- Johnny Dyani
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Johnny Dyani Birth name Johnny Mbizo Dyani Born November 30, 1945 Origin East London, South Africa Died October 24, 1986 (aged 40) Genres Jazz Occupations Bassist Instruments Double bass Associated acts The Blue Notes, Don Cherry, Steve Lacy, David Murray, Leo Smith Johnny Mbizo Dyani (30 November 1945 – 24 October 1986) was a South African jazz double bassist and pianist, who played with such musicians as Don Cherry, Steve Lacy, David Murray and Leo Smith.
He was born and grew up in Duncan Village, a township of the South African city of East London.
In the early 1960s, Dyanni was a member of South Africa's first integrated jazz band, The Blue Notes, with Mongezi Feza on trumpet, Dudu Pukwana on alto saxophone, Nikele Moyake on tenor saxophone, Chris McGregor on piano, and Louis Moholo on drums. In 1964, the band fled South Africa to seek musical and political freedom. Drummer Louis Moholo explained, "We were rebels and we were trying to run away from this apartheid thing. We rebelled against the apartheid regime that whites and blacks couldn't play together. We stood up."[1]
In 1966, Dyani toured Argentina with Steve Lacy's quartet. Lacy, Dyani and Moholo recorded The Forest and the Zoo.
He later[when?] moved to Denmark and Sweden, recording many albums under his own name. He recorded with Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim), Don Cherry, Steve Lacy, David Murray, Joseph Jarman, Clifford Jarvis, Don Moye, Han Bennink, Brotherhood of Breath, Mal Waldron, Pierre Dørge and many others.
After his death, the remaining members of The Blue Notes reunited to record a moving tribute album, entitled Blue Notes For Johnny. Other musical tributes include:
- Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra's album Johnny Lives (1987)
- David Murray's composition "Mbizo", which was first recorded on the Clarinet Summit's Southern Bells (1987) and the duo album The Healers with Randy Weston (1987)
- The World Saxophone Quartet's record M'Bizo (1997)
- Chris McGregor's Mbizo's Baby (1977)
In a memorial (PDF) published in the South African magazine Rixaka, Pallo Jordan wrote, "above all, his music resounded with a joy in life."
Partial discography
- 1964: The Blue Notes Legacy – Live In South Afrika 1964 [released in 1995] (Ogun)
- 1967: Steve Lacy – The Forest And The Zoo (ESP–Disk)
- 1978: Johnny Dyani with John Tchicai & Dudu Pukwana – Witchdoctor's Son (SteepleChase)
- 1978: Johnny Dyani Quartet – Song For Biko (SteepleChase)
- 1978: Johnny Dyani & David Murray – Let The Music Take You (Marge 04)
- 1981: Johnny Dyani & Mal Waldron duo Live at Jazz Unité – Some Jive Ass Boer (Jazz Unité 102)
- 1984: Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra – Brikama (SteepleChase)
- 1984: Various Artists – Percussion Summit [released in 1995] (Black Records)
- 1985: Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra – Even The Moon Is Dancing (SteepleChase)
- 1986: Johnny Dyani Quartet – Angolian Cry (SteepleChase 31209)
- 1987: Johnny Dyani – Witchdoctor's Son - Together (Cadillac Music & Publishing)
References
- ^ Eyles, John. "Louis Moholo: The Sound of Freedom". All About Jazz. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/articles/lond0402.htm. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
External links
Categories:- 1945 births
- 1986 deaths
- Antilles Records artists
- Avant-garde jazz musicians
- Jazz double-bassists
- South African composers
- South African jazz musicians
- SteepleChase Records artists
- The Blue Notes members
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