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Daily Monitor
Sunday January 31 2021
Summary
Fare thee well. The South African trombonist and composer Jonas Gwangwa, 83, was an ambassador for his country’s music and an advocate against apartheid. He died on January 23, the same date (but in 2018) that his cousin Hugh Masekela also passed on, writes Sam Mathe.
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Jonas Gwangwa, 83, was a trailblazing musician, cultural ambassador, activist, father figure and guiding light who mentored a generation of notable artistes on the contemporary SA jazz scene.
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa led tributes, saying:
A giant of our revolutionary cultural movement and our democratic creative industries has been called to rest; the trombone that boomed with boldness and bravery, and equally warmed our hearts with mellow melody has lost its life force. Jonas Gwangwa ascends to our great orchestra of musical ancestors whose creative genius and dedication to the freedom of all South Africans inspired millions in our cou
Brass, class, steel and sorrow: Jonas Gwangwa cut close to the bone
29 Jan 2021
Trombonist Jonas Gwangwa has a superb back catalogue, despite the fact that not all of his recordings have been reissued. (Siphiwe Mhlambi)
Joni Mitchell put it best in
Big Yellow Taxi: “Don’t it always seem to go/ That you don’t know what you’ve lost/Till it’s gone.” So it is with the passing of Jonas Mosa Gwangwa. Only now, after a full week of sadness and tributes, does it even start feeling real that there will be no more new songs from the mind, voice and trombone that gave us