Dudu Pukwana

Dudu Pukwana was born in Walmer Township, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. In 1962, Pukwana won first prize at the Johannesburg Jazz Festival with Moyake's Jazz Giants (1962, Gallo/Teal). In his early days, he also played with Kippie Moeketsi. Chris McGregor then invited him to join the pioneering Blue Notes sextet, where he played along with Mongezi Feza, Nikele Moyake, Johnny Dyani and Louis Moholo. Although the Blue Notes are often considered McGregor's group, Pukwana was initially the principal composer and all the group members had pivotal roles. ==Emigration to Europe==

As mixed-race groups were illegal under apartheid, the Blue Notes, increasingly harassed by authorities, emigrated to Europe in 1964, playing in France and Zürich, and eventually settling in London. ==Assagai, Spear and Zila, etc.==

He also went on to form two groups with Feza and Moholo. The first was Assagai, an afro rock band that recorded for the Vertigo label. The second was Spear, with whom he recorded the seminal afro-jazz album In the Townships in 1973 for Virgin Records at The Manor Studio. Assagai and Spear, which recorded a few albums in the early 1970s, blended kwela rhythms, rocking guitars, and jazz solos. Pukwana's playing was heard in many diverse settings including recordings of Mike Heron, Centipede and Toots and the Maytals (Reggae Got Soul) as well as improvising with Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink (Yi Yo Le, ICP 1978). With Mongezi Feza, Elton Dean, Keith Tippett, and Louis Moholo, Pukwana recorded two acoustic tracks on the mostly electric album Diamond Express (Freedom 1977). The death of his friend Mongezi Feza in 1975 also inspired the heart-rending Blue Notes for Mongezi (Ogun Records), alongside Blue Notes colleagues Johnny Dyani, Chris McGregor and Louis Moholo. He also guested on albums with his former Blue Notes colleague, Johnny Dyani, particularly ''Witchdoctor's Son (1978, SteepleChase Records), which features some of his best recorded work, and played extensively with the drummer John Stevens. Several African leaders invited him into their groups, including Hugh Masekela (Home Is Where the Music Is, 1972) and trombonist Jonas Gwangwa (African Explosion'', Who, Ngubani 1969). ==Zila and the later years==

In 1978, Pukwana founded Jika Records and formed his own band, Zila, On 16 April 1990, Pukwana took part in the Nelson Mandela Tribute held at Wembley Stadium. He died in London of liver failure in June 1990, not long after the death of his longtime friend and colleague McGregor. ==Discography==

As leader or co-leader • Kwela (77 Records, 1967), with Gwigwi's Band; reissued as Mbaqanga Songs (Honest Jon's, 2006) • Night Time Is the Right Time - 60s Soho Sounds (Cadillac, 1967 [2010]) • Dudu Phukwana and the "Spears" (Quality, 1969; Matsuli, 2020) • In the Townships (Caroline, 1973 [1974]) • Flute Music (Caroline, 1975) • Diamond Express (Arista/Freedom, 1975 [1977]), released by Jazz Colours as Ubagile • Black Horse (1201 Music, 1975 [2012]) • Yi Yole (ICP, 1978 [1979]) • Spiritual Knowledge and Grace (Ogun, 1979 [2011]) • Sounds Zila (Jika, 1981) • Live in Bracknell & Willisau (Jika, 1983), with Pinise Saul • ''Zila '86'' (Jika, 1986) • Mbizo Radebe (They Shoot to Kill) (Affinity, 1987) • Cosmics Chapter 90 (Ah Um, 1989 [1990]) ===With Assagai=== • Assagai (Vertigo, 1971) • Zimbabwe (Vertigo, 1971) ===With The Blue Notes=== • Legacy: Live in South Afrika 1964 (Ogun, 1964 [1995]) • Township Bop (Proper, 1964 [2002]) • Blue Notes for Mongezi (Ogun, 1975 [1976]) • Blue Notes in Concert Volume 1 (Ogun, 1977 [1978]) • Before the Wind Changes (Ogun, 1979 [2012]) • Blue Notes for Johnny (Ogun, 1987) • The Ogun Collection (Ogun, 1964–1987 [2008]) compilation ===With Brotherhood of Breath=== • ''Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath'' (RCA Neon, 1971) • Eclipse at Dawn (Cuneiform Rune, 1971 [2008]) • Bremen to Bridgwater (Cuneiform Rune, 1971/1975 [2004]) • Brotherhood (RCA, 1972) • Travelling Somewhere (Cuneiform Rune, 1973 [2001]) • Live at Willisau (Ogun, 1973 [1974]) • Procession (Ogun, 1978) ===With Johnny Dyani=== • ''Witchdoctor's Son'' (SteepleChase, 1978) • Song for Biko (SteepleChase, 1978 [1979]) • Mbizo (SteepleChase, 1982) • ''Witchdoctor's Son: Together (Cadillac, 1987), reissued on Rejoice + Together'' (Cadillac, 2014) ===With Chris McGregor=== • Jazz: The African Sound (New Sound, 1963) • Very Urgent (Polydor, 1968) • Up to Earth (Fledg'ling, 1969 [2008]) • Thunderbolt (Popular African Music, 1986 [1997]), with the South African Exiles ===With Gary Windo=== • ''His Master's Bones'' (Cuneiform, 1996) • Anglo American (Cuneiform, 2004) Other • Jazz Fantasia with Gideon Nxumalo (Renown, 1962) • Mr. Paljas with various artists (Gallotone, 1962) • Who (Ngubani) with Jonas Gwangwa and African Explosion (Jamal, 1969) • Septober Energy with Centipede (RCA Neon, 1971) • Smiling Men with Bad Reputations with Mike Heron (Island, 1971) • Home Is Where the Music Is with Hugh Masekela (Chisa/Blue Thumb, 1972) • Mammoth Special with Decameron (Mooncrest, 1974) • Reggae Got Soul with Toots and the Maytals (Island, 1976) • Thunder into Our Hearts with Jabula (Caroline, 1976) • Sondela (The Sound of South Africa) with Atté (Claddagh, 1979) • Six Empty Places with A Tent (Cherry Red, 1981) • Soundtrack to Cry Freedom by George Fenton and Jonas Gwangwa (MCA, 1987) ==References==