It All Started Here
35 years of live energy, this is the story of a life.
Check out his special performance Friday 13 February at The Cottage Club
to get a better insight, his show is called "Chapters of My Life."
About dEREK sASSEN
If you knew Johannesburg in the 80s and 90s, you’ll know Derek Sassen. From Alligators to Dylan’s on Rocky Street, to the Roxy Rhythm Bar, to Hard Rock Cafe, Derek cooked up the rooms where Joburg’s music lovers gathered, night after night. Live music was a lifeline. His tender love for harmony had him sharing stages with many South African musicians. He became part of the city’s heartbeat: Joburg: liberated, bohemian, reckless. It was wild and sincere. Music was both an ideological shaman and aphrodisiac drug, a passport to a free mind and such were the songs that he sung. His repertoire has never drifted far from its roots: a folk-rock and solid rock split,
The echoes of Neil Young’s “Hey, hey, My, my” will stay with you. CSNY’s “Helplessly Hoping,” Lynard Skynard’s, “Simple Man,” America’s “Ventura Highway,” and Plain White T’s, “Hey there Delilah,” will remain in your heart.
the road is long
rock & BIRD
Folk rock is the heart of what Derek brings to private events, the warm, storytelling side of folk rock from artists like Rodriguez, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Eric Clapton, and Cat Stevens. These songs carry a fascinating backstory of an era when music became a vehicle for social change. Emerging in the late 60s and 70s amid counterculture movements, folk rock blended the raw honesty of folk traditions (think protest songs and acoustic introspection) with the electric energy and harmonies of rock. Rodriguez's overlooked genius in "Cold Fact" captured street-level poetry that resonated worldwide decades later;
CSNY’s harmonies embodied communal hope and harmony during turbulent times; Clapton’s blues-infused rock added emotional depth from his own battles and recoveries; Cat Stevens wove spiritual searching into gentle melodies. Derek taps into that timeless appeal, making these songs feel intimate and alive again, shared nostalgia and quiet revelation.
RODRIIGUEZ
1980 - 1985
CSNY
1985 - 2013
FLAMENCO
Derek Sassen's flair for flamenco right-hand guitar technique traces back to his father's deep passion for the genre and its accompanying dance. Growing up surrounded by the fiery rhythms and intricate fingerstyle of flamenco, rooted in Andalusian Gypsy traditions of raw emotion, percussive drive, and expressive duende, Derek absorbed that technical precision and passion early on.
He weaves subtle elements of it into his acoustic playing, adding a layer of dynamic flair, rapid rasgueado strums, and rhythmic snap that contrasts beautifully with his mellow 60s/70s folk-rock sets, bringing unexpected fire and authenticity to intimate performances
- Folk Rock
- Flamenco
- Pop Rock
- Special Requests
BENEFICIARY SHOWS
RED CROSS yOUTH CONCERT
Red Cross has identified 2026 as the Year of the Child, a focused commitment to strengthening the safety, wellbeing, and future prospects of children across South Africa. This initiative began with the children of Dunoon, where the need was clear and the call to action was immediate: to create real support systems that protect children, restore dignity, and build opportunity from the ground up.
As part of this mission, Red Cross is hosting a special Benefit Concert this year, a powerful moment of community, music, and shared responsibility. The concert is designed to raise vital support for child-focused programs, while also bringing public attention to the importance of early intervention, protection, and long-term upliftment for children who deserve far more than survival, they deserve a future.
MUSIC FOR PRIDE
his year, we’re proud to present a Pride Benefit Concert, a celebration of identity, courage, and community. Pride is more than a moment on the calendar: it’s a commitment to visibility, dignity, and equal belonging. This concert creates a space where people can show up fully, safely, and joyfully, and where allies can stand shoulder-to-shoulder in real support. The Pride Benefit Concert also raises vital funds for initiatives that strengthen LGBTQIA+ wellbeing, protection, and opportunity, from mental health support and crisis response, to youth upliftment and community-building. It’s a night of music with purpose: bold, beautiful, and built on the belief that every person deserves to live openly, safely, and with pride.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Next Tours
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