Festival to honour Komani’s jazz legends

THE Eastern Cape department of sport, recreation, arts and culture will honour jazz greats at this year’s Chris Hani Jazz Festival in Komani at the weekend.

The festival will be held at the Thobi Kula Indoor Sport Centre and MEC Pemmy Majodina will honour the members of the Komani Jazz Legends band for their role in advancing and promoting jazz in the district and province. The introduction of jazz in South Africa dates back to 1918 and it was in Komani that the genre started to develop and take on its South African character.

Komani soon became known as “Little Jazz Town” due to the growing movement of artists. The two most popular bands were the Meekly Matshikiza’s Blue Rhythm Syncopators and William Mbali’s Bif Four.

Komani remained a jazz powerhouse from the ’40s right through to the ’70s with inspiring names like Todd Matshikiza, Vic Phahlane, Toto “B A” Oliphant, Ben Mazwi, Lex Mona, Sdakane, Gwazela, Wanki Koti and others emerging from the town.

Various bands from the area and further afield in the province are expected to participate in the festival. They include the King William’s Town-based Slow Foot King Brothers.

The founder of the band, Sipho Tshiyembe, has retired from performing with the group.

One of the members of the Komani Jazz Legends band who will be honoured tomorrow, Jordan Bangasi, said he could not wait for the big day.

“We have never experienced this before. We are over the moon,” said Bangasi.

The Chris Hani Jazz Festival aims to develop and promote local artists and expose them to bigger platforms.

The Queenstown Arts Centre Jazz Band, which performed last year, got to travel and play abroad.

Band member Zolani Mtiya said the festival had opened many doors for them.

“Through the festival, we have developed a lot. Because of the exposure we get from it, we were able to perform in Senegal,” he said.

The festival will also focus on promoting the 16 Days of Activism campaign against women and children abuse from November 25 to December 10. The event starts at 2pm tomorrow. —