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Dudu Pukwana Was, Even at Dudu Pukwana Arts in Lagos and the Following 52, Poised for Greater Things

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Dudu Pukwana Was, Even at Dudu Pukwana Arts in Lagos and the Following 52, Poised for Greater Things OBITUARIES \"'~~W ~~\1-\qo quently recorded. In 1977, he took AL1i"r-,.,)GH he had already the reformed Spear to Nigeria for achieved an eminence in the jazz the International Festival of Black field, Dudu Pukwana was, even at Dudu Pukwana Arts in Lagos and the following 52, poised for greater things. He DAVID REDFERN year formed the group Zila, which was in place to be carried even fur­ he ran until his death. Zila means ther upwards by the tide of Afri­ nothing more glamorous than "we can culture burgeoning as part of are here", but its music was explo­ the indistinctly defined "world sive and Pukwana's urgent and ag­ music" fashion which is currently gressive improvisations often sweeping the continents. His brought audiences to a state of ec­ popularity with both young and static excitement. With the band, more mature audiences was grow­ Dudu appeared frequently at Eu­ ing, partly because the raw direct­ ropean festivals and made many ness of his playing, something he broadcasts on television and ra­ had always had when others trod dio. The group also recorded sev­ more gently, was coming to fash­ eral albums. ion. He was an eclectic and tleeply Pukwana had strong feelings for emotional jazz soloist not unduly his South African heritage, and concerned about finesse r ~r remained true to its music until his sophistication. death. The roots remained domi­ "Really, inside, I'm a roaker. I nant in his playing, but he listed don't care about technique as long amongst his favourite musicians i i c~n cook," he ::;~i d . who had influenced his wo.rl<; BorP-i., the African township of Ornette Coleman, Duke Elling­ Walr('" 1 Port Elizabeth, Puk­ ton, Ben Webster and Stevie wana .c fcom a musical family. Wonder. He began playing the piano at six His manager for many years, and worked as a semi-professional John Jack, remembers him as a musician while still at school. strenuous, emotional man, always When he was 18 he took up the exuberant and often very demand­ alto saxophone, learning on an in­ 'ing of those who worked with him. strument owned by Nick Moyake, "He was never tranquil. There was whom he idolised. always some great excitement hov­ His first regular job as a pianist ering around the comer, and if he was with a vocal and dance group wanted to talk about it, he would called The Four Yanks, later The phone you at any time, day or Manhattan Brothers. Still surviv­ night. He called me in such a way ing, The Manhattan Brothers about a year ago, wanting me to were flown over from South Af­ help him in writing a book about rica to appear at the Wembley his life. I'm sorry we never got concert in tribute to Nelson round to it." Mandela, and here Pukwana was Known to be a man who liked reunited with them as he, on alto what Johnny Hodges referred to this time, played in the band which as "a little taste", Pukwana was backed the group. not so long ago discovered, after In his youth, Dudu worked with an intensive search by some con­ a variety of groups in South Africa cert organisers, playing darts in a before forming his own band, The pub some 45 minutes after his re­ \ Jan c· . ts. When he appeared cital in a local concert hall had wit!, at the 1962 Johannes- been due to start. Completely un­ burg Festival, he won the abashed, his concern, more than awaql tor Best Jazz Saxophonist ' for the concert, wa. h?.! tl:ey ;.., of toe Year. But it was with . he sisted on removing him immedi­ Four Yanks that the bandleader ately, even though it was, as he put Chris McGregor, who himself it, "my throw". died last May, first heard him. The Of large and burly appearance, McGregor band had been invited he vibrated with nervous energy to play at the opening of a youth and, despite being unexpectedly a cultural centre in the African . very shy man, he was always exu­ township of Cape Town. berant on stage. John Jack be· "The pianist playing with The lieves his full potential was never Four Yanks struck me immedi­ ports and left for London. By now, Gregor's Brotherhood of Breath, Gangwa. They recorded together tapped. "Despite his shyness, he ately, so I collared him afteiWards McGregor was deeply involved in playing major festivals and record• as The African Explosion and could stimulate other musicians and bought him a drink. We found running the band, and most of the ing a film soundtrack. He had an played in th ·~ United States, where into doing great things. Earlier out we'd been listening to a lot of composing for it was left to individual triumph in the perfor­ they attractt;d the attention of mu­ this year, he made what we. now the same things, so he came and Pukwana. His highly original work mance the band gave at the 1974 sicians like :vliles Davis. see as his last recording with Zila. stayed with us and Y!e s~arted caught the European audiences Berlin Jazz Festival. Earlier, Back in Europe, Dudu formed Because of the current market working as a quartet wtth htm on immediately, and this period cut: Pukwana also toured with Johnny another band with a colourful situation, its issue was shelved, but alto." ' minated 'in the seminal residency Dyani's band, Witchdoctor's Son, name, Assegai, and worked with no doubt it will come out now that McGregor expanded to form at Copenhagen's Montmartre and in 1969 he formed a kwe/a Harry Miller's Isipingo, Keith he's gone." his Blue Notes, adding Mongezi Club, home of much in contempo­ band, Spear, which recorded two Tippett's Centipede and such free Steve Voce Feza on trumpet, Nick Moyake on rary music development in the albums and went back to South jazz improvisers as John Surman, tenor and Louis Moholo on middle Sixties. Africa to tour. Not surprisingly, Mike Osborne, John Stevens,. and Mtutuzel "Dudu" Pukwana, alto drums. They were popular After visits to Paris and Switzer~ Pukwana was welcomed as a hero. Han Benn .nk, recording with and soprano sa;wphonist, pianist, enm· '">ut racially-mixed groups land, the group finally settled in This led to a collaboration with many of them. He was given two composer and ba11dleader, born .!"-., al in South Africa and London. Dudu continued to tour the trumpeter Hugh Masekela grants by th(: Arts Council to write Port Elizabeth 18 July 1938, died ~ether became impossi­ with and compose music for Me- and the trombonist Jonas extended works, which he subse- :,w they acquired pass- London 29 June 1990. ../,' w: .
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