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NATALIA ADDS KUNG FUNK TO ZULA SOUND BAR LINE-UP

2007 promises to be an eventful year for the local Long Street performer known simply as Natalia. By March the young singer-songwriter, who is already gaining a strong local following, aims to release a long-awaited album of some of her early demo and live recordings called "Long Street Lullabies".

Natalia also plans to continue entertaining her growing Cape Town support base with a number of gigs in January; and she’s hoping to acquire some new fans with her upcoming tour to Johannesburg later this year.

You can catch Natalia on one of the famous Thursday night line-ups at The Coffee Bean in Rondebosch on 18 January at 7pm (Josh Grierson and Verismo are also on the evening’s bill).

This gig is a warm-up for Wednesday 24 January when Natalia returns to the Zula Sound Bar stage with more of her folk-rock-slash-melodious-pop compositions. But this time she’s bringing a couple of friends along, a dynamic new group on the Cape Town musical landscape collectively known as Kung Funk.

As their name suggests, Kung Funk’s live performances will kick any audience into shape. Their old-school sound – a winning combo of funk, rock and soul - is impossible to avoid dancing to, and their clever and kooky lyrics are so infectious that you’ll soon find yourself singing along way after the show is over.

The band consists of four young Cape Town lads and with song titles such as ‘Funk in the Kitchen’ and ‘Chilling on the Grass Tonight’, a karate outfit here and there, and a room full of energy, no listener will be disappointed. The audience can even expect a few collaborations between the two acts.

Dates:

Natalia – The Coffee Bean – 18 January - 7pm (With Josh Grierson and Verismo)

Natalia & Kung Funk – Zula Sound Bar – 24 January – 9pm

For more information about the performers and the shows please visit:

Myspace.com/nataliabrightyoungthing

or email: natalia@rock.co.za

A Sugar Music release

Email:sugar@sugarmusic.co.za

Phone: 021 423 7635

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NATALIA TO HEADLINE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AUGUST GIGS AT CAFÉ VESPA

Café Vespa, the popular Upper Kloof Street bar and restaurant in Cape Town, has announced the next series of live gigs to be held every Sunday (late) afternoon through August. These concerts have no cover charge and will be featuring the young City Bowl singer-songwriter Natalia who will be performing solo with guitar and vocal alongside some special guests.

This year Café Vespa has begun presenting a number of live Cape Town music acts alongside its regular DJs who perform to the large crowds that regularly fill the venue's large outdoor area. During cooler evenings the live music moves indoors around the warm fireplace.

Over the next few weeks, Natalia and a range of special guests will be performing every Sunday afternoon from around 4 till around 7. Upcoming special guests include Kayla Rorke, Julia Jacobsen, Josh Grierson, Kung Funk, Cara Kagan, Math Club, The Purple and other emerging young City Bowl pop and rock artists and bands.

On Sunday 13th August the special guest will be Kyla Rorke and on Sunday 20th it will be Cara Kagan.

Natalia has been building a strong live following in Cape Town and online over the past few years with her infectious brand of original pop-rock songs. She previously appeared as guitarist and lead vocalist for the band Janie Jones and has also released a single with The Milkshakes called 'Girlfriend'. Other popular songs from Natalia's live set like 'Beach Girl', 'Bright Young Thing', 'Game Over', 'Hey Okay', and 'Nowhere's Calling' and some of these tracks are available as free mp3 downloads at the SAmp3.com, MWeb and 24.com websites.

Natalia's currently radio play-listed track, 'Nowhere's Calling', was written for, and featured on, the successful SABC3 travel program, 'Going Nowhere Slowly'. Natalia also supported Rodriguez at his concert at the Dorp Street Theatre during his short SA tour in September 2005. There is more info about Natalia at: www.rock.co.za/natalia

The Sunday Afternoon concerts are free and are from around 4 till 7. Café Vespa is at 108 Kloof Street - phone (021) 426 - 5042

Come and support Café Vespa who are supporting South African music!

Contact Details: Sugar Music - Stephen Segerman
Phone: (021) 423 7635
Cell: 072 677 4562
Email: sugar@cd.co.za

Issued by Sugar Music

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NATALIA TO HEADLINE TUESDAY NIGHT GIGS AT CAFÉ VESPA

Café Vespa, the popular Upper Kloof Street venue in Cape Town, has announced that Natalia will be headlining a series of Tuesday night gigs (under the stars, weather permitting) until the middle of June. Natalia is the emerging singer-songwriter who has been building a strong live following in Cape Town over the past few years with her infectious brand of original pop-rock tunes.

