If you weren’t deep in the local music trenches in the ’70s and ’80s, you might’ve missed his name — and that’s a damn shame, because Dax Butler is one of South Africa’s true originals. Lucky for us, he’s now based in Cape Town and bringing his inimitable sound to the local live music circuit, café Roux included.
Born on the East Rand and raised on Rock ’n Roll and Soul, Dax carved his sound in smoky bars before taking his craft through the UK and USA. Back home, he fronted bands like The Other Band, Mud Ensemble, and the unforgettable Dax Butler’s Rinderpest. Call it swamp blues, call it alt-country — whatever, labels don’t matter. What hits is the raw truth in his writing and sound: think lyrics with the grit of Tom Waits, the bite of Bob Dylan, and the soul of Leonard Cohen.
This veteran songwriter now rides with a merry band of musical misfits as ‘Dax Butler & The Fabulous Resentments’, and for his next café Roux show will be joined by:
Tonia Moller: A bona fide trailblazer of South Africa’s alt scene, she kicked down doors in ’83 with Khaki Monitor, tore up stages through the ’80s, and hit the road as ‘Karla Krimpelene’ on the legendary Voëlvry tour. A powerhouse backing vocalist and percussionist, she’s stood behind icons like James Phillips, Rodriguez, Bright Blue, Robin Auld and Lionel Bastos, and she fronted her own riotous girl band, The Pressure Cookies, in the late ’90s.
Daniel Zachariah Franks: A shape-shifting string slinger whose arsenal runs from upright bass to 5-string electric violins and even the Oud. A familiar face on Cape Town’s stages, he moves between jazz, folk and anything that needs a little fire. Daniel’s played with everyone from The Hot Club of Cape Town and The Dukes of Note to Gary Thomas, Brynn, Tarabu and The Betsy Beers.
Maya-Rose Torrão: A dark-folk firebrand raised in the quiet of Knysna and sharpened on Cape Town stages, she’s been singing since she was seven and picking up instruments like most kids pick up shells on the beach — clarinet, piano, guitar— whatever made sound. She’s played everywhere from KKNK to The Alma Café and The House of Machines, sharing stages with Kyla-Rose (Freshlyground), Tonya Selley (Rodriguez), Lucy Kruger, Robin Auld, Jon Shaban and, of course, Dax himself.
Jonny Blundell: Guitars and vocals. Jonny is a fantastic and versatile guitarist who has played with all and sundry
In both Cape town and Johannesburg. He has the ability to add both soul and grit to Dax's compositions. Part of the legendary Blundell family he is also an acomplished producer and vocalist.
Terrence Scarr: Violin, Bass and Vocals. One of S.A.s finest violin players. He has Played with Steve Newman and Tony Cox in the Aquarian Quartet and with the Blundells in various incarnations. He is also the musical director in Dax Buller's anarchic band. Adding a spicy tang to the the swampy gumbo.
Simon Annett: drums and various percussion instruments, definitely the most inappropriately appropriate dummer for this grimy ensemble. Magical almost magical and then some, unpridictable and virtually irreplacable.. Simon is the reason Dax relocated to Cape Town.
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