Mervyn Africa - at last we work together.

03/05/18

My experience of - MERVYN AFRICA


Mervyn Africa in the studio in April 2018 (c) Songwrights Publishers

I should have known and worked with Mervyn Africa before 2018 because of his roots in Cape Town music, notably with the group Oswietie and his performances with the band, Spirits Rejoice, both of which featured my long time colleague and artistic collaborator, Robbie Jansen. 

But he left town for London in the 1980s, too soon for us to have hooked up, though I knew of his career and success as a jazz musician performing alongside of some of the big names in jazz, and notably his performances with some of the South African (SA) musician exiles.

Sometime in about 2015, I think it was, we exchanged email addresses via Facebook and we lamented the fact that we had never worked together.

He seems to be spending more time in the Cape and the fact that I was planning to be in Cape Town in early 2018 resulted in us getting together. A new edition of the Cape Jazz album series had presented itself and Mervyn's name flashed through my head, particularly as I planned to feature piano players this time. 

I have to say it was not easy to track down his phone number and then get to talk to him about the idea and how he could fit in. He agreed to take on two of the real classics of the genre (7th Avenue and Mannenberg) and to contribute a composition of his own that fits beautifully into the program. 

I am delighted it worked out to get him to the studio in April and for him to contribute to what is becoming an historic chapter in Cape Jazz series.



 (c) Paddy Lee-Thorp, Mountain Records

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