Sikhakhane on a Sanctified Search
The music of saxophonist and composer, Linda Sikhakhane has a shimmer about it. There is a crisp quality to the sound as it rises from individual strands, phrases and lines crafted by individual band members into something concerted and whole.
Sikhakhane leads a charmed quintet on the virtual National Arts Festival and Standard Bank Jazz Festival programme. The band includes pianist Afrika Mkhize, drummer Sphelelo Mazibuko, bassist Benjamin Jephta, with Gontse Makhene on percussion to man the rhythm section. Sikhakhane shares the melody line with trumpeter, Ndabo Zulu. Their repertoire is made up of songs from Sikhakhane’s debut record Two Sides, One Mirror and some yet to be released cuts too.
Together, they are engaged in what Sikhakhane called “a search for revelations through sonics.”
It’s a pursuance they come as close as humanly possible to attaining an hour’s set of few jazz compositions will allow. The magic is that a few charts in the hands of sincere musicians can accrue into something more than music.
This is what we get when Sikhakhane starts to blow. It becomes clear that these are gifted musicians who actually enjoy their own capacity and are not shy to share it. It’s a joy to witness the multiple moments of shared creative conversation happening between them as they simultaneously minister to us all. Like when Mazibuko and Makhene visibly exchange nods for notes. The o-bulu bulu boop, scuttle, scamper, tap, tap and pulse of Makhene’s percussion is a gift to Mazibuko. It allows him to explore his cymbals with a latitude he couldn’t afford otherwise. Makhene’s congas and malombo drums have a pop that fills in where Mazibuko’s tom-toms would have to be. Not this time. Notice too how Sikhakhane glances at Zulu. It’s an invite to flight. They soar together. A melodic communion of brass and reeds; lifted by the brooding growl of Japhta’s contrabass. Then, like summer rain in the sunshine, Mkhize sparkles sprightly over everything. He dares them to dig deeper.
Sustained intensity leads to ecstasy. Sikhakhane understands this. So he leads the band to play towards a path pursuant of passion above all else. This gives license to Mkhize who rises masterfully to the occasion. He delivers inspired block chords, trills and tremolos that leaves us all smiling like silly children in spite of our mature pretensions and grown-ups’ dourness. Feeling lifted, we know we’ve been delivered by the beauty of the music; and Sikhakhane on the path.
Watch Linda Sikhakhane’s Isambulo here.