Deep in the leafy suburbs of Durban, a group of musicians have been jamming away for several days in an attic. They are busy blending musical influences from South Africa, Switzerland and Mozambique into a spicy musical stew. Together they are known as the Forest Groove Jam Orchestra.The concept is the brainchild of Robert Trunz (of record label MELT 2000), a long-time supporter of South African music and a man deeply committed to facilitating creative collaborations. He is particularly interested in showcasing traditional African music and exploring the unusual adventures that occur when musicians from different backgrounds are thrown together.The first project of Forest Jam was in 2014 in an old wooden military chapel in the Swiss Alps. Music students and musicians from South Africa, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland got together for a one-week workshop.The following year they went to Madagascar, collaborating with local musicians and enduring a few misadventures along the way. Now they are in South Africa performing in Johannesburg and Durban, then Maputo in Mozambique.Each year there is a slightly different mix of musicians, but the same spirit of collaboration exists.Even more intriguing is that they've been living together in the same house like one big family.Trunz explained: "We eat together, work together, get up, cook breakfast. You get the community spirit going and everybody knows they have to depend on each other to function. Then things become easy, because you are working like a family." Who does the cooking I wondered? More importantly, what happens when you mix a Swiss fondue with a braai?The experiment seems to be working because they're getting on really well musically. I hung around in the attic while they rehearsed, enjoying the African and European influences brought to the mix by each musician and the way they found their space to contribute.Vocalist Nicky Shange said: ''It's a breath of fresh air. We've all worked with different people in different places and bands, but this can only come from the specific people that are here now."The material for the current tour is all new, including compositions from band members plus songs by local diva Busi Mhlongo and zen-funk maestro Nik Bärtsch. Another interesting feature is they've doubled up on instruments: there are two percussionists, two bass players, two guitarists and two vocalists, hence the ''orchestra" vibe.Forest Jam are Bernard Mndaweni (bass), Nicky Shange (vocals), Matthias Abächerli (bass and violin), Carlo Menet (electric guitar), Jul Dillier (keys), Cyril Michel (vocals), Lerato Lichaba (electric and acoustic guitar), Gontse Makhene (percussion) and Matchume Zango (timbila and percussion).Following sold-out performances at the Groove in Johannesburg and the Soweto Theatre, the band will play at the Rainbow in Pinetown on April 3 and on April 6 at the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music, UKZN,The tour is supported by Concerts SA, the Music Mobility Fund and Pro Helvetia...