Text: Xolani Tembu | Photographs: Supplied
One of the gifts the digital age has bestowed upon humanity is the freedom to create with an ease and convenience understood only by the likes of Rasta the Artist. However, as with all innovation, these gifts come with compromises that often clash with purists, much like how some people’s stomachs rebel against seven-colour cuisines at local funerals.
For several generations now, South Africans have been subjected to computerized euphony so extensively that it has become second nature for them not to experience the instant explosion of actual music from a fusion of beautifully coordinated live instruments. While many may scoff at this observation, true musicians will nod thoughtfully and weep silently as memories of a bygone era flood their limbic systems. They would recall the days when percussion gods like Bra Mnca Mtshali and Bra Hotstix dislocated countless revelers’ hip bones, and when maestros like Ray Chikapa Phiri and Black Moses Ngwenya loosened merrymakers’ undergarments and socks with just their fingers on strings and keys.
Listening to the hi-hat count down the cymbals and eventually command a tutti on Ncesh Nonxishi’s Ebhedini, one can’t help but smile, reminded of the remarkable magic found in coordinating instruments to bring a song to life. The melody blossoms and overflows with delight, paving the way for Nonxishi’s gloriously gratifying voice. The music is full, crisp, and clear, making it feel as though the band is live in your ears. With your eyes closed, you can easily imagine the entire band recording this piece of art live in the studio. You can’t help but notice how satisfying the entire sound is in this polished form. Then, you realize how long it’s been since you last heard live music, and understand that Nonxishi is indeed one of the few who still performs with a three-piece band in this industry. True to her heritage, her lyrics are eccentric, daring, and fabulously meaningful. They make you long for passionate, risqué experiences to call your own. Just as you settle into the chorus, the song winds down, leaving you awash with emotions.
Ndinethemba Uzobuya is next on the playlist. Nonxishi croons dejectedly to the soft strokes of the piano. She bares her heart to strangers, sharing her agony and inviting listeners to share in her misery, hopes, and aspirations. The artist in her is on full display, demonstrating her incredible musical and artistic aptitude. Once again, her heritage shines through her lyrical prowess. She shows why she is Ncesh Nonxishi, a balladeer and lyricist of note, who will launch her debut album, Apho Kungenje, on Friday, 11th October 2024.
X: @skrufu
