jazz but do not have the resources of being able to afford a live ensemble at a venue they frequent.
Each of the musicians are highly respected artists and form part of the line-up of notable names on the jazz scene, but as 'absolute zero', they are all leaders, and take the listener on a musical journey that explores the foundations of jazz and beyond...An 'absolute pleasure'.

Absolute Zero features the following primary ensemble of talented musicians -

Mervin Naidoo (bass):
Mervin has nurtured a love for music all his life. From the very first moments on his father’s lap, playing the drums, to playing acoustic guitar in the rhythm section of the church gospel band, to playing the bass guitar in a local dance band. He explored this love for music and the journey led him to the world of jazz and original composition. He realized that this was where he would find himself and his musical voice. In 1997 he co-founded Absolute Zero, to work towards this realization. His journey continues and takes heart that he is surrounded by musicians who share in his passion for jazz.

Mervin is presently furthering his bass under the guidance of Carlo Mombelli and completing his doctorate in Solid State Physics and Surface Science at Wits University.

Percy Mbonani (saxophones):
Percy Mbonani was born in Tembisa, on the East Rand in Gauteng. He started his musical career at Funda Centre in 1996. He completed a 3 year diploma in basic classical training and thereafter specialised in saxophone. After completing his studies at Funda, he volunteered to perform at his Gospel Church as a freelance musician and worked with other projects during this period. He then received a scholarship to study music at the Sjovik Folk Haskolan in Sockholm, Sweden. He returned to SA (2000) and continued to work professionally with Don Laka, Hugh Masekela, Jeff Maluleke, and many other notable musicians. He joined ‘absolute zero’ in September 2002 and focuses on this project as his first priority. Absolute Zero has found a special talent, and it is a pleasure having him in our ensemble.

Jonathan Crossley (guitars):
Jonathan Crossley completed a B Mus Hons in classical guitar at the University of the Witwatersrand in and recently completed M Mus (cum laude) in jazz, researching the techniques and life of South African guitarist Johnny Fourie. Jonathan has worked and performed with and alongside many well known musicians including Andy Narell, Gerald Allbright, Oleta Adams, Francois Jeanneau, Johnny Fourie, Wessel van Rensburg, Zanta Hofmeyer, Marc Duby, Sydney Mnisi, Marcus Wyatt, Rob Watson and Afzal Ishmail amongst others. His album “Dreams of Skilia” is distributed by Sheer Sound and was nominated for a SAMA award and a Daimler Chrysler jazz award during 2001.

Roland Moses (Music director. Piano and keyboards):
Roland Moses started his jazz piano studies in 1995 under the guidance of Melvin Peters at the University of Durban Westville. He subsequently transferred to the University of Natal in 1997 where he continued and completed his M.Mus (cum laude) in jazz performance, composition and arranging with Darius Brubeck. Notable achievements of his talent include the Talent Deserving Wider Recognition prize at the Old Mutual Jazz Encounters Competiton (June 2000). During the recent Old Mutual Jazz Encounters Competition he won the Regional and National Jazz Group catergories. At the Samro 2001 competition held in Pretoria, he was the recipient of an incentive award. He has also attended Goteborg University in Sweden as part of a 3-week student exchange program where he received extensive music tuition under the tutoring of Peter Burman and Anders Jormin.

Roland has been selected as he pianist for the 2003/4 Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band. They have performed at numerous jazz festivals including the Joy of Jazz, Awesome Africa, North Sea Jazz Festival – Cape Town, Holland.(2004).He has performed with many South african greats including Zim Ngwana, Johnny Fourie, Marc Duby, Victor Masondo, John Davies, Kevin Davidson, Feya Faku, Rick van Heerden, Bruce Cassidy and Mike Rossi.

Roland was a part-time music lecturer at the University of Natal and The Durban Institute of Technology. Roland is presently employed at Tshwane University of Technology as a Full-time piano lecturer. An absolute talent to have in ‘absolute zero’.

Peter Auret (drums):
Peter Auret studied under prominent South African Jazz drummers Jeff Owen, Barry van Zyl and Rob Watson. He has travelled both locally and international for tours and festivals and has appeared in the acts of Mel Botes, Henry Ate (Karma), Slugs of War, Allegory (Franklin) Highway Jam and worked alongside prominent musicians such as Concord Nkabinde, Ernie Smith, Linda Kekana and Fana Zulu. He is participating on a variety of albums as performer, producer and arranger. Current projects include Tsunami (2nd album) for Gallo Record Company and Riku Latti (3rd album) for JNS Music. He is a founding member of the original music project “Tsunami” with guitarist Max Mikula.

Compilations
The track, ‘Picasso’ of the album ‘spirit’ has been included on the Cape Jazzathon 2001 African Celebration CD. This compilation is being marketed and distributed by Sheer Sound (SSPCD024). The track ‘Walking with the night’ also off the album ‘spirit’ features on the compilation ‘AFRICAN DEBUT’ marketed and distributed by Sheer Sound

Radio Play
Both the albums ‘spirit’ and Ballad for Africa’ released by ‘absolute zero’ enjoy extensive radio play of selected tracks in South Africa. Some of the music is also used in South African Television programming.

Music Video
Absolute Zero’s first music video was released in 2001. It features the radio track ‘Picasso’ and is currently being aired on Channel O (DSTV-International) and SABC 1 in South Africa.