ON THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FALL OF APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA CHILA NATHI AND TRC HOST THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF CAPE TOWN BASED ENSEMBLE, KUJENGA.

It’s a wintery night with a bright half moon and I am greeted at the door to the Total Refreshment Centre by two shadowy figures, well wrapped against the cold. One of the duo is Theo, the co-organiser of tonight’s Chila Nathi Special: In The Golden Wake. Three decades have passed since the defeat of the apartheid system In South Africa and tonight’s event asks its attendees to consider, “How do we memorialize an event that is still ongoing?”. It also plans to introduce London to Kujenga, a bold young ensemble described by one of their mentors  – Siya Mthembu of The Brother Moves On – as “the future”. 

As I am a touch late I ask Theo, “How’s it going?”. She happily informs me, “It’s packed”. Indeed, the room hosting the event is overflowing, spilling out into the corridor. As I edge my way in I am kindly offered a complimentary glass of wine which I readily accept and find a spot next to TRC’s Alexis Blondin and behind the night’s other co-ordinator, Teju Adeleye. 

Kujenga : Photo by Theo

There’s a conversation going down between two members of Kujenga – Owethu Siphiwo (piano / keys) and Zwide Ndwandwe (bass) – and  DemiMa, the granddaughter of late great pianist / composer Bheki Mseleku. It’s conversation that circles around tunes of their choice that have influenced them. It’s an intimate space and the audience response to the both the music and conversation clearly reflects the strong African presence in the room. 

It’s down to Teju to introduce the music – ‘Not Yet Uhuru’ – Letta Mbulu  / ‘Inhlupheko’ – The Soul Jazzmen  / ‘Remember Sophiatown’ – Miriam Makeba, The Skylarks  / ‘Idabi Labantu’ – iPhupho L’ka Biko /  ‘Celebration’  – Bheki Mseleku – / ‘Boom Shaka’ – Gcwala – to the gathering but it’s down to the panel to contextualise, to frame, what is being heard. Context is King when it comes to the rich cultural and musical history of communities like Sophiatown, Meadowlands or District Six that were flattened, erased by South Africa’s apartheid regime. Questions are raised that reflect the ongoing struggle in South Africa, especially for them, as young activists – culturally and politically. Parallels are aso drawn with the Iraeli / Gaza conflict. It’s no surprise that South Africa was a prime mover in getting the ICC to issue arrest warrants for Netentyahu and Galant. 

In 1995 I went to both Joburg and Cape Town as part of the Melt2000 project. It was a venture that united musicians from the London dance-jazz (acid jazz) scene alongside Brazilian master musicians, Airto Moreira and Jose Neto, with a host of brilliant South African musicians. There was an air of positivity and optimism about the future. The intense local struggle, led by the ANC, combined with consistent international pressure against apartheid had finally broken the system. A  new dawn was declared. It was joy to sit and reason with veteran musicians like Pops Mohamed, Busi Mhlongo, Sipho Gumede, Fana Zulu, Dizu Platjes, Madala Kunene and Mabi Thobejane plus new generation dons like Moses Molelekwa and Max Ngcobo. It was also a privilege to encounter the belief systems of the  traditional healers, the Sangomas, and others, like the members of the Inthelelo Yabalazwane Choir.

Thirty years have gone by since then and the ‘Rainbow Nation’ is still dealing with the shackles of global capitalism combined with the legacy and collective trauma of colonialism and a brutal, racist, South African regime. On this night at TRC the audience is drawn into the reflections of a generation who weren’t even born when apartheid was formally abolished. Their reflections embody a continuum that necessarily reflects a musical history which has all but been erased in their homeland, when it needs to be celebrated as part of the people’s modern identity.

When DemiMa chose to play Bheki Mseleku’s wonderful ‘Celebration’ we got a taste of the longstanding links between London’s jazz community and the South African musicians like Dudu Pukwana, Mongezi Feza, Louis Moholo, and Bheki Mseleku who were forced into exile during the apartheid era.

Kujenga : Photo by Theo

After a piano / poetry interlude featuring DemiMa, Kujenga filed into the room, picked up their instruments and treated us to a selection drawn mostly from their ‘In The Wake’ album. Electric bass, drums and piano are supplemented by a three piece horn section and a sublime electric guitarist – Thane Smith. You have to love Zwide Ndwandwe’s crystal clear bass lines and the slightly mournful but sonically uplifting combination of trombone was trumpet courtesy of Tamzyn Freeks and Bonga Tandekile Mosola. 

Between songs, Zwide illuminates the story behind the composition and places us, the listeners in their shoes, during the isolation of the Covid pandemic and their need for community. ‘Remembrance’ draws us in with a  spacey guitar and piano before the horns weigh in. The crowd are completely at one with the ensemble and as the set evolves it’s punctuated by shouts of approval. As they deliver compositions like ‘A World Within, A World Without’ and ‘It Was Wonder’ there’s a sea of arms in the air.

An encore consist of an unrecorded tribute to Fela Kuti and Tony Allen. What is initially, a breezy and chilled interpretation of Afrobeat suddenly explodes. The drummer, Keno Careise, gets his chance to lift the crowd and shine, as does tenor-man, Matthew Rightford. The room kicks off as bodies swoop and rise to the challenge of the music. The vibe is ecstatic and Zujenga – their name means “ to build” in Swahili – have, on their very first international gig, clearly proved they are an ensemble to be reckoned with. Zujenga are here to stay. 

CHECK: https://kujenga.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-wake

The night was organised by Teju and Theo along with their good friends Dexter, Retha and Nancy as part of a series called Chila Nathi: a colloquialism meaning ‘come chill with us’.  In July they hosted Sky Dladla, Zolani Moholo, Eddie Hicks, Sekuru, Mrisi, and Aron Halevi to explore culture and spirituality. 

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