T

HEY say it began in the back yards of township matchbox houses. Men blew horns and banged drums against oppressive laws while they got merry from illegally drinking the white man’s liquor. Women hummed highpitched melodies to bring down the walls of segregation, and played banned music. Soon cries for freedom and the sound of gunshots were infused into the music, and created a single tune known as South African jazz.

After decades of exile, pimping its chops in many a foreign land — only to come back home and settle in posh and exclusive venues in the cities — jazz is slowly migrating back to its roots: the township.

The back yards of the township, to be precise, at least in the vision of Koko Kalashe and Luvuyo Kakaza, founders of monthly jazz gatherings in Gugulethu, Cape Town, known as Jazz in the Native Yards.

They say the idea behind the initiative is to preserve the true legacy of jazz.

“The concept is to set people in their back yards, and also challenge the perception that townships are places where you live until you can get out of there,” says Kalashe.

The Jazz in the Native Yards philosophy has three main pillars. One, a space where artists are able to communicate the jazz language to their followers while creating life-changing experiences. Two, a vehicle to drive township experiences and create an authentic way to bring people from anywhere in the world to the township, away from the tourist-in-the-zoo kind of approach. Three, taking jazz to the people where it really belongs, away from city spaces that convert it into an elitist affair.

“We want to get the little kids in the hood to be inspired, and people in general. The question should always be: what are you doing in your community?”

Kwa-Sec, the venue, is a block away from the cool kids at Mzoli’s, the now world-famous shisanyama. Jazz in the Native Yards has hosted local and international jazz craftsmen and -women. A new season began last month with Mozambique-born drummer Frank Paco.

There are big plans for the year ahead. This season opens post the closure of Cape Town’s popular jazz venues Tagore’s and Straight,