ODE TO THE ANCESTORS
Thandiswa Mazwai’s new jazz tribute album honours the spirit of the times, and of the past. By Rea Khoabane
Thandiswa Mazwai’s new album pays tribute to rebel singers of the ’60s and ’70s
IN 2006, my uncle was playing Nizalwa Ngobani in his car. When I asked him who was singing, he told me it was Thandiswa Mazwai, from her debut album Zabalaza. The album went double-platinum and won multiple awards.
Ten years later, I’m sitting with the vocalist and songwriter at her favourite tea place in Maboneng. She is wearing a long-sleeved spotted yoke dress and signature beaded neck-piece as she sips “African Queen” tea and we talk about her upcoming album.
Born in the Eastern Cape in 1976, Mazwai grew up in Soweto. She was 22 when she sprang to fame as lead singer of kwaito group Bongo Maffin. Her solo career has been just as successful. Her second album, Ibokwe, was released in 2009, and her latest offering, Belede, will be available this Friday.
The jazz tribute album is named after her mother, who died when Mazwai was 16. “My mother has always been the thread through all my music,” she says. “She was a political activist and a revolutionary and that has influenced every piece of work I’ve created from the very beginning. All my work has been about remembering her and trying to make her proud.”
She says her mother taught her about Pan-Africanism and Biko and played her the music of Miriam Makeba. “Her favourite song was Mbogeni Ngema’s Stimela saseZola.”
The sound of Belede is influenced by legendary ’60s and ’70s jazz musicians. It includes Mazwai’s versions of classics such as Jikijela, originally sung by Letta Mbulu, as well as songs by Miriam Makeba, Caiphus Semenya and Hugh Masekela.
“I chose works by these musicians because their music had a social angle and was relevant to their time,” says Mazwai. “They’re rebel singers and revolutionary musicians and Belede is an album in honour of their songs and their spirit.”
One of the songs on the album is West Wind, written by Semenya and later sung by Nina Simone. Another is Makeba’s hit, which is also the name of Mazwai’s 16-year-old daughter.
“Going into the studio with this group of songs made me feel like I had the protection and support of these musicians,” says Mazwai. “There’s a lot of pressure to record as an artist, but if you don’t go into the studio with something honest to you, then you spend your life trying to catch up to the lie. The best thing anyone can do is to live their lives honestly and with bravery. Those are things my mother taught me and those are things I transfer to my daughter.”
The album is also inspired by today’s youth and student movements, because with every generation it is the youth that blows up on behalf of the parents.
“This is something that was bound to happen in the absence of revolutionary change in the lives of black people,” says Mazwai. “What has been sold to us as a new South Africa is ridiculous. It is shocking that we should find ourselves in the same position 22 years into democracy; history is repeating itself.”
Feeling the emotion in each song is important to her. “One rule in the studio is that I don’t give out a song until it moves me.”
She says there is sadness in her recording of Jikijela, a song about throwing stones. “I could have reflected rage, but I think the students themselves reflect rage and a thing that isn’t spoken about is how traumatic this time must be for these young people. I think about how tired their spirits must be with guns and police around them. They don’t think about that, they just think how angry they are.”
Mazwai sings in her mother tongue, isiXhosa. She wants her music to touch the African soul.
“Music is spiritual,” she says. “You need to be respectful of it because of the power it has. Music can evoke so many emotions. When you release it you must make sure people are ready to ingest it and swallow it.”
She has her last sip of tea, gives a smile that shows her dimples and says, “Now let’s go get something to eat.”
Mazwai will perform at the launch of ‘Belede’ at the Soweto Theatre on November 24 at 8pm. Tickets R200R400 from Webtickets or sowetotheatre.com