Faces of 1996: We speak to the Standard Bank Young Artist Award-winner for Music
Music: S’busiso Nxumalo
EVEN when Victor Masondo recounts the story of how he landed a two-month gig as musical director for trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie’s 1991 Live the Future world tour, you never feel like he’s blowing his own horn. But perhaps it’s his honesty, as he admits to being a rookie at the time, petrified at the daunting task of directing a trumpeter of Gillespie’s legendary stature, that endears the bass-playing winner of the 1996 Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Music to a hardened cynic.
“There I was on stage with a guy I studied at university, so I was obviously nervous,” says Masondo. “In an effort to make me relaxed he (Gillespie) came over to me and said: ‘You’re the man here, just think of me as another trumpeter and tell me what to play.’ And I thought to myself: ‘You’re not just any trumpeter, you’re Dizzy Gillespie.'” But the butterflies turned into a resolve to “have a fair go at it” and by all accounts he acquitted himself well.
That is just one tale in what can be called a dizzy climb to success for the Durban-born Masondo, who exploded on to Johannesburg’s live music scene a mere seven years ago. And only four years separated Masondo’s graduation ceremony at Natal University – he has a BMus degree (and a jazz major under the tutorship of jazz pundit and pianist Darius Brubeck) – from his “dream gig” with Gillespie.
Thanks to a nomination from singer and festival committee member S’bongile Khumalo, he now has a guaranteed place on the main programme at next year’s Grahamstown Festival, and he can add another couple of lines to his already impressive CV. As his nominator, it’s not surprising that Khumalo, a previous winner of the award, tends to wax lyrical about Masondo.
“I have watched Victor grow from an aspirant bass player to a producer and well-rounded musician, and I think it is fitting for us to acknowledge him,” said Khumalo. “It’s very rare to find a bass player who can play the electric and upright bass with the same dexterity.”
In her verdict Khumalo does not stand alone. And if you’re the sort of person who reads the credits on record sleeves, then you know that the 30-year-old is one of the most sought-after session musicians in the country. Johannes Kerkorrel, Tsepo Tsola, Ray Phiri, Lucky Dube, Oyaba – to, literally, mention a few – have all made use of Masondo bass-lines on their
“He’s a genius in the studio,” said drummer Ian Herman. “It’s very easy to work with him, he plays the stuff right on the first take and he has big ears.” Keyboard player Paul Hamner agrees: “He’s got a marvellous ear and he’s technically incredible.” “I wish I had his technique,” said bass player Andre Abrahamse, concluding an avalanche of accolades.
But Masondo does more than play bass. He is an arranger, composer, voice-over artist, singer and producer. Most notable among his achievements as producer are Miriam Makeba’s first album on her return from exile, and a forthcoming album called A Place of Hope. He also penned Makeba’s single Sing Me a Song, and, with Herman, Hamner and Philip Mentjies, he co- wrote the Aids awareness song A Gift of Life.
A Gift of Life featured a who’s who of this country’s artists – from Wendy Oldfield to Dr Victor – A Place of Hope is even more impressive. “We have the cream of South African music on this album,” he says with visible relish. Tsola and Phiri doing a duet, joined by Stimela’s Nana; a moving dirge by Ladysmith Black Mambazo and possible recordings with Americans Al Jarreau, Dave Selbourn and Take Six … it probably gets more impressive, but that might be overkill.
Said Masondo about the record, which has the backing of Warner Brothers’ Nashville offices, and features old struggle songs cut in the mode of Negro spirituals: “The record is about getting on. In the words of one of the album’s songs, it’s about making this work, now or
Certainly Masondo is making it happen not just for himself but for peers and aspirant musicians. He is currently the director of the talent-search programme Shell Road to Fame and he has grand schemes for the country’s youth. “We must feed our youth with our own music. We should gather all the music, put it in an accessible library and say: ‘This is where you come from.’ This will help them educate
The affable Masondo confesses to wanting to help other people “get on”. “I like to use myself as a carpet for other people’s success. I like doing the hard work in the background.” And Hamner, himself a sought-after session musician, agrees: “Victor introduced me to a lot of people in the industry and made it possible for me to work on a number of projects.”
It is, in fact, impossible to solicit a bad remark about Masondo in the normally nasty business of making music. “He tells boring jokes” was the meanest anyone got. So what will this Mr Nice Guy showcase at the Grahamstown Festival next year? “It will an intimate thing. I don’t know what yet, but I will play all my bass guitars, including my upright. It will be Victor Masondo and friends.” The question is, will the stage be big enough?