This week I decided to get out of my comfort zone and write about jazz, I did not know what to expect because I am not familiar with this genre but really excited to crack this story. I decided to prepare myself over the weekend and listened to Kirk Whalum and any jazzy gospel I could get my hands on. I played it in the house, in the car even got some tracks on my phone, what a jazzy weekend I had! Some of it got to my partner because she did not understand it. Things I do for a story.
This week we shall explore gospel through the eyes, mind and heart of Neo Komane.
Neo Komane was born and bread in Katlehong east of Johannesburg and this is where he started his career as a musician, well to him it is more of a calling then career. I was so excited to find out more about Neo and to understand more about his music, his influences and most where all this enormity comes from.
The first question I asked after greetings was, why jazz Neo?
Very calmly he said ; I wouldn't call it jazz, it's gospel! just form a different point of view. I do your normal church songs which everybody know, all I do is to add my flavour to them. The thing is I did not want to be conformed and do it the normal way, I always think out the box and try to do what seems to be an iimpossibility. My philosophy is simple " Once you are conformed, yo will lack creativity".
Hardly fifteen minutes of our conversation Neo hits me with philosophies, but you know what I was ready for this, my mind was primed for this day, I was thinking like him thanks to all the jazz over the weekend.
Is Neo Komane an artist or minister?
(takes a few seconds before he answers) I consider myself both, but
predominantly a minister. Maybe if the demand grows then I will take it to the business side of it, because honestly I do not charge when I am called to perform, simply because I am still building a brand.
The kind of music you listen to when growing up?
I have always listened to jazz music from a very young age, and I think it had a great influence as to finding something that will best tell people about me. The likes of: Moses Molelekwa, Bheki Mseleku, John Coltrane. Those were my inspirations and still are even today, I mean that song " Giant Steps" by John Coltrane is still relevant to the kind of music played today. If I had a choice to go to any country to rehearse, I would go to Mali I live their music, Cuba to learn salsa in depth lastly the USA
Ladies and Gentleman I did not know who these people were, never heard of them, never heard their music, all that was in my mind was. His making up all these people?or clearly I'm from another planet! here I was thinking Neo and I are on the same level of thinking after the " jazzy" weekend I had. Thanks to Google now I know these people, no let me rephrase I know these Legends.
Where did all this start?
I learnt the basics of piano at church, was taught by Mr Sipho Gobelani, and like any normal church lesson, you are taught one key and to transpose with a button, mine was A flat.So I took it upon myself to learn all the other keys, and fortunately enough it took me only a day to know them all. I also used the Internet as my source. I am inspired by Joe Makanza. Lately I am inspired and mentored by a guy named Yonela Mnana.
First gig or performance?
My first gig was with Mpumi Dhlamini, and he was one of the guys I really loved how he played his piano, futhermore he mentored me because when I got to him I had an idea but no direction so he taught me how a song is arranged and all the things I needed to know. He gave me my beak.
How may instruments do you play?
Piano which is my primary instrument. Saxophone(Alto) Clarinet Imbira Shiwewele( a round ball size of a tennis ball, used to be played by Sheppard) and lately trying to get hold of a SITha, used in India, I'm listening to a lot of Indian music lately.
This is the wow moment for me.
Neo Komane composed a song for his two favourite musicians, Bheki Mseleku and John Coltrane titled " His an unchanging God". I thought I would hear the song but Neo had flu the day we met, what an interview it would have been!
Neo and the Band.
I do not limit myself so I call people who understand me and most of all my music, these are the kinds of people who are willing to learn from me and I learn from them. My songs are are not straight they change key a lot and in my band we are not grounded by seven keys we always want to go beyond and branch out of the comfort zone. We break the stereotyping of towards playing gospel, somewhere, somehow there is this " GOSPEL CODE" which is if you playing gospel it must be played straight. I'm sorry but I do not want to sound like other people. My music would be dead without a good bass player,bass holds everything together for me and Pat holds my music quite well and of course him and Sinikiwe as a combination then I'm set. I think Thami Gubevu can also hold it down for if Pat were to be busy when I need him.I like how he plays
Neo's motto in life. Proverbs 16v 3. If you put God in the centre, then it is bound to happen.
Asked Neo if he will release an album anytime soon and he said " Not yet. I'm still trying to find my sound, even though I'm at the right track but I'm still getting there. I am actually trying to fuse all the music that inspire me and make it one sound, till I do that it is work and work for me.
There is so much to be said about Neo Komane, and some were off the record topics but I really enjoyed being around this young upcoming with a bang jazz gospel minister. Good luck Neo and to see your album very soon, we really are blessed to have such talent in East Rand.
No comments:
Post a Comment