Black Stories: Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Opening Night Pays Tribute To South Africa

Source: Photos by Frank Stewart / Photos by Frank Stewart

Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra Perform From The South African Songbook

Jazz at Lincoln Center brought the music of South Africa to Manhattan for its opening night concert.

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra featuring Wynton Marsalis opened its new season by paying tribute to South African jazz, performing “The South African Songbook, Celebrating 25 Years of Democracy.”

South African artists, including pianists Thandi Ntuli, Nduduso Makhathini and saxophonist McCoy Mrubata joined the orchestra at the Frederick P. Rose Hall for a selection of songs from the land of the Zulu and Xhosa.

Source: Frank Stewart / Photo by Frank Stewart

The concert gave the crowd a glimpse of the spectrum of South African Jazz. The orchestra performed interpretations of work from legends like Hugh Masekela’s “Send Me,” as well as the late pianist Winston Mankunku Ngozi’s musical tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu – each arranged by an orchestra member.

The evening came 25 years after the country’s racial caste system, Apartied, came to an end, and many of the songs reflected a sense of hope and reconciliation as well as a musical call to action to work towards a better society.

Source: Photos by Frank Stewart / Photos by Frank Stewart

The works infused South African culture and traditional music with improvisational jazz to the delight of the crowd, which later gave the orchestra a standing ovation.

Considered one of the nation’s premier music institutions, Jazz at Lincoln Center is a performance space, artist incubator, music education classroom and record label that hosts workshops, performances, and an annual high school jazz band competition and festival.