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HE may not look like your typical jazz muso, but Fish Hoek resident Hayden Gard-ner is fast proving that he has what it takes to reach the top.

Well known by many local residents from various gigs in and around the area, Hayden is no stranger to performing and was recently selected as one of three finalists in the Pick 'n Pay / Fine Music Radio 101.3 Music Travel Awards in the jazz category.

Quite an accomplishment when you consider that he has only been performing jazz music for about a year now.

Hayden's love of music started as a boy growing up in a musical family.

"We had a piano in the house and my mom used to play," says Hayden.

"I played a bit and I play the guitar, so music definitely runs in the family."

Hayden went on to perform in many school productions, mostly acting, and later began singing at various restaurants and clubs.

His interest in jazz was sparked much later after he inherited a collection of LP?s from his grandparents.

"I put them on cassette to listen in the car," says Hayden. "The more I listened, the more I began to really enjoy the different melodies and sounds.""

Unable to shake this new interest, he decided to check out the jazz scene for himself and found a jazz club in Wetton called Swingers.

"Every Monday you can go down there and hear some of the best jazz music in the country," says Hayden.

"Members from the audience are also allowed to go up and perform and I noticed that there were a lot of musicians who went up and played some really great and well known songs, but there was never anyone singing."

Hayden decided to approached management about letting him sing. They agreed and so began his love for jazz.

It was here that Hayden met a team of talented musicians who got to together and formed The Hayden Gardner Swing Band.

The band usually performs as a quartet at various venues around the Peninsula, playing songs made popular by the likes of Sinatra and Michael Buble.

"Ultimately I would like to play in a big band," says Hayden. "I also want to try and help bring the jazz scene to the foreground because at the moment it is kind of lurking in shadows."

Hayden and the other two jazz finalists in the Music Travel Awards, as well as three finalists in the classical music category, will play before judges and a live audience on Thursday, 19 October, at the Baxter Concert Hall at 19:30 with the aim of winning a R20 000 bursary to take themselves to an overseas festival, workshop, master class or event of an educational nature of their choice.

"Whether or not I win, my plan is to go overseas and learn as much as I can about the jazz scene over there and meet as many musicians as I can," he concludes.

"I am really passionate about this and want to share that passion with people and help them see that jazz is old school, but can also be very hip."

Entry to this Music Travel Awards concert is free and supporters of the finalists and lovers of good music are invited to attend.

You can also see Hayden perform live at Cafe Pescado's in Simon's Town on Wednesday, 17 October from 19:30 in a special fund-raising event, called "Enough is Enough - Artists united against crime".

Proceeds go towards care and counselling of crime victims, the law enforcement system and youth enrichment projects.

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