Three Gqeberha music legends were honoured at the Mandela Bay Jazz Legacy Festival at the weekend in recognition of the pivotal part they played in maintaining and expanding the history of jazz in SA and the world.
Feya Faku, the Soul Jazzmen band and the late Zim Ngqawana were recognised by Dr Nduduzo Makhathini at the Pine Lodge Resort and Conference Centre on Saturday after more than 200 people gathered to enjoy top-tier jazz performances.
Multi award-winning artist Makhathini, who is signed to international record label Blue Note Records, said it was an honour for him to perform in Gqeberha as it had contributed immensely to the culture of jazz.
He met Ngqawana when he was a second-year student at the KwaZulu-Natal University (now Durban University of Technology).
“Ngqawana was building this idea of ingoma [song] as a way to bring it closer to divination practices and the prophetic knowledge of the Nguni people which was coming full circle for a person like me,” Makhathini said.
“I was brought up in such traditions, it made sense for my jazziness to anchor on top of ingoma the origin.
“Ngqawana himself came from the school of Soul Jazzmen which was a very important group.
“Not only a group, but also a history that is underpinned by a unique sound found in the Eastern Cape, but mostly focused in New Brighton.
“So if you hear someone like Feya Faku playing a trumpet you hear that it is anchored in geography, culture and these are the things that our masters are trying to remind us [of].”
The South African National Jazz Orchestra (SANJO) had a ground-breaking debut with a mixture of heavenly tunes yet also with a taste of South African sound.
The Mandela Bay Theatre Complex hosted the festival, with its chief executive Monde Ngonyama saying the third edition was unique as it was also the launch of the South African National Jazz Orchestra.
Edgar Muzah honoured late Zwide saxophonist Mkhululi Gxasheka, well-known as Fiesto, during his session, saying that without him, he would not have been able develop his passion for music.
“Fiesto is the first guy that gave me a chance, I played for the first time in a band and the first gig I got was with Fiesto so it was special to me.
“I would have loved to have done [this tribute] while he was alive as he was an integral part of the music industry in the Eastern Cape and in Gqeberha,” Muzah said.
Nelson Mandela University second-year music student and alto saxophonist Karabo Zamokuhle said it was an honour to share the stage with big names such as Makhatini at such an early stage in his career.
“It is an honour, a big step for me towards building my career in music,” Zamokuhle said.
The Nelson Mandela Bay region Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of SA deputy chair, Zukiswa Cakucaku, said artists were excited about the festival as it aimed to uplift local talent.
“The metro has stars, look at John Kani for instance.
“That means we have a lot of platinum in the metro, but today we are seeing it, because our local artists are showing it.
“As an artist I am happy,” Cakucaku said.
Mayor Gary van Niekerk said the quality of the music was world class and he hoped more events of a similar nature would find a home in the Bay.
“It is important for sport, recreation, arts and culture to get enough in terms of budget. A child in arts is a child out of court,” Van Niekerk said.
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