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Zacks Nkosi

by Zacks Nkosi

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1.
Jezza 02:53
2.
3.
4.
Alexandra 05:01
5.
Zavolo 05:47
6.
Amaswati 03:24
7.
Yoko 02:03
Written by Zacks Nkosi
8.
Half 'n Half 04:23
9.
Klipspruit 11:25
10.
Lonely Days 04:02

about

Zacks Nkosi was a bandleader, composer, and saxophonist of the first order. He was one of the most important figures during the golden age of African Jazz in the 1950s and '60s. Not only did he have a distinctive voice as a soloist on clarinet and alto sax, but he was also a major composer. His beautiful melodies frequently brought together the world of African tradition with that of jazz and swing.

Isaac Zakes Nkosi, known to his fans as 'Bra Zacks,' was born in 1918 at Ingogo, a small town near Newcastle in Natal. His parents, who came originally from Swaziland, moved to the Alexandra Township, just northeast of central Johannesburg. He started his schooling in Alexandra at the Holy Cross Catholic School, where he also began his music career. Here he learned the rudiments of piano and organ. By the age of nine, he was something of a musical prodigy and by the age of fifteen, he had added the accordion, violin and clarinet to his repertoire. His sister Minah bought him his first saxophone when he was 15 and after matriculating, he formed his first music group.

The Jazz Maniacs c1940-44. Jacob Moeketsi is at the piano, the leader Solomon 'Zuluboy' Cele sits in the front line with Wilson Silgee (alto sax) left and Zakes Nkosi (tenor sax) right. Behind are (left to right) Zakes Searbi, Vy Nkosi (trombone) and Edward Sillilo

Zacks was soon playing professionally with the local bands like the Blue Diamond Jazz Band and the Havana Swingsters. He was then invited to audition at the Bantu Men's Social Centre for the Jazz Maniacs, the top jazz band of the day. This was led by the popular Doornfontein shebeen pianist-turned-saxophonist Solomon 'Zuluboy' Cele. Zacks joined the Maniacs in 1940 and soon became their leading saxophonist. The Jazz Maniacs were probably the most popular and developed an exciting synthesis of jazz, swing, and local Marabi music, which became the inspiration for future generations of musicians. According to Yvonne Huskisson, after Cele's murder in 1944, Nkosi became the Maniacs leader, though this account is contradicted by Horst Bergmeier who probably confused trombonist S. Nkosi with sax playing I.Z Nkosi. At various times, Zacks also played with the Boogie Woogie, and The Jazz Havanas. Although the Jazz Maniacs were very popular at dances, they split up in the early 1950s. This was due to a combination of musical differences, gang pressure, and the introduction of forced removals under the 1950 Group Areas Act.

By the early 1950s, Zacks was playing with the African Swingsters, led by Ellison Temba, and around 1952, they recorded Swazi Stomp; this was the first time one of his compositions had been recorded. With the other musicians from the Swingsters, he recorded dozens of sides for the HMV and Columbia labels often under different names. According to Maz Mojapelo, he led a number of bands under his own name, including the Zig Zag Zacks Band. He also supplemented his earnings through session work backing kwela artists and others on many recordings. His distinctive solos on alto and clarinet were a feature on many of these sides. He had his own way of blowing the horn which created a unique African jazz sound. In 1955, he was featured in an article in the influential black magazine Drum.

“Zig-Zag Zakes” has been a hornblower all his life. Since the days of the great Jazz Maniacs, when that mighty team was founded; since the days when “Zulu Boy” Cele started jazz history in this country, “Zig Zag Zakes” has been blowing strong and mighty jazz. In the good old days, when bands led funerals to the graveyards, “Zig Zag Zakes” was there. When street parades were no parades unless the band was there, or church bazaars without the dartboard and the jazz band, “Zig Zag Zakes” was there.

Zakes retired from big business when the Jazz Maniacs folded up. He started the smaller bands for recording purposes chiefly. Now and again he sits in with Ellison Temba 's African Swingsters.

Most times jazzmen crack their heads about fame. How shall I do it, they say, how shall I get great, man? Then while cracking their heads ‘bout greatness and fame, time catches up with them and they sink into the past. Not so with Zakes. He has worked for his name. That’s why people, his fans, admirers, and followers named him “Zig Zag Zakes.” His real name is Isaac Nkosi, a cute diplomat of a musician who solves jazzmen’s quarrels without firing a shot. [...]

Zakes plays the alto-sax and the clarinet. His home town, Alexandra Township, boasts many young men who have learned to blow the sax from Zakes. A patient teacher who combines teaching with sympathy. A jazzman who has a great feeling for jazz and a creative mind that has composed many tunes heard on record. (Todd Matshikiza, Drum, May 1955)

By the mid-1950s, Zacks had become part of the stable of musicians working for the producer Rupert Bopape at EMI for the Columbia and HMV labels. This group included band-leaders like Ellison Temba of the African Swingsters, Michael Xaba from the Jazz Maniacs and Harlem Swingsters, Gray Mbau of the Brown Cool Six, and Elijah Nkwanyana of Elijah’s Rhythm Kings. They would record together and often rotate band names depending on who was leading. By 1956, Zacks had formed two groups, Zacks and his Sextet, and the City Jazz Nine, which recorded Zacks' compositions and arrangements for HMV. According to Max Mojapelo, the City Jazz Nine featured the talents of former members of the Jazz Maniacs. In the early 1960s, the jazz musicians working for EMI became the core of Bopape’s 'Magic Circle Band' super-group which recorded under the name of the Transvaal Rocking Jazz Stars

Nick Lotay says that Zacks also became a co-producer at EMI working with Rupert Bopape and it was this collaboration that gave EMI such a successful African jazz catalogue. Whilst Bopape developed kwela and jive, Zacks assisted the development of the EMI African jazz sound. However, it is clear that Zack's activity at EMI was not confined to jazz. Zacks' compositions were recorded by penny whistle kwela groups as well as vocal groups like the Midnite Harmoneers. In 1961, Zacks wrote some rock and roll tunes for the Bogard Brothers. Many of these offerings were listed as collaborations with Rupert Bopape.

credits

released August 5, 2020

(P) and (C) 2011 Gallo Record Company (a division of Gallo Music Investments)

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