Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
ISBN 978-1-86814-469-3
Acknowledgements v
Introduction – Tim Cohen vi
Fred de Vries viii
THE STRINGS
Abdullah Ibrahim, Hyatt Hotel, Rosebank, Johannesburg, November 2007 1
Chris Chameleon, Newtown, Johannesburg, September 2007 13
DJ Kenzhero, Rosebank, Johannesburg, February 2007 25
Fokofpolisiekar, Back2Basix, Westdene, Johannesburg, March 2006 33
Japan and I, Montecasino, Johannesburg, June 2007 43
Jaxon Rice, Melville, Johannesburg, September 2006 51
Jim Neversink, Melville, Johannesburg, April 2006 59
Prinses Petro, Bohemian, Johannesburg, August 2006 67
Toast Coetzer, Kloof Street, Cape Town, October 2007 75
THE OFFICE
Nikiwe Bikitsha, Rosebank, Johannesburg, September 2006 83
Jeanetta Blignaut, Spier Estate, Stellenbosch, February 2006 91
June Josephs, Newtown, Johannesburg, September 2006 99
Eric Mafuna, Woodmead, Sandton, May 2007 107
Benjy Mudie, Rosebank, Johannesburg, May 2006 115
Warren Siebrits, Illovo, Johannesburg, April 2007 123
Henri Vergon, Newtown, Johannesburg, October 2006 131
THE PEN
Gabeba Baderoon, Spier Estate, Stellenbosch, March 2007 139
Melinda Ferguson, Norwood, Johannesburg, March 2006 147
Ronelda Kamfer, Kloof Street, Cape Town, November 2006 155
Kleinboer, Yeoville, Johannesburg, December 2006 163
Danie Marais, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, June 2007 171
Lodi Matsetela, Roka, Johannesburg, October 2006 181
Marlene van Niekerk, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, May 2006 189
Yabadaka Shamah, Hatfield, Pretoria, October 2006 197
Ivan Vladislavic, Troyeville, Johannesburg, September 2006 205
Ingrid Winterbach, Durban, May 2007 213
THE BRUSH
Vusi Beauchamp, Hatfield, Pretoria, August 2006 221
Jodi Bieber, Hyde Park, Johannesburg, July 2006 229
Kudzanai Chiurai, Melville, Johannesburg, February 2007 237
Karl Gietl, Troyeville, Johannesburg, March 2007 245
Anton Kannemeyer, Observatory, Cape Town, October 2007 253
Maja Maljevic, Greenside, Johannesburg, August 2006 263
Hermann Niebuhr, Fordsburg, Johannesburg, April 2007 271
THE PAMPHLETS
Bok van Blerk, Krugersdorp, March 2007 279
Steve Hofmeyr, Midrand, Gauteng, March 2007 287
Adam Levin, Parktown North, Johannesburg, August 2006 295
Rian Malan, Parkview, Johannesburg, January 2007 303
Elinor Sisulu, Khotso House, Johannesburg, December 2006 311
Helen Zille, Civic Centre, Cape Town, November 2006 319
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A heartfelt thank you goes out to: Tim Cohen, Rehana Rossouw,
Kevin Bloom and Branko Brikic for giving me the space and
confidence; Estelle Jobson and Veronica Klipp for believing that
this collection could be made into a coherent book; and Helen
Haynes for the many insights. And to everybody who was willing
to be interviewed.
HEROES/INFLUENCES
Interviewers: Ischa Meyer (‘Dutch interviewer whose basic principle
was that “everyone has a secret and it’s up to you to uncover that”.’);
Theo van Gogh (‘Disciple of Meyer, could be awfully rude as a
columnist, but was brave and empathetic as an interviewer. Murdered
in 2004 by a religious fanatic.’)
Writers: Paul Bowles (‘Wrote astonishing books about north Africa
that captured the mystery and darkness without ever making it
“exotic”.’); Richard Ford (‘American novelist who showed that small
town America can be as exhilarating as downtown Manhattan.’);
Ryszard Kapuscinski (‘Polish travel writer who managed to get into
the soul of the countries he covered, without becoming complacent
or condescending. His credo was: “If you want to know about the
president, start with his gardener, and slowly work your way up.”’);
Niall Griffiths (‘British writer who wrote Sheepshagger and Kelly + Viktor,
some of the most disturbing literature of the 21st century.’); Lester
Bangs (‘Best rock writer, ever.’); Jules Deelder (‘Speed taking, jazz-
loving Rotterdam poet who looks like Count Dracula.’)
Single events: Rolling Stones – Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out (album); Roxy Music
– Roxy Music (album); Koos Kombuis – Niemandsland (album); Sex Pistols
– ‘Anarchy in the UK’ (single); Velvet Underground – ‘Pale Blue Eyes’
(song); Beach Boys – ‘Tears In The Morning’ (song); Diva (movie); Pola
X (movie); Permanent Vacation (movie); Sopranos (series); Arnon Grunberg
– Tirza (book); Marlene van Niekerk – Agaat (book); interview with
Belgian punk band De Brassers on Dutch television in 1981; the scene
in Almost Famous where everyone starts singing ‘Tiny Dancer.’
Abdullah Ibrahim photo: Sally Shorkend
ABDULLAH IBRAHIM
HYATT HOTEL, ROSEBANK, JOHANNESBURG, NOVEMBER 2007
only taught about music, but also about martial arts, eating and
mediation, in order to achieve ‘a more holistic lifestyle’. This, of
course, is perfectly in line with his own post-alcoholism existence
of being a vegetarian, a teetotaller and karate expert. He’s a
follower of the seventeenth-century Japanese samurai warrior
Miyamoto Musashi, whose lifestyle was a mishmash of various
Eastern philosophies – a loner with a spiritual message.
