Winston Monwabisi "Mankunku" Ngozi (1943 â€" 13 October 2009) was a
famous South African tenor saxophone player.He was born in Retreat,
Western Cape, in 1943, the first child in a musical family. He played
piano at the age of seven, and later clarinet and trumpet. In his
mid-teens he learned the alto and tenor saxophone. He cites John
Coltrane, local saxophonist "Cups & Saucers", pianist Merton Barrow,
as well as bassist Midge Pike as major influences.Mankunku chose to
remain in his native Cape Town during apartheid. This meant that he
was subjected to the Separate Amenities Act and similar apartheid
legislation. A classic tale tells of his performance with an all-white
big band in the Cape Town City Hall in 1964, where, because a
mixed-race band was unlawful, he was forced to play behind a curtain
so as to remain out of sight.In 1968 he recorded the famous
blockbuster "Yakhal' Inkomo", with Early Mabuza, Agrippa Magwaza and
Lionel Pillay. It won him the Castle Lager "Jazz Musician of the Year"
award for 1968. Another colleague was Abdullah Ibrahim.
famous South African tenor saxophone player.He was born in Retreat,
Western Cape, in 1943, the first child in a musical family. He played
piano at the age of seven, and later clarinet and trumpet. In his
mid-teens he learned the alto and tenor saxophone. He cites John
Coltrane, local saxophonist "Cups & Saucers", pianist Merton Barrow,
as well as bassist Midge Pike as major influences.Mankunku chose to
remain in his native Cape Town during apartheid. This meant that he
was subjected to the Separate Amenities Act and similar apartheid
legislation. A classic tale tells of his performance with an all-white
big band in the Cape Town City Hall in 1964, where, because a
mixed-race band was unlawful, he was forced to play behind a curtain
so as to remain out of sight.In 1968 he recorded the famous
blockbuster "Yakhal' Inkomo", with Early Mabuza, Agrippa Magwaza and
Lionel Pillay. It won him the Castle Lager "Jazz Musician of the Year"
award for 1968. Another colleague was Abdullah Ibrahim.
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