Apr 2, 2024 12:59 PM
Saxophonist, Sonic Explorer Casey Benjamin Dies at 45
Casey Benjamin, the alto saxophonist, vocalist, keyboardist and producer who stamped his distinctive sounds on the…
Tshepo Tshola sings at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in Cape Town, South Africa, during a tribute to the late Hugh Masekela.
(Photo: Onele Liwani)On the eve of this year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival, which ran March 23–24, some attendees experienced slight trepidation.
Given South Africa’s recent plights—a significant drought in the Western Cape, corruption charges against former president Jacob Zuma and the loss of one of its musical giants, trumpeter Hugh Masekela, on Jan. 23—the event dubbed “Africa’s grandest gathering” aimed at showcasing the country’s resilience and fighting spirit.
Amanda Black’s vocals drew thousands to the Kippies stage on Friday night. And as she belted out intense rallying cries in her native Xhosa tongue, the singer set the tone for the evening—and the weekend.
Performing selections from 2017’s Afro-Caribbean Mixtape (Paytone/Ropeadope), Nicholas Payton opened his set with the album’s title track. As each player settled into the groove, Payton’s melodic trumpet cut through it all. Despite the disparate sounds emanating from Vicente Archer’s bass, Marcus Gilmore’s drums and DJ Lady Fingaz’s turntables, the ensemble’s synergy was palpable, grounded by Daniel Sadownick’s mesmeric percussion patter.
A fuller lineup was in store on the Cape Town festival’s second day, and emotions were high, as much of the lineup paid homage to “Bra Hugh” and other greats of South African music. Simphiwe Dana, who has been hailed as the next Miriam Makeba (1932–2008), was backed by a driving all-female band and accompanied by three equally talented vocalists.
Like Masekala, pianist Robert Glasper—who brought his supergroup R&R=NOW to the Basil Manenberg Coetzee outdoor stage—has faced criticism for playing music outside the traditional boundaries of jazz. And alongside trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, multi-instrumentalist Terrace Martin and drummer Justin Tyson, the ensemble served as a reminder that the scope of the music actually should be expansive and ever-evolving.
Back at the Kippies stage, a heartfelt tribute to Masekela featured a coterie of the trumpeter’s contemporaries, including vocalist Tshepo Tshola and drummer Leeroy Sauls, as a sizable crowd looked on. Current South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was in attendance to honor a man whose music helped draw global attention to the brutality of the country’s apartheid system.
As photos of Masekela were projected on a large screen at the back of the stage, performances of the trumpeter’s classics, like “Stimela,” flowed out of the band; emotions ran high, and for fans, it was difficult not to mourn Masekela’s death.
With the passing of Winnie Mandela, an anti-apartheid activist and ex-wife of Nelson Mandela, on April 2, it seems as though an era that produced heroes and heroines willing to fight for basic human rights might be at an end. However, as this year marks the centennial birthday of Nelson Mandela, the tone of the festival was one of hope, as a new generation is poised to take up the fight. DB
Benjamin possessed a fluid, round sound on the alto saxophone, and he was often most recognizable by the layers of electronic effects that he put onto the instrument.
Apr 2, 2024 12:59 PM
Casey Benjamin, the alto saxophonist, vocalist, keyboardist and producer who stamped his distinctive sounds on the…
“He’s constructing intelligent musical sentences that connect seamlessly, which is the most important part of linear playing,” Charles McPherson said of alto saxophonist Sonny Red.
Feb 27, 2024 1:40 PM
“I might not have felt this way 30 to 40 years ago, but I’ve reached a point where I can hear value in what people…
Albert “Tootie” Heath (1935–2024) followed in the tradition of drummer Kenny Clarke, his idol.
Apr 5, 2024 10:28 AM
Albert “Tootie” Heath, a drummer of impeccable taste and time who was the youngest of three jazz-legend brothers…
“Both of us are quite grounded in the craft, the tradition and the harmonic sense,” Rosenwinkel said of his experience playing with Allen. “Yet I felt we shared something mystical as well.”
Mar 12, 2024 11:42 AM
“There are a few musicians you hear where, as somebody once said, the molecules in the room change. Geri was one of…
Larry Goldings’ versatility keeps him in high demand as a leader, collaborator and sideman.
Feb 21, 2024 10:45 AM
Are you having any fun? Larry Goldings certainly is. Consider just two recent examples:
Scene 1: “If anyone had…
