Mongezi Feza

Mongezi Feza (1945 – 14 December 1975) was a South African jazz trumpet player and flautist.

Biography

Feza was born in Queenstown, South Africa in 1945. A member of The Blue Notes, he left South Africa in 1964 and settled in Europe, living in London and Copenhagen. As a trumpeter, his influences included hard bopper Clifford Brown and free jazz pioneer Don Cherry. After The Blue Notes splintered in the late 1960s, he played with British rock musician Robert Wyatt, progressive rock band Henry Cow, and most extensively with fellow ex Blue Notes Johnny Dyani, Chris McGregor and Dudu Pukwana. His compositions "Sonia" and "You Ain't Gonna Know Me ('Cause You Think You Know Me)" remained in the repertoire of his colleagues long after his death. In the early 1970s, Feza was also member of the afro-rock band Assagai.

He died in London in December 1975 of untreated pneumonia.

Discography

Albums

• Free Jam with Bernt Rosengren Quartet, Ayler Records (1972)
• Music For Xaba Vol 1 and Vol 2. Mongezi Feza, Johnny Dyani, Okay Temiz. (1972)
• "Rejoice" Mongezi Feza, Johnny Dyani, Okay Temiz (1972)
• "Brotherhood of Breath" (Chris McGregor) (1970)
• "Assagai" by "Assagai" (1971)
• "Very Urgent" by Chris McGregor's Blue Notes (1968)
• "In Praise of Learning" by Henry Cow (1975)
• "Theatre Royal Drury Lane" by Robert Wyatt (1974)

with Harry Miller's Isipingo

• Which Way Now, Cuneiform (1975)

with Dudu Pukwana

• In The Townships by Dudu Pukwana & Spear, Virgin C1504 (1973). This album dedicated to the memory of Mongezi Feza.
• Diamond Express by Dudu Pukwana, Freedom FLP 41041, (1977)
• "Flute Music" by Spear (Dudu Pukwana) 1975

Underground recordings

• 1965 The Blue Notes featuring vocalist Patrice Gcwabe
• 1967 The Blue Notes featuring vocalist Tunji Oyelana
• 1968 Unissued LP (Bootleg) of Brotherhood of Breath.

Bibliography

Philippe Carles, André Clergeat, and Jean-Louis Comolli, Dictionnaire du jazz, Paris, 1994