Makaya Ntshoko (1939-2024)

[clifford_thornton]

Sad to report that the South African drummer Makaya Ntshoko has passed at 84. The family shared a notice on Facebook.

He had been resident in Switzerland since the early '60s, when as part of the Dollar Brand Trio, he fled apartheid and settled first in Zürich and later in Basel.

Ntshoko had a rather storied & versatile career in Europe, especially in the 60s and 70s, working with Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon, Mal Waldron, Benny Bailey, Nathan Davis, Bob Degen, Heinz Sauer, John Tchicai, Irène Schweizer, Joe McPhee...

Excellent player in both freer and straight-ahead contexts. RIP.

[romualdo]

RIP Mayaka

He was one of the original Jazz Epistles (circa 1960)which included Hugh Masekela & Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand)

He also played with Pepper Adams & Don Cherry

Edited August 31 by romualdo

[mjazzg]

I'll give 'The Willisau Concert' and the Jazz Epistles a spin today in his memory. Two excellent and very different recordings.

[Rabshakeh]

Oh no. RIP

[optatio]

R.I.P. ...

[Pim]

I know him mainly from his recordings with Mal and Abdullah Ibrahim. He was a great drummer! May he r.i.p

Edited August 29 by Pim

[mikeweil]

R.I.P.

Saw him perform at least once, during the short time he was with Mombasa; maybe another time I cannot recall right now. 

[soulpope]

R.I.P     ....

[Peter Friedman]

R.I.P.

[mjzee]

Listening now to Ben Webster's "Blow Ben Blow!" (released on Prestige in the U.S. on the two-fer "At Work In Europe").  The personnel listing says the drummer is Donald McKyre, but discographies list the drummer as Makaya Ntshoko, so I guess McKyre was his birth name.  RIP; swinging drummer.

[clifford_thornton]

Donald McKyre is perhaps a nom-de-plume? I have that LP, definitely looks like Ntshoko on the back now that you mention it, but have never seen any confirmation either way.