a Silent Gig?

Listening to music in an isolated space is always a transporting experience. Details and frequencies that are often lost in conventional set ups can be more easily experienced at close range. TONIK have introduced a concept for live performances which enables an entire audience to become part of the music in just this way.

By introducing headphones for each individual audience member with personal volume control a concert by TONIK is a revolutionary concept. It provides a detailed and very personal atmosphere. However because of the very ‘live’ environment and highly detailed microphone transmission one is actually more part of the whole event than ever before. People are literally in control of their own sound. If you like it loud you can turn up your volume and down for more sensitive listeners.

Tonik use professional closed back wireless AKG headphones.

Jann Krynauw

Piano, Rhodes, Accordion, Live sampling

Born in Johannesburg, I spent the greater part of my childhood in Piet Retief a small town in Mpumalanga, South Africa. I completed my classical music education in piano extramurally and in 1998 was faced with the decision of whether to go full-time into music or not. I however decided on a business course at Stellenbosch, reasoning that I needed some form of financial security. I completed my Actuarial Science honours degree in 2002.

I relocated to Cape Town in 2003 to commence my full-time employment at a life insurance company. I find great pleasure in the work I do, my colleagues, the cultures, and the intellectual challenges. Having said this, the piano will always be my first passion.

It is here in Cape Town where my passion for music has intensified. I love the diversity in this city. Drumming nights with Europeans and Kenyans. Funk sessions with Argentinians. Jazz festivals attended by the locals accompanied by their whole families. Didgeridoo and Tabla sessions in a forest just outside Cape Town. It’s exciting! There is an immeasurable amount of talent out there which one just needs to discover. Being exposed to new music is a confirmation of something shared between myself and its creator, an overlap of sentiments, if you will.

One of the qualities of music that attracted me is its seemingly mystical ability to foster the everyday experience of life and transfigure it, give it beauty. I listen to music everyday and some of the artists I really admire are Brad Mehldau, Esbjorn Svensson, Keith Jarret, Michel Camilo, Regina Carter, Dave Brubeck, Tord Gustavsen, Bugge Wesseltoft, Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin, Radiohead and as the root of it all, JS Bach. I experience some element of timelessness with these artists.

I reckon when it comes to expressing oneself via music, one needs to get back to the rudiments. Sit down and do your Hanon stuff! For example, listen to Keith Jarret’s Koln Concert, he detached himself from any preconceived ideas on music, went on stage, improvised and recorded a true masterpiece which is probably one of his most well-known recordings. Take it easy, listen to everything you can, play what you like to play, never give up and one day you will be the best player you personally know.

Ronan Skillen

Tabla, Percussion, Hybrid kit, Didgeridoo

Born in N. Ireland May 1980.

Ronan’s musical career started age ten with 7 years of classical French horn training in Germany. He was then introduced to the Australian Didgeridoo by a friend and was later given his first ‘real’ didgeridoo by master drummer, Emmanuel Gomado from Ghana which sparked many new avenues and collaborations. After much self teaching and musical travels Ronan was fortunate to meet a great Tabla maestro. Having been passionate about percussion and always keen on the Tabla this new chapter couldn’t have come too soon. Ronan began playing Tabla in 2003. His teacher, Ustad Akram Khan is India’s master of a very rich and intricately technical north Indian style known as the Ajarara Gharana. As a disciple continuous learning is the focus and Ronan regularly visits India to further his studies. Ronan has been exploring a fusion of tabla, percussion and didgeridoo within one context by means of a hybrid percussion kit which he has designed. This has become part of his permanent set-up and demonstrates a rich textural variety as well as an intriguing versatility. Many of his instruments are hand made by him and often come directly from percussion sounds found in nature. Ronan has featured his sound in genres across the board from classical through rock, folk, electro, jazz, world music and hip hop. Ronan has performed in S.A., Germany, Switzerland, Holland, France, U.K. & India and has featured on many recordings and film scores.
Some noteworthy collaborations include performances with Johnny Clegg, Ricardo Garcia from Spain, Jazzart, Freshlyground, Hot Water, La Rosa- Spanish Dance Theatre , Cherif Sisokho from Senegal, Monique Hellenberg, Hilton Schilder, Babu, Jan Galega Brönnimann, Saadet Türköz, Nadja Stoller, Omri Hason, Werner Hasler, Guy Collins and TONIK which won a SAMA (South African Music Award) for ‘Best Instrumental Album 2008′.

Ronan has recorded music on albums for release with:

Babu, TONIK, Guy Buttery Rus Nerwich, Hot Water, Mantras 4 Modern Man, Chris Tokalon, Starkravingsane, Guy Collins Lisa Bauer,Moreira Project Vol 2, Amanda Tiffin, Melanie Scholtz, Grassroots, Luna Paige, Chris Chameleon Dan Shout, Red Earth And Rust to name a few.