International Jazz Day: Paying Homage To Past And Present African Musicians

Since the early 20th century, jazz has been the subject of countless debates, constantly evolving as a genre of music and passing through several distinct phases of development. Some experts say its roots can be traced back to African soil – not only because the genre was popularized by African-Americans but also because of its abundant use of instruments and general approach to rhythm and style. Once the genre began to develop around the world, jazz found its way home to Africa, spawning the internationally acclaimed likes of Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Mulatu Astatke and Eddie Grey.

Sadly, despite the wide variety of subgenres and talent available, jazz is often seen as a boring genre enjoyed by the more privileged or “old-fashioned” members of society. It has also become increasingly clear that many younger listeners have trouble understanding or appreciating jazz. In Nigeria, for instance, while efforts have been made by jazz promoters like Ayo Shadare and Oti Bazunu to advance and develop jazz in the country through mini-festivals and special performances, patronage has continued to be considerably low.

In commemoration of International Jazz Day, celebrated annually on 30 April, here is a quick breakdown of the rich and sonorous history of jazz across 3 African countries:

Jazz in South Africa

The South African jazz scene is one of the most dynamic in the world, but decades of political turmoil mean that much of its history remains undocumented. From its early fusion of jazz undertones and traditional harmonies known as marabi to the uplifting sounds of kwela and phata–phata which became popular in the 1950s, South Africa has been a musical innovator for decades. In the ’80s and early ’90s, Jazz was used as a tool to fight oppression, whether physical or mental. Although the content was often profound and carried strong messages of defiance, the music was still bouncy and cheerful, quickly gaining popularity around the world. The late Hugh Masekela, who wrote several renowned anti-apartheid songs, was among the first breed of internationally acclaimed South African jazz artists.

Of course, several other jazz musicians emerged during the Apartheid era, including the likes of Dolly Rathebe, Jonas Gwangwa and Abdullah Ibrahim, and while many left the country to seek asylum abroad in the early to mid-20th century, jazz still thrived in many black communities. Following the abolition of Apartheid in 1994, jazz enthusiast, Brad Holmes returned home from London and founded what would become known as the Bassline Jazz Club in Johannesburg. Bassline, which still exists today, began as a small live music venue in the vibrant suburb of Melville and gradually grew to become a leading music venue for South Africa’s finest jazz talents.

Today, South African jazz incorporates local traditional styles alongside funk, R&B, and swing, to create unique forms like township jive and “Cape Jazz.” Judging by the success of annual gatherings such as the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, it’s clear that the fire still burns. A new generation of young South African jazz musicians continue to carry their homeland’s legacy forward while creating something unique and distinctly their own. Among them are saxophonist Linda Sikhakhane, singer Zoë Modiga and keyboardist/singer Thandi Ntuli.

Jazz in Nigeria

Nigeria’s jazz odyssey began in the 1940s, specifically after the Second World War (1939-1945) with the return of expatriate Nigerian stars such as Bobby Benson, Tunde Amuwo and Soji Lijadu, among others, from Europe. These pioneers set the tone for the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Dance Orchestra, which emerged in the 1950’s as a rallying point for serious Jazz musicians. However, it was not until 1963 that jazz, in its truest African form, became established in Lagos by the Fela Ransome-Kuti Quintet, led at the time by Fela Ransome-Kuti (later Fela Anikulapo Kuti). He had already recorded a jazz album in London by the time he returned to Nigeria, and in the quintet, Kuti doubled as a trumpeter and pianist, with Don Amaechi on guitar, Emmanuel Ngomalio on bass, John Bull on drums and Sid Moss also the piano. The band played regularly on Monday evenings at the iconic Cool Cats Inn in Ebute Meta, Lagos, a hub for jazz enthusiasts. This successful launch of modern jazz in Lagos led to the formation of the Jazz Preachers, another jazz outfit, led by well-known pianist and singer, Art Alade.

By the ’70s, the specialist venue Jazz 38 had opened its doors in Lagos, while other parts of the country also caught the jazz fever: in 1988, the Port Harcourt Jazz Club hosted its successful Port Harcourt Jazz Festival, with Dizzy Gillespie as the headline act. Although the genre slowly began to lose some of its previous lustre, several young and upcoming stars still emerged in the 90s, which included tenor saxophonists Kayode Olajide and Bisade Ologunde (Lagbaja), who went on to build their own successful music careers. And of course, one cannot fail to mention the powerful female voices of Maud Meyer, Gloria Rhodes, Ayinke Martins, Yinka Davies, Ego and many others, who played a pivotal role in putting Nigerian jazz on the map.

Today, although there are only a handful of spaces across the country that pay tribute to Nigeria’s rich and varied jazz history and even fewer popular rising jazz stars, Nigeria can still boast of some colourful local events like the Lagos International Jazz Festival – slated for the April 29 and 30th, 2022 and multitalented contemporary artists such as saxophonist Yemi Sax, Bez Idakula, Ed Izycs and trumpeter Etuk Ubong.

Jazz in Ghana

Following the Second World War, newly formed jazz groups like E.T. Mensah & The Tempos continued to forge ahead as all-Ghanaian bands, blending swing and Caribbean music into a form of jazzy highlife that became the ‘soundtrack’ of the early independence era throughout West Africa. From the late 1950s, leading jazz musicians from around the world began to visit Ghana, and by the 1960s, there were a number of Ghanaian bands that played modern jazz, including the Dominant Seventh, the Bogarte Sounds and the Uhuru band, all of whom played their part in introducing advanced jazz chords to Ghana. During the military coups and curfews that plagued the country in the ‘70s and 80s, there was a sad decline in the Ghanaian nightlife scene and all forms of popular music including Jazz.

But with the liberalisation of the economy and return to democracy in the 1990s, many foreign jazz players and Ghanaians who had left Ghana for economic reasons began to return, and incidentally, a number of lively jazz clubs sprang up in Accra and other parts of the country.  Some of the first included Jimmy’s Jazz Club, Diane’s Café, Village the Jazz Tone Club and the Odo Jazz Club. This, in turn, led to the formation of multiple small jazz groups like the D Minor Band, the Asanaba Jazz Combo, Johnny Young’s Karmah Jazz Band and the Jazz Music Makers. Other notable jazz artists from that era include trumpeters Osei Tutu and Long John, singer Rama Brew and the popular drummer Kwesi Asare, who, on returning home to Ghana in 1995, established a Cultural Research Centre in Larteh dedicated to African and Jazz music.

In 2004, the Jazz Society of Ghana was founded and over the years, hosted jazz, blues and fusion artists from around the world. Since then, several Jazz spots have sprung up, including the very popular +233 Jazz Bar which jazz lovers from around the world still visit and enjoy to date. Today, foreign jazz players continue to stream into Ghana, collaborating with local artists like jazz pianist Victor Dey Jr, flute player Dela Botri and dynamic young artist Bright Osei.