It’s an arresting image, the extreme close-up portrait that graces the cover of South African jazz legend Tete Mbambisa’s Black Heroes (2012), his sixth commercially released album. Insomuch as the frame, and by extension the recording, can barely contain the immensity of the subject, it is a fitting accompaniment to this raw and immediate solo piano set recorded at the University of Stellenbosch in August 2010.
The album’s charm lies in the unfettered composure of Mbambisa’s performances. Stripped arrangements dispense with ensemble, stage and spotlight and gather listeners around the piano with vocalisations and foot stomps adding intimacy and grit. Black Heroes pits nostalgia against the blues but it’s ultimately the redemptive power of music with soul that wins.
Black Heroes is produced by Jonathan Eato, curator of the JISA (Jazz in South Africa) Project, which aims “to develop a critical understanding of jazz in South Africa that is informed by the thinking of the musicians who make the music.” The album’s liner notes are lovingly assembled, featuring archive photography and a comprehensive discography. All rights to the compositions and recording are held by Bra Tete and all revenue from CD sales goes directly to him.
Tete Mbambisa at the Black Heroes album launch in Cape Town
22 April 2012 | UCT College of Music | Photo © Calum MacNaughton
