PREPARING for a jazz gig on 13 November 2021, I learned of the passing of my South African music soul brother and boyhood idol, Barney Rachabane. He was 75. The words of US alto saxophonist Eric Dolphy ran through my head in that moment:
‘When you hear music, after it’s over, it’s gone, in the air. You can never capture it again.’
The words echo my sentiments about Barney – a little giant, whose music and unique sound I got to know in my youth, and one that became pivotal in my later years. Reflecting now, after his passing, I believe musician Kevin Davidson’s academic article reviewing Barney’s stylistic traits, appropriately captures his contribution to the South African music landscape. He regards the late artist as a master of capturing the listener’s emotions, helping shape a definitive homegrown, African sound.
In this tribute, I deliberately avoid categorising Barney’s music into
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