Classical jazz fuses with Xhosa rhythm
South African Music Awards (SAMA) nominated East London trumpeter, songwriter and composer Lwanda Gogwana is back with a brand-new album, Uhadi Synth.
The Mdantsane-born musician released his debut album, Lwanda Gogwana: Songbook Chapter 1 in 2011. The album saw him receive three South African Music Awards nominations for best jazz album, best newcomer and male artist of the year.
Gogwana said Uhadi Synth was a classical jazz album rooted in indigenous Xhosa music.
“This album is strongly influenced by where I come from, which is the Eastern Cape and Xhosa culture.”
Since making his debut almost five years ago, Gogwana has gone on to work with the likes of songbird and The Voice SA judge Lira, Afro-pop duo Mafikizolo and jazz artist McCoy Mrubata, to name but a few.
The University of Cape Town jazz graduate said the album was also inspired by the works of Nofinish Dywili, whom he discovered during his studies in African Musicology at university.
“The Xhosa musical instrument uhadi is what Nofinishi Dywili played on her recordings that inspired me.
“It is also the instrument from which all harmonies on the compositions from Uhadi Synth have been based.
“The word synth comes from synthesizer, an electronic musical instrument, and it signifies my modern approach to the songs and my 21st-century musical brain.
“Hence the birth of Uhadi Synth,” explained Gogwana.
On the album Gogwana has featured two of his longtime friends, Sisonke Xonti and Sakhile Moleshe, who also featured on his debut album.
Also present is pianist Kyle Shepherd, and on bass and drums are Amaeshi Ikechi and Lungile Kunene.
“I was fortunate to have all the musicians that are featured on the album present on the launch day.
“I also had Dumza Maswana, with whom I worked on a new song based on the #FeesMustFall movement,” he said.
He said the album, which he started working on late last year, pays homage to and honours one of his greatest inspirations, the late legendary South African jazz innovator Zim Ngqawana in a classical jazz standard Qula Kwedini.
He said his arrangement on the song Qula Kwedini, featuring Sakhile Moleshe, offered warm, laid-back, jazzy vocals and hints of that classic 1940s big band swing sound.
Gogwana said he would be bringing his new music to the Eastern Cape next month.
“I have a gala dinner performance in Stutterheim on December 3, and I am planning on doing a number of performances around East London.
“At the moment I am looking for a venue that can accommodate me on December 2.
“I am also in talks with Retsi Pule – we want to do a number of performances during the festive season,” he said.
lUhadi Synth is available at Music Mix and in all online digital stores. — poliswap@dispatch.co.za