Posts Tagged ‘hero’

Connected 2 Jazz tribute show: Zim Ngqawana

08/12/2011

Zim Ngqawana - photograph by Charles Betz

On the 13th December 2011 at 8pm on Connected 2 Jazz ((13 December 2011 at 8pm), Nigel Vermaas will be paying tribute to the late Zim Ngqawana (25 December 1959 – 10 May 2011).

LISTEN TO THE ZIM TRIBUTE SHOW PROMO

Related posts:

Celebrating a #CapeMusic legend – Basil Moses

Celebrating the Ngcukana dynasty

My Kinda Jazz tribute to Robbie Jansen

A special tribute to Winston “Mankunku” Ngozi

Bush Radio mourns, Professor William T. McClain (1923-2011)

03/10/2011

One of Bush Radio’s board members and a strong anti-apartheid activist Professor William Tilden McClain passed away on Sunday the 02nd of October 2011.  We at Bush Radio mourn his death.

Professor McClain was originally from a small town inIndiana in the United States, and after his studies served as Deputy Attorney General of Indiana.

His first interest of South Africa began in 1950’s when he went to study at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the Universityof London.  Initially he was going to study Indian or Middle Eastern law, but was drawn to African law.  At this time he also followed the Treason Trial in South Africa very closely.

In 1961 he was sent by the University to do research and collect documents in Africa.  He drove from Nairobi to Lesotho and visited eight African states, including Swaziland.  This is where he met his wife May Vuyelwa Hillary. 

Professor McClain had a very close relationship with the struggle movement and its leadership in exile especially Oliver Tambo and Chris Hani.  In an interview with a Bush Radio intern two months ago he recalled a story of how he got to give Oliver Tambo his sunglasses.  “Oliver and I were on the plane heading for Zambia.  Just before we landed in Lusaka, Oliver asked me to give him my sunglasses for disguise and I gave them to him and I never got them back”

He became involved with Bush Radio more than seven years ago and served on the board at the time of his death.

Professor McClain has been described as a leader, mentor and a person who was always willing to give. His guidance and generous heart will be sorely missed by everyone at Bush Radio.  He has left a void which no one can fill.  Our condolences go to his wife, children, extended family and his friends.

Celebrating the Ngcukana dynasty

03/06/2011

Ezra Ngcukana, tenor sax, Wesley Rustin, bass, Gugulethu, Cape Town, South Africa. January 2010. (Photo courtesy of John Edwin Mason, 2010)

We thought 2010 was a bad year for South African jazz but 2011 seems to be rivalling it. We have already lost Duke Ngcukana, Ernest Mothle and Zim Ngqawana.

On his CONNECTED 2 JAZZ show on Bush Radio 89.5 fm on Tuesday 7th June from 8 – 10 pm, Nigel Vermaas will be celebrating the lives of the two Ngcukana Brothers who passed away within 9 months of each other, Ezra and Duke, as well as their father, Christopher Columbus Ngcukana aka Mra. Helping me to remember the family will be the youngest of the brothers, Mfana Ngcukana, musicians Sylvia Mdunyelwa, George Werner and Mark Fransman, as well as writer Sindiwe Magona They all have unique insights into these three strong personalities and enduring artists.

LISTEN TO THE TRIBUTE PROMO

We will also feature Zim Ngqawana’s version of YOU THINK YOU KNOW ME, a composition by Mongezi Feza (of the Blue Notes) which became closely identified with Ezra. Zim was a pallbearer at Duke’s funeral. In due course CONNECTED TO JAZZ will honour this jazz giant.

Nigel has broadcast documentary-style tributes to a number of our departed jazz heroes including Winston “Mankunku” Ngozi, Miriam Makeba, Johnny Fourie, Alex van Heerden, Robbie Jansen, Gito Baloi and Hotep Idris Galeta.

CONNECTED 2 JAZZ can be heard every Tuesday night from 8 – 10 on Bush Radio 89.5 fm. Aside from playing a wide range of jazz, it also attempts to explore the connections between jazz and other music.

Johnny Issel: Everything that was noble in the Struggle

24/01/2011


Bush Radio is joining many organisations and individuals in paying tribute to the memory of Johnny Issel (born 17 August 1946 – 23 January 2011) who passed away on Sunday the 23rd January 2011.

We will be airing a discussion with Mr Issel tonight 24 January 2011 at 8pm on 89.5 FM.

A mentor to many, Mr Issel was one of the greatest organisers in our struggle against apartheid; a teacher, a student activist, a trade union and community organiser, one of the founders of Grassroots and the United Democratic Front (UDF).

We feel the words of those closest to him can best summarise what he meant to those that knew him.

Click on a name below to hear the thoughts of some of the people who attended his funeral today (24 January 2011) in Kensington.

Leila Issel (Daughter)   –   Allan Boesak   –   Trevor Manuel  

Ryland Fisher   –   Mildred Lesiea   –   James Matthews

Ruth Lewin   –   Salie Manie   –   Tyrone Appolis 

Cecil Esau   –   Frank Smith   –   Jean Swanson Jacobs

Mike Mulligan   –   Reggie September   –   Steve Carolus

 

My Kinda Jazz tribute to Robbie Jansen

09/09/2010

Robbie Jansen - A tribute

On Saturday night 11 September at 8 o’clock in his regular jazz show, My Kinda Jazz – now in its 5th year – Nigel Vermaas will pay tribute to the late Robbie Jansen, who died from complications arising from emphysema on 7 July 2010. He was 60 years old.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PROMO

To some Robert Edward Jansen was Robbie, to others – especially family – Robert or Mr Rob. To many of the young people here at Bush Radio, he was Uncle Robbie – and he was, of course, also known as the Cape Doctor, the Pied Piper and so on.

This pioneering musician was generous, honest, humble, and politically active, but also a compulsive talker and dedicated to his music – often at the expense of family until the last five years of his life, when his poor health was accompanied by a complete change in lifestyle and attitude.

The tribute, which takes us from The Rockets and Pacific Express via Oswietie to Robbie’s solo career, includes words from fellow musicians such as Errol Dyers and Jack Momple, from friends and family, and also some recordings from the funeral at His People Church on 17 July 2010, with several speakers, including Minister Trevor Manuel.

Nigel is particularly indebted to Akbar Khan, who set up most of the interviews for a video to be shown at an as-yet-unconfirmed memorial concert. Aki is also responsible for supplying the recordings he himself made of Robbie at a UDF rally in 1985.

The two-hour tribute includes some of Robbie’s iconic recordings including Kalahari Thirst and Freedom, Where Have You Been?

Tune into on 89.5fm or online via www.bushradio.co.za

RIP – Robbie Jansen 1949 – 2010

07/07/2010

A legend: Robbie Jansen

It is with great sadness that we at Bush Radio learnt of the passing of legendary Cape Town based musician Robbie Jansen.

Uncle Robbie as he was known to many of the young people at the station was always willing to come into the studio to talk about music and share some of the life lessons he had learnt.

His version of Mannenburg was used by several talk shows on Bush Radio through the years and even the  newsteam would use his music in their current affairs programme.

We will miss you.

Tonight (7 July 2010) on Bush Radio 89.5 FM from 20h00 – 22h00, Backchat’s Bassie Montewa will be host a special tribute programme to one of our true folk heroes. To share your feelings, thoughts and special memories call the studio on 021 448 6266.


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