Soul Taxi has now been around for a few short years but the band members as individuals have had their fair share of playing a long time. Soul Taxi is that great band you can find on a Friday night or a Sunday afternoon that just puts you in the right mood.

Mixing their styles together they can pretty much satisfy everyone who listens to them. In all honestly, I have never heard a bad review from anyone who has seen them. I know from personal experience they make an excellent wedding band. Soul Taxi is Jaime Negrao, Neil Fishwick, Sunny Principe and Wynand van Staden. We chatted to Jaime and Neil who had some pretty interesting answers.

Soul Taxi Blue Moon Nelspruit
Soul Taxi performing at Blue Moon (Photo: Facebook)

As I mentioned before the Lowveld Band Series will contain interviews with Lowveld based bands and artists. This way you get to know them better. Maybe buy them a beer when you see them or book them for your party. I started with Soul Taxi because why not start with the most experienced out there?

STM: How old were you when you first picked up your first instrument to play?

Jaime: I was first a drummer (about 11/12 years old) then a bassist. I always messed around on guitar but only took it up seriously when I finished school.
Neil: I was 14 years old

STM: Where in the Lowveld are you based?

ST: Nelspruit

STM: How long have you been staying in the Lowveld?

Jaime: I landed here when I was 10 years old. Left for about 5 years to travel and then came back, so most of my life.
Neil: For 30 years

STM: What is your day time job?

Jaime: I work in IT support
Neil: Horticulturist (an expert in garden cultivation and management according to Oxford)

STM: How is the Lowveld gigs picking up in Stage 1 of lockdown for you?

Jaime: It’s fairly slow but we have been blessed with some great gigs so far
Neil: From zero to 60%

Soul Taxi on stage at Blue Moon Nelspruit. Photo by Bianca Nel
Entertaining the Blue Moon crowd
(Photo credit: Bianca Nel)

STM: During hard lockdown what kept you going creatively?

Jaime: At first I hit a bit of a slump then made a decision to post at least one video every Friday on social media. That kept me going. And tried to play every day to keep sane.
Neil: Practicing and posting song on YouTube.

STM: If you can change one thing about living in the Lowveld what will it be?

Jaime: I wish people had a live music culture. Real live music that is.
Neil: Make more live music venues available.

STM: What is your dream as a musician?

Jaime: To be a full time musician, not a pop star.
Neil: To open a record store in a dingy underground basement.

STM: How do you balance family, day time jobs and your music career?

ST: Family and the job come first but music is KING!

STM: What kind of music would you like to see more of in the Lowveld?

Jaime: Latin jazz and fusion
Neil: Boereggae

Soul Taxi at Innibos 2019 - photo by Tian du Preez
On stage at Innibos 2019
(Photo credit: Tian du Preez)

STM: What is your favourite song to perform live?

Jaime: Die Blue Moon Highway / Grondpad Blues
Neil: Hear my mamma calling

STM: What has been Soul Taxi’s highlight this far?

Jaime: The gig we did recently in Dullstroom. A great crowd from Pretoria and the band was cooking.
Neil: The road from Nelspruit to Blue Moon.

Marley VW
Marley is the founder and owner of Small Town Music. Born and bred in Nelspruit aka Nelsparta. Marley loves music (rock being a firm favourite), tattoos, festivals, animals and South Africa. Self-taught photographer and writer.