Cape Town guitarist Derek Gripper is a solo performer of new music from the Western Cape of South Africa. His intimate style of guitar playing combines the techniques of classical guitar with the imagery and mystery of the rural areas of the Cape. “A unique insight into South Africa and its music,” Gripper’s music continues in a tradition which began with a musical implosion, when two musicians met on a small farm called Sagtevlei to work on connections between new classical composition and the music of the Cape. This marked the beginning of an eight year collaboration between Alex van Heerden and Derek Gripper, and was the the birth of a music which, in the words of van Heerden, “is impossible to play if you don’t believe in magic.” Since Alex’s passing early in 2009 Derek has continued to share this new approach to making Cape music in his solo CDs and performances around the world.
Web: http://www.derekgripper.com/Derek_Gripper/biography.html (2010)