FM
Biography
Winston Monwabisi Mankunku Ngozi was born in Retreat, Cape Town in 1943. His musicality emerged early on and was carefully nurtured by his mother, Gertrude. Having experimented with piano and trumpet he took up saxophone in his mid teens. Along with one in three South Africans the Ngozi family was uprooted from their home and relocated to Gugulethu under the notorious Group Areas Act in the early '60's. By this time however Winston was already gigging extensively and his early influences in Cape Town included Midge Pike, Parks Joya, Cups and Saucers and Merton Barrow. But John Coltrane was perhaps Winston's greatest source of inspiration and his respect and admiration for 'Trane' has endured right through Mankunku's career to the present day.
South Africa's Jazz was profoundly affected by Apartheid and as the regime tightened its hold during the 60's many fine musicians and singers left including for example Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Dudu Pukwana, Johnny Gertze, Bheki Mseleku, Johnny Dyani, Russell Herman and many others. Musicians at home were discouraged and even prevented from playing together " across the colour line " and in '64 Mankunku did a concert at the Green Point Art Centre under the pseudonym Winston Mann and behind a curtain to avoid possible repercussions! In 1968 he recorded the famous Yakhal'Nkomo album together with Early Mabuza, Agrippa Magwaza and Lionel Pillay. Although he received the Castle Lager "Jazz Musician of the Year" in the same year, and despite the fact that the album sold well [and still is -it has been re-released at least 3 times] Winston received barely any financial reward. Despite this Mankunku remained in South Africa and by now cynical of the racist - ridden SA Music Industry simply took the music to the people live.
