My wife, Tarrin, and I attended the Valentine’s concert by Hot Club d’Afrique at Legacy Farm in the KZN Midlands this past Saturday, and it was nothing short of extraordinary. Legacy Farm is owned by Kevin and Theodora Drummond, and the concert was a beautiful family collaboration, featuring their daughters Fran and Katharina, and son-in-law Nicolas. The depth of talent in this family is genuinely remarkable.
It was only the second time I’ve experienced gypsy jazz live – the first having been in Paris a few years ago when Tarrin and I visited – and the music instantly transported us back there. But more than that, it created entirely new memories of its own. As a Valentine’s Day event, it was completely unique.
Although there was some initial disappointment that the concert couldn’t take place outside as planned, the Midlands did what the Midlands does best: mist, light rain, and atmosphere. A soft blanket of fog lay over the small dam outside the homestead, whose stoep is wrapped in a grapevine, creating a scene that felt almost cinematic. The concert moved indoors into the rustic building itself – and in truth, it became even more intimate, more romantic, and more special because of it. It was, without exaggeration, one of the most romantic Valentine’s experiences I’ve ever had.
The programme consisted of three sets – gypsy jazz in the first and last, with a beautiful Spanish and Portuguese interlude in the middle performed by Katharina and her husband Nicolas. The balance, pacing, and variety were perfect.
The sourdough bread and baguettes on sale were heavenly – so good they took me straight back to my childhood in Lisbon in the late 1970s, when bread used to be delivered to our home. We brought a picnic and soaked in a sumptuous, elegant, deeply classy event presented by real professionals.
What made it even more special was the scale. It was boutique in the truest sense – intimate, warm, personal. It felt like a concert in an extended family lounge rather than a commercial venue. There were about 30 people present, with perhaps another 10 (apparently) kept away by the weather (their loss!), and honestly, 30 to 40 people is exactly the right size for that space. The room felt full, and by the end of the afternoon, so did our hearts.
The best news of all is this: Legacy Farm is an undiscovered gem along the Midlands Meander, and Kevin and Theodora, together with their family, are planning to continue hosting events there.
My advice is simple: Keep an eye open. Don’t miss any concerts by Hot Club d’Afrique.
And if this event is anything to go by, anything hosted at Legacy Farm will be special, unique, and worth making the journey for. On a Midlands Meander increasingly populated by formulaic stops and derivative experiences, this was something rare, authentic, and genuinely beautiful.
– CW
