Seatavