Winston Mankunku Ngozi

A leading figure on South Africa's jazz scene since the mid-'60s, Winston Mankunku (born Winston Ngozi) is one of the few musicians to remain in his homeland rather than emigrating to England or the United States. As such, he had to overcome many obstacles during during the era of apartheid. In an attempt to mask his racial identity, he often performed behind a curtain. Credited as the first musician to combine boeremusiek and mbaqanga, Mankunku has continued to garner acclaim for his soulful playing. In a review of his 1999 album, Malo Africa (Hello Africa), the Daily Mail & Guardian wrote, "This is Mankunku at his very best, on an album which introduces him as a multi-instrumentalist. But the tenor sax is still there, bellowing fiercely and with conviction." The album subsequently received a South African Music Association award as "Best Traditional Jazz Album." The oldest child born to a musical family, Mankunku began "fooling around" with the piano at the age of seven. Although he tried playing clarinet and trumpet, he found his natural musical voice on the saxophone. After experimenting with the alto sax, he moved to the tenor saxophone. Mankunku advanced quickly on the tenor sax. By his late teens, he had played with many of South Africa's top jazz musicians and with Port Elizabeth-based band, the Soul Jazz Men. With the release of his debut solo album, Yakhal' Inkomo. In 1968, Mankunku became a superstar in South Africa. Recorded with the Early Mabuza Trio, the album remains one of the country's best selling jazz albums of all time. It was subsequently re-issued on the Teal label in 1975, 1985, and 1989, and by Polygram in February 1996. Mistrustful of the recording industry, Mankunku maintained a relatively low profile following the release of Yakhal' Inkomo. He recorded an album with the Chris Schilder Quintet in 1969 and an album with the Cliffs, a group featuring Stompie Manana and Roger Khoza, in 1975. For the next decade, his only recording was an album that he recorded under a pseudonym with Sammy Hartman, until 1986. Mankunku's comeback album, Jika, was released in 1986