When one watches the facial expressions of bassist ZENZELE MTHEMBU-SALTER, one can see that the music is in his eyebrows and the titling of his head! Currently taking a break from his studies in jazz, a Bachelor Degree at Conservatorium van Amsterdam, the Future Kwela band leader was in conversation with KEANETSE MOKHOTHU, prior to his debut performance of his original music at The Lerotholi Gallery.
What are the roots of Future Kwela?
It is the name of the band and project that I am currently working on. The idea came to me after attending The National Youth Jazz Festival in Makhanda in 2023. Being around the musicians and listening to them play inspired me to form my own band and start playing my original pieces. I began composing young, but this notion of future kwela helped me focus the concept.
The title Future Kwela speaks to the approach that I am taking with this massive band, where we are taking older South African and African grooves and rhythms like kwela and maskandi, fusing them with current musical trends like hip hop and house music. I feel that the kwela rhythm is particularly unique to South Africa. I feel there is something powerful in the energy of that music and I am seeking to reinterpret and investigate it through my own compositions.
What does Future Kwela look like in terms of musicianship and the evolution of its sound?
I see it as an ever-evolving project that could go in many different directions. For now, I am trying to establish some sort of core of musicians for this band so we can get comfortable with the music.
With this project, my main focus musically is showcasing different rhythms and grooves of South Africa that may have been forgotten by our youth. In my compositions, I am thinking a lot about finding links to township jive, kwela and maskandi – genres that can resonate with people today. There is so much rich heritage of music in this country that I would like to explore and bring to light.
How do you define SA jazz?
I think SA jazz has its own identity that sets it apart from say, American jazz. I believe SA jazz is closely linked with apartheid and the struggle for freedom. Furthermore, SA jazz in a broad term is common everywhere you go in the world. Our type of jazz is also incredibly diverse, drawing from a vast array of different cultures that influence what we know as South African jazz.
What is the usual reception from your fellow musicians when approaching them to form a band as a bassist?
Musicians I call know me well enough to trust my work. I have received some feedback in the past that the nature of the music I write is quite demanding. The majority of the musos I perform with are my friends. We have known each other for some time and have built strong musical connections that make things easier, for example, the music flows naturally.
As to mentorship within the industry, what has been its impact on you?
There have been certain people in the industry like Benjamin Jephta, Shane Cooper and Kyle Shepherd who I have looked up to. People who have given me pieces of advice along the way, although, I feel I still have a lot to learn about the industry, which I am relatively new to.
My immediate family are not musicians so I have had to figure out a lot of things myself. I had a lot of guidance musically through my mentors and teachers, but getting to grasps with the business and promotional side of the music industry has been something that I have been trying to figure out how to navigate. Good thing is that I have a certain network and support system in Cape Town that allows me to move forward.
Is there an upcoming debut album?
This is in the works and I want to do it properly. We are still workshopping the music, getting it to gel. But I plan to record this specific body of work in the coming months and release it… well, that will be a surprise.
Zenzele Mthembu-Salter live in Cape Town
16 on Lerotholi Gallery
Sunday, 29 July 2023, 3pm
R100
16 Lerotholi Avenue, Langa
Tickets Quicket
Who: Bassist Zenzele Mthembu-Salter interview
Social media: Facebook Zen Mthembu-Salter, Instagram zen_mthembusalter
WS
