As a father to two children, whenever I go out I try to go to places that are kid-friendly. This means I frequent a lot of places like McDonald’s and Moyo’s at Zoo Lake where there is space for the little boys, Lulutho and Bathabile, to play.
But the truth is that I don’t go out a lot — or at least to one specific place. Most of the time we eat indoors. I like pastas, putu, samp and beans. The kids have learned to like it too. The other day, after I had driven out, one of them sent me a text to remind me to bring some beans home with me.
If there’s a drink I really enjoy it is tea — all kinds of tea: herbal, Chinese, you name it. I don’t like coffee much and I will occasionally take a drink. Sometimes you will find me drinking wine, but I always take it when I am having a meal. I lost two brothers to alcoholism and one has to be careful. It also has to do with the fact that we have kids and when you have children you try to be a role model.
In our home there’s a no-smoking rule; even my friends know this. Besides, I do it for the sake of my health. The trumpet is a physically demanding instrument. At gigs, if you get drunk, you will struggle to keep the mouthpiece in place.
As a person born in Port Elizabeth, who also lived in Durban for 14 years, I am addicted to the sea. I really love the sound of the sea and the waves hitting the shore. So when I go home to visit my siblings I always find time go to the waterfront to enjoy the sea.
As I am a trumpeter, I read a lot of music magazines, such as Downbeat, the weeklies and the Sunday papers to acquaint myself with what’s going on. In these past few months I have been reading a lot of poetry written by my friend, Myesha Jenkins.
As for my favourite street it has got to be 7th Avenue in Melville, Johannesburg. I go there not necessarily to eat but for the Sunday jazz sessions at The Loft. The street reminds me a bit of Bourbon Street in New Orleans, a street I first went to in 1992 as part of a student group. I have subsequently visited it several times.
I listen to a lot of classical music, the likes of Frédéric Chopin and others. I like the piano players, I like the way the instrument allows for more meditativeness and space.
I like the fact that in town there are live venues that are coming up, such as Darkies [Feya Faku recently launched his CD, Hope and Honour, at Darkies, a restaurant in Marshall Town, downtown Johannesburg]. This means some of the people from Soweto can come to see us and catch a taxi to Soweto in Commissioner.
When it comes to health I am not opposed to traditional medicine. In fact, there are certain rituals I engage in, such as slaughtering cows for the ancestors. This informs what I am doing — even though I play jazz, there are a lot of traditional influences in what I play. I know I am an African, even though I am playing a Western instrument.
In fact, 70% of what I do is African.
Feya Faku’s album, Hope and Honour, has just been released.