Over the past few months, Café Vespa has begun featuring a number of live Cape Town music acts, alongside its regular DJs, that perform to the large crowds that regularly fill the venue's large outdoor area. During cooler evenings the live music moves indoors around the warm fireplace.

Natalia, who performs solo with guitar and vocal, is known for mp3 tracks like 'Beach Girl', 'Girlfriend' (as The Milkshakes), 'Bright Young Thing', 'Game Over', and her currently radio play-listed track 'Nowhere's Calling', which was written for, and featured on, the successful SATV3 travel program, 'Going Nowhere Slowly'.

Natalia also supported Rodriguez on one of his dates during his short SA tour in September 2005. Some of Natalia's tracks can be heard at www.SAmp3.com and also right here...

Over the next few weeks, Natalia will be performing every Tuesday evening with a different support act each week. On Tuesday 16th May her special guest will be Lexi Frame, and on Tuesday 24th May it will be Julia Jakobsen.

These Tuesday evening concerts are free and are from around 8 till late. Café Vespa is at 108 Kloof Street - phone (021) 426 - 5042

Come and support Café Vespa who are supporting South African music!

Contact Details:
Sugar Music - Stephen Segerman
Phone: (021) 423 7635
Cell: 072 677 4562
Email: sugar@cd.co.za

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NATALIA'S 'SMALL PACKAGES' ALBUM IS STARTING TO GET AROUND

Things are really starting to happen for this emerging 18-year old Cape Town singer-songwriter. Natalia's unofficial debut nine-song collection, called 'Small Packages', has already yielded a number of mp3 hits, and bootleg copies of the album are currently being enjoyed and passed around by her growing band of devotees who pack out any concert she plays.

Natalia began her live music career at age 12 with an impromptu performance of a Lucinda Williams cover, at a local 'Kulcha Day' concert. She has since worked with, and been produced and recorded by some major names on the Cape Town music scene, such as James Stewart, Ben Amato, Chris Tait, Jorge Carlos, and Richard Black.

The nine songs on 'Small Packages' are a mixed bunch of Natalia's own compositions and include the pick of the tracks from those recording sessions. Some of these recordings like 'Beach Girl', 'Bright Young Thing' and Ugly', are already widely popular having been getting massive downloads at the SAmp3.com website.

Natalia began as a solo artist playing her original compositions, accompanying herself on acoustic and electric guitar, and made a number of notable early appearances, including playing on the bill for the 'Mountains Of Music' benefit at the Mercury alongside Karen Zoid and Kobus!. Following that gig she was invited back to the Mercury Live to support Karma (of Henry Ate fame).

Natalia then formed a side-project band called 'Janie Jones', with brother Rafi on drums, and the band recorded some songs at Street Level Studios, and played a number of gigs around Cape Town, before being banned from headlining gigs at the Mercury, and other clubs, for still being under age.

In late-2004, Natalia reverted to performing as a solo artist, following a long break to finish her Matric studies. She released her single, 'Girlfriend', under the guise of another of her band side-projects called 'The Milkshakes', and the song recently topped the SAmp3.com/M-Web mp3 singles chart.

While 'Small Packages' continues to attract a lot of attention for its indie production mixes and strong songwriting, Natalia has returned to gigging with some very well-received slots at the Obz Cafe in Observatory, and with more planned in the next few months.

Natalia is currently studying at UCT and helps run her Sugar Music label. She also has her own 'Girlfriend' range of clothing, and is designing earrings for a hip Cape Town company called 'Ear Wacks'.

There has recently been a strong demand from music fans for a return to new, original music, written and performed by genuine developing artists, free of cover versions and music industry manufacture and hype. Thankfully too young to enter either of the Pop Idols competitions, Natalia's star continues to gradually rise as the embers of the Pop Idols era slowly fizzle out.

So listen out for Natalia ..... because you know what they say about 'Small Packages'!!

'Small Packages' track listing:
'Nowhere's Calling', 'Screw It', 'Beach Girl', 'Summer Fades', 'Bright Young Thing', '9 - 5 (Poppy Quest)', 'Girlfriend', 'Ugly', 'Red Mustang'.