Kujenga steady progression from Milnerton to Jazz fest to the Samas

Barely three years ago no one really knew about Kujenga – a Cape Town youth septuor that dabbles in an experimental jazz sound they call “Black Improvised Music” – even though they had been around since 2017 and even released an album called Nationality in 2019.

Suddenly, they've blown up. This Saturday, the band's latest album – In The Wake – will be going toe-to-toe against Steve Dyer, Hugh Masekela, Thandi Ntuli and Vuma Levin's albums in the Best Jazz Album category at this year's South African Music Awards (SAMA) at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

Though they might miss attending these awards in-person, they are hopeful and grateful for the nomination.

While the SAMA awards go on, Kujenga will be on stage at the second edition of the BMW Art Generation festival at the Nirox Sculpture Park in Krugersdorp. Here they will be performing alongside Thandiswa Mazwai and the Kopano Jazz Collective in and amongst a hive of engaging programmes that include art walkabouts, studio visits, food, wine and fashion.

Kujenga has really come a long way from their high school days of “starting a band!” pronouncements.

Picture two high school boys teaming up with their neighbours and friends in Milnerton to form a band. Having picked up music lessons in high school and played instruments for their church choir every Sunday the next step was to formalise their band.

"We then moved to doing cover songs of artists like D'Angelo, Robert Glasper. Our sound had jazz undertones and we drew inspiration from people like Moses Molelekwa, Jimmy Dludlu, Salif Keita and more of the music our parents played when we were growing up," says Kujenga's keyboard player and co-founder, Owethu Ndwandwe.

They went on to ask for slots at various Cape Town restaurants and clubs.

It was at Sharon's Cafe in Woodstock, in 2021, that things started picking up.

"It was a small audience but after that performance people came up to us and wanted to know where we would be playing next. That performance was the launchpad. Suddenly there was a build-up, we secured more live performances around Cape Town. The fact that we were all friends made our on-stage chemistry more authentic and enjoyable for the audience," adds Ndwandwe who started the band with his twin brother Zwide and their friend Thane Smith.

Since then the band has grown into a septuor with Bonga Masola on trumpet, Tamsyn Freeks on trombone, Matthew Rightford on saxophone, Keno Carelse on drums, Thane on guitar, Olwethu on keys and Zwide as the bassist and composer.

Their sound is hard to define and hasn't quite captured me personally. It's a cross between jazz and hip hop that seemingly appeals to a youth audience.

Although they do not admit it; there are underlying political and consciousness themes in their songs – from Hymn to Hani to Clarion Call to Abaphantsi and more. But I must say it is their live performances that work well for them.

An example of this would be their performance at this year's Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) where they attracted a diverse audience comprising jazz aficionados and young hipsters.

"We performed at the Moses Molelekwa hall at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. We were scheduled to perform 10-minute before London-based Kokoroko and we were worried people would go to their hall. So when we started performing the hall was half-full, but 30-minutes into our set the hall was packed! That was special."

This year's 21st staging of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival was attended by more than 18 500 'festinos'.

"Performing at the Jazz Festival was the highlight of our year and careers to date. We look forward to being on stage at the BMW Art Generation event at Nirox this weekend."

Cape Times