"Best Producer" - SA Music Awards 2004

Winston Monwabisi "Mankunku" Ngozi was born in Retreat, Cape Town in 1943. His musicality emerged early on and was carefully nurtured by his mother, Gertrude. Having experimented with piano, clarinet and trumpet, he took up saxophone in his mid teens. In the early 1960's, the Ngozi family was uprooted from their home and relocated to Guguletu under the notorious Group Areas Act. By this time, however, Winston was already gigging extensively and his early influences in Cape Town included Midge Pike, Parks Joya, 'Cups and Saucers' and Merton Barrow. But John Coltrane was perhaps Winston's greatest source of inspiration and his respect and admiration for 'Trane' has endured right through "Mankunku's" career to the present day.

In contrast to many colleagues who left the country during the 1960's to further their careers in Europe and the United States, including Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, The Blue Notes, and many others, "Mankunku" chose to remain in his native Cape Town. This meant, however, that he was subjected to the Separate Amenities Act and similar Apartheid legislation. A classic tale tells of his performance with an all-white big band in the Cape Town City Hall in 1964, where, because a mixed-race band was unlawful, he was forced to play behind a curtain so as to remain out of sight. On other occasions, Mankunku was billed under pseudonym ("Winston Mann") in order to escape attention from the authorities.

With the milestone release of "Yakhal' Inkomo" by "Mankunku Quartet" in 1968, Winston Mankunku became a household name in South African townships. The album title is directly translated from Xhosa as "the bellowing bull", and refers to the particularly anguished cry made by cattle as they go to the slaughter. Containing obvious inferences to the situation of blacks in South Africa, "Yakhal' Inkomo" has become one of the biggest selling jazz albums of all time in South Africa, and was recorded with the Early Mabuza Trio featuring the legendary drummer, bassist Agrippa Magwaza, and pianist Lionel Pillay. In the same year, he received the Castle Lager "Jazz Musician of the Year" Award. "Yakhal' Inkomo" has become one of the all-time classic South African jazz albums, re-released by Teal in 1975, 1985 and 1989, and is since February 1996 available for the first time on CD though Polygram (SA).

During the next few years, "Mankunku" was part of only two other releases as the featured saxophonist, with the Chris Schilder Quintet in 1969 on the album "Spring", and The Cliffs, which comprised a number of "Mankunku's" long-time associates including Stompie Manana, Allen Kwela and Roger Khoza, in 1975. However, disillusioned with the music industry after these recordings, he shied away from recordings for over ten years, apart from an appearance under pseudonym in 1976 on Sammy Hartman's "District Six" LP.

Having been introduced in '76 by the late Johnny Gertze, Winston worked extensively with pianist\composer Mike Perry in the early 80's and this led to the recording of the acclaimed album "Jika" in 1987 as well as the formation of Winston and Mike's own label Nkomo Records. "Jika's" wide scope and excellent individual performances ensured its success both at home and abroad. It also contained a strong protest message in songs like Wajikeleza and Asiyapo, although the general tone of the album is sweet and melodic, to quote a review: "Like chilli sauce on an ice cube". Recorded both in Cape Town and London, "Jika" featured a number of exiled South African musicians, including Bheki Mseleku, Russell Herman, and Lucky Ranku. The album has since been released in Australia (Avan-Guard), the US (Intersound) and in Germany (ITM) under the title "Crossroads".

Mankunku's international status grew in the following years. He toured Germany and the UK with Mike Perry in 1989. He toured Sweden and Norway in 1993 with a quintet from Cape Town. In 1996 he toured Belgium twice with pianist Jack Van Poll. This tour included a memorable set with Toots Thielemans who came on for two songs and ended up playing all night.

After a gap of nearly ten years, Winston and Mike Perry teamed up again and released "Dudula" in 1996. It is a positive album, reflecting the social optimism felt in the mid to late 1990's in South Africa. Masihambe has an anthem like quality to it, saying 'Let's go' to all the listeners collectively. It contrasts with the more intimate tracks: Dudula and Shirley, which engage the listener on a personal and emotional level. Amanzi Obomi has an essential quality to it accentuated by Errol Dyers' guitar. This is followed by Khawuleza, which evokes a dusty, bustling sticky village street and is the most energetic track on the album. The whole is completed by Green and Gold, a more serious piece, alluding to the fact that, despite progress to date, there is still much to achieve in the New South Africa.

Nkomo Records then released "Molo Africa" in 1998. The first tracks were laid down in November 1997, and completed over the following six months. The album featured the hit song "A Song for Bra Des Tutu", and a total of 7 all new tracks with guest artists Feya Faku, Tete Mbambisa, Errol Dyers, Basil Moses, Lionel Beukes and Vusi Khumalo, amongst others. "Molo Africa" won Winston a South African Music Award at the 1999 5th Annual FNB SAMA ceremony held at Sun City, in the category "Best Traditional Jazz". "A Song for Bra Des" was subsequently released on a GeoWorld compilation by BMG France in 2001, and "Molo Africa" has been re-released by Sheer Sound in 2002.

Thirty-five years after the release of "Yakhal'Inkomo", Winston Mankunku's latest album "Abantwana be Afrika" was recorded and released in Johannesburg between March and June 2003. To add to the anniversary, the recent album launches at Johannesburg's Civic Theatre and Bloemfontein's Andre Huguenot Theatre coincided with the week of his 60th birthday. Still, even at this respectable age, Winston remains (as do we all) a 'Child of Africa'. "Abantwana Be Afrika" reflects a number of similarities to "Yakhal'Inkomo": Mankunku has gone back to a smaller, more traditional jazz outfit, in this case a quintet; it is essentially an acoustic album, using acoustic bass and grand piano; and finally, the recording is largely a live recording, with few overdubs or other studio techniques used to enhance or manipulate sounds.