select
. Musical Director: Rickey Minor
. Bass guitar/Bass synthesizer: Rickey Minor
. Saxophones/EWI: Kirk Whalum . Background Vocalists:
. Dancers:
. Little girls dancers:
ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA - By the time you read this,
Whitney will have performed to an anticipated
crowd of over 200,000 people in a special series of
South African concerts. The performances will be in celebration
of a newly unified South Africa and will feature Whitney's dancers,
backup singers and band from her US tour.
Her first performance
in Durban, Nov. 8 and final one in Cape Town on Nov. 19,
set the stage for her much anticipated HBO televised performance
on Nov. 12 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. In honor of this
history making event, Whitney gave the following statement:
What a privilege it is for me to accept this invitation
and go to a free South Africa this November to perform,
not for Nelson Mandela the prisoner, but for Nelson Mandela
the President. His courage and determination have long been
an inspiration for people throughout the world,
and I'm thrilled to be a part of this joyful event."
The three shows are being touted as 'very large scale events,'
with production teams from New York and Johannesburg preparing
themselves for the mammoth task ahead. Here's an idea of how much
work will go into the production of each show. It's said that over
200 local stage hands and scaffolders will be used at each venue
to erect the stage and the largest lighting rig ever constructed.
One hundred miles of cable and four powerful generators
will provide electricity in addition to existing power provided
by each venue, this means the power wattage produced at each concert
will be enough to light up an average sized town. Also, three large
screen will be erected at each concert, two on either side of the stage
and one behind the mixing tower, plus an amazing video wall positioned
at the back of the stage.
A total of 270 production, TV and video crew
personnel as well as Whitney's stage crew and personnel
will have traveled between the three show dates to make
sure it's all captured on 16 cameras trained on center stage and
the audience. Over 200 security guards will be on duty as well as
teams of doctors, paramedics, and emergency vehicles on standby.
If you missed the airing of HBO's "WHITNEY - THE CONCERT FOR A NEW
SOUTH AFRICA, November 12, not to worry, you'll be able to get
in on home video sometime in December.
All monies from the concerts will be donated
by Whitney Houston and her foundation to carefully
selected South African children's charities.
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Bio > Live Recordings
South Africa 1994
. All Guitars: Paul Jackson Jr
. Keyboards: Bette Sussman
. Keyboards: Wayne Linsey
. Keyboards: Joe Wolfe
. Drums: Michael Baker
. Percussions: Bashiri Johnson
. Saxophones/EWI: Gary Bias
. Trumpet: Michael Steward
. Trumpet: Oscar Brashear
. Trombone: George Bohanon
(November 1994)
"On Tuesday evening of Oct. 4, I performed at a White House
state dinner hosted by President and Mrs. Clinton in honor
of President Nelson Mandela. I reminded him that, following my
1988 London concert, also in his honor, he invited me to come
and perform in south Africa someday when the country was free.
