Gawulana’s show to cast light on Dyani
TOP Mdantsane bassist Lulama Gawulana will be celebrating the life of late jazz musician extraordinaire Johnny Dyani in his show on Friday.
Gawulana, who was awarded the individual jazz award at the Eastern Cape Provincial Cultural Awards over the weekend, will be performing some of his latest compositions at the show, to be held at the Stirling Auditorium. He will also be performing music from his album, Homage to Johnny Dyani.
Gawulana has been a mainstay on the Eastern Cape jazz scene for over three decades, working with many of South Africa’s leading musicians. He has performed in The Netherlands, Pakistan and India, and in the Middle East.
He is a lyrical and innovative composer who, committed to his roots, has remained in East London.
The bassist has nurtured successful young musicians such as Ayanda Sikade and Sakhile Simani, who will be playing alongside him on Friday.
Gawulana said growing up he was influenced by the likes of Johnny Dyani, who grew up in Duncan Village. Dyani was taught to play bass by pianist Fats Mbambisa, and his big break came in the early 1960s, when he joined Tete Mbambisa’s quartet for a tour in Cape Town.
There he was spotted by the legendary Chris McGregor, who subsequently became synonymous for transforming South African jazz. After their exile to Britain in 1964, McGregor’s Blue Notes jazz band had a significant influence on international – especially British – jazz, bringing the swing and vigour of South Africa’s music to a global audience and presenting our jazz to the world seriously for the first time.
Throughout his too-short life Dyani continued to play in the style he had learnt as a youngster in East London, becoming an outspoken ambassador for a democratic South Africa, a musical fund-raiser for the ANC, and a musical beacon that made the Eastern Cape proud.
Gawulana will be playing alongside the award-winning pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, Sikade (drums) and Simani on trumpet. Tickets cost R100 and will be available at the door. —