Seatavern

Bhekisisa Khosa is the well-known lefthanded guitarist from Umlazi, Durban,

South Africa. In 19 91 he received a Tal-ent Award and scholarship to study mu-sic in America. He returned in 1995 from

studying at the University of Hartford,

Connecticut, with the great Jackie Mc-Clean, on of the few living legends.

While in America, Bheki was residentwith Larry Ridley’s jazz legacy playingthe whole spectrum of African American

music. The band was headed by Lar-ry Ridley himself, who played with Wes

Montgomery, Sonny Rollin, Miles Davies,

Horace Silver, Kenny Burell, George Ben-son, Dexter Gordon and far too many

other musicians great to mention. By thetime Bheki left America he was alreadymaking a name for himself playing clubslike Blue Note, Saint Mark’s Zinno’s andSmalls, a famous club often referred to

as: The Mecca of Jazz” which has jamsessions every night to all hours. Khoza

also played at the famous Shamberg au-ditorium in Harlem.

Some of the musicians he held the op-portunity to play with included Kenny

Barron, Hilton Ruiz, Kirk Ligtsey, CecilMcBee, Virgil Jones, Charlces Davis andSteve Davis, who now Anarchy, a jamclub for African music, in particular. Gigsstemming from the African connectionincluded backing vocalist Floxy Bee fromNigeria and Thuli Dumakude, a singerfrom South Africa, of Mabatha Fame.Prior to studying in America, Bheki played

with the African Jazz Pioneers, Abie Cin-di, Sipho Gumede, Winston Mankunku

Ngozi, Rene McClean, Victor Ntoni, Mike

Makhalemala, George Lee, and Berry Ra-chabane, among others. He also backed

South Africa’s famous songbirds, Si-bongile Khumalo, Sophic Mgina, Dolly

Rathebe, Abigail Kubheka, and Themi

Personal

Mtshani. During this time Bheki also hadhis own band Thayima, which played jazzand African music directly addressingthe social conditions of the late 1980’s

for this reason the band was never re-corded.

Bheki musical influence are many. Hisgrandmother played Jewish harp and

harmonica, and enriched him with tradi-tion of Zulu music which he then found

in Phuz Shukela, Kati Elimnyama andNgane Ziyamfiva. He was also influencedby people at wedding, funerals, in thestreet and shebeens. Other influences

include Philip Thabane, Alan Kwela, Ab-dulah American Influences-Wes Mon- togomery, Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell,

Joe Pass, George Benson and CharlieParker in later which Bheki also pickedup.During his early years in Durban, Bhekilearnt to play solo due to the lack of fulltime musicians to accompany him. Inspite of this, he has wide experience and

interest in small group and big band mu-sic alike.

Bheki recorded an album entitles “Asam-be” in 1995, which is often aired on Ra-dio Metro and Safm. The album is com-prised of original compositions, some of

which used to be Shonilanga. Bheki alsocomposed the African Jazz Pioneers hit“Sgaxa Mabhande”.His recordings include guitar for MikeMakhalemela’s last “Searching”.