Living legend: Louis Moholo, father of free jazz
Tsepang Tutu Molefe salutes one of the most significant figures on the South African jazz scene
Louis Tebogo Moholo could be described as the shaman of spiritual escapism. If jazz were a martial art, Moholo would be the master who taught others how to break concrete blocks and other hard stuff.
The man known as one of the fathers of free jazz stands as a figure of stubborn resilience through struggles in both art and life.
At 77, Moholo is a rare and noble township uncle who has lived in four different South Africas - one oppressive, one that he was exiled from, one free, and one now in a state of uncertainty.
Lively and beaming with life, he narrates the story of the Blue Notes, a tale of rebellion and persistence, the story of a superglued brotherhood based on loyalty, trust and love.
This South African jazz sextet, with Moholo on drums, Chris McGregor on piano, Mongezi Feza on trumpet, Dudu Pukwana on alto saxophone, Nikele Moyake on tenor saxophone and Johnny Dyani on bass, played to thunderous acclaim at the 1963 National Jazz Festival in Johannesburg, but their partnership was not without hurdles...
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