VOICE
Songs
for our grandchildren
Sheer Sound
WINSTON
MANKUNKU NGOZI
Abantwana
be Afrika
Sheer Sound
MARCUS WYATT
Africans in space
Sheer Sound
Here is an
excellent opportunity for those who have not yet discovered the richness of
South African jazz to hear some of the best that is being produced down there
right now. This is music full of sincerity and warmth, and at the same time
hard swinging and powerful. In several cases, the same musicians play on
several of these records, but each CD still renders its own version of
contemporary S.A. jazz. Everything is incredibly well played and well produced,
and at the same time full of vitality and bounce.
At this
year’s version of Stockholm Jazz Festival we had a taste of the quintet Voice,
who came over as a part of the cultural exchange between our two countries
which has only just started. Besides obvious South African influences, their
latest record Songs For Our Grandchildren includes both hard bop and a few
ballads – especially the soaringly beautiful tribute that saxophonist Sydney
Mnisi wrote to his mother, who passed away during this recording.
Unlike many
other musicians, tenor saxophonist Winston Mankunku, born in 1943, remained in
South Africa during the rough years of apartheid. Thereby he had less
international fame than his exiled compatriots such as Johnny Dyani and
Abdullah Ibrahim – although he actually toured Sweden in 1993. But back home he
is a legend, who has meant a great deal to the development of jazz. Steadily
rooted in tradition, his record has both a timelessness and an afro jazz
feeling which could have made a swing through the U.S. to collect inspiration
from the best moments of Coltrane, but which is of course also coming directly
from Africa. This music is easy to love, not least because of this man’s
incredibly vital tenor sax with its happily bouncing phrasing, which becomes
obvious about 13 seconds into the first track when he, after a piano intro,
plays his first notes.
These
musicians belong to the top level among the younger generation of jazz
musicians in S.A – not least pianist Andile Yenana, who also produced this
record. His timing is wonderful, and he is often mentioned along with words
such as bright or brilliant.
Marcus
Wyatt’s CD is full of nice compositions. Several tunes have odd time signatures
– for instance a mbaqanga-influenced thing in 11/8 which had a very warm
audience response when performed by Voice at Stockholm Jazz Festival. Just like
there, both Marcus and Sydney Mnisi show their talent as soloists, displaying
great wealth of variety, both in melody and tone. Bass player Herbie Tsoaeli is
playing on all three records, and with his distinct playing he leaves no doubt
about why he is one of the most wanted studio bass players in South Africa.
Annika Westman
Published in Lira Magazine #3/2005