Additionally, as I read Michael Titlestad’s jazz book Making
the Changes, an image appeared of Ibrahim who sees himself
as a ‘divinely inspired musician’ whose music communicates
God’s truth. ‘My talent is medical formula handed down from
the creator. I am a dispenser of medicine,’ he stated in 1985.
The same book mentions author Bessie Head who called him
‘a complete and perfect flower in the desert’ and his music ‘a
refreshing breeze to the soul’.
Although mesmerised by these mystical descriptions, I was
also prepared for hostility. As the son of a Sotho father (murdered
when Abdullah was four) and a coloured mother Ibrahim
carried a lot of bitterness about identity, colour and race. He
grew up rough, surrounded by gangsters, junkies and alcoholics.
Apartheid restricted his educational aspiration. Music, he
claimed, saved him. ‘In all that horror it was at least clean; you
were dealing with something beautiful,’ he told the Guardian.
Another reference to music offering a glimpse of Utopia.
Before he gave up alcohol in the late sixties he was described
as arrogant and disrespectful. Obviously such characteristics are
amplified by drinking, but do they really disappear when you
quit? I wondered if it was the intoxicated New York jazz scene
that led him to his drinking. I also wondered whether becoming
a Muslim and changing from Dollar Brand to Abdullah Ibrahim
in 1968 had anything to do with meeting the radical, anti-white
6 THE FRED DE VRIES INTERVIEWS: FROM ABDULLAH TO ZILLE
*
Our interview is scheduled for three-thirty in the boardroom of
the Hyatt Hotel in Rosebank. With half an hour to kill I check the
Musica megastore to see how many of the more than a hundred
Abdullah Ibrahim albums they have in stock. Only one.
In the Hyatt the publicist tells me Ibrahim has landed this
very morning, flown in from Germany. He’s had little sleep.
And with a tight schedule of half a dozen interviews that
day he might be tired and grumpy. So when we finally meet
(he doesn’t shake my hand, just says ‘hi’) in the suffocating,
windowless boardroom I take the initiative and suggest he
orders something to eat and we move elsewhere for our chat.
He agrees, and we go to his R6 000 a night suite on the top
floor of the Hyatt (the two other band members stay at Rosebank
Hotel). There he calls room service and orders a tuna sandwich.
He asks if I want one too. I decline, but feel good. He seems
relaxed and friendly, and with nothing planned after our interview
it all looks positive. I have a list with 31 questions, tackling different
subjects and building up to the personal issues.
He sits down behind the desk. He’s dressed in a loose-fitting
black shirt and despite his many years in New York hasn’t lost
his Cape accent. I switch on my recorder. Someone brings a
chair, so I can sit opposite him. I start with the observation that
so few of his albums are available. He says that he’s busy with a
plan to re-master and re-release much of his back catalogue.
Abdullah Ibrahim 7
A friend of mine has 60 of your LPs. I was wondering if you prefer your
music on vinyl or digital?
‘I have no idea. I don’t play it.’
Oh. What do you prefer when you buy music?
‘I don’t buy music, I don’t listen to music.’
Not at all?
‘No, why should I listen to music?’
Because it’s quite pleasant at times.
‘I play it myself.’
So when you want to hear music you play it yourself ?
‘Yes, but I don’t listen to recorded music, because that’s time gone.’
From what I read I thought you were a person who actually doesn’t
like recorded music, because it’s like a mere snapshot, while music
constantly evolves. Is a studio the right place for your music? Do you
improvise in the studio?
‘I don’t understand your questions. Do you know what I do?
What do you mean: if I improvise in the studio or where do I
improvise? It’s a stupid question.’
Why?
‘What do you mean: do I improvise in the studio?’
What I mean is: do you go to the studio with finished songs, so everyone knows
8 THE FRED DE VRIES INTERVIEWS: FROM ABDULLAH TO ZILLE
what he must play at a certain point or do you improvise there and then?
‘What is it you want to do with this interview? Because these are
really dumb questions you know. Ask me something creatively.’
Okay, I’ll go to the next question then. I want to know about the current
tour. What will you do? Give an overview of your career? Play particular
songs around a certain theme? Play new work?
‘Are you into jazz music?’
I nod.
Okay. The sleeve of Mannenberg, can I ask you something about that?
It has a little quote that reads ‘Is this what Rashid Vally wanted?’ What
did you mean by that?
‘Maybe you should ask Rashid.’
You wrote it though.
‘Ja, well ask Rashid: what is it that he wanted?’
You don’t know what he wanted? Why did you put that quote there?
‘I think this interview is not going anywhere.’
I think so too. I think we must stop.
*
10 THE FRED DE VRIES INTERVIEWS: FROM ABDULLAH TO ZILLE
CV
1934 Born in Kensington, Cape Town
1941 First piano lesson
1949 Becomes professional musician
1958 Forms Dollar Brand Trio
1959 Joins Jazz Epistles with Hugh Masekela, Jonas Gwangwa and
Kippie Moeketsi
1960 Releases Jazz Epistle Verse 1
1962 Leaves South Africa for Europe
1963 Meets Duke Ellington in Zürich
1964 Releases Duke Ellington Presents the Dollar Brand Trio
1965 Marries Sathima Bea Benjamin
1965 Moves to New York
1965 Plays Newport Jazz Festival
Abdullah Ibrahim 11
HEROES/INFLUENCES
Unfortunately we didn’t reach that stage. But these include Duke
Ellington, Thelonious Monk and the seventeenth-century Japanese
samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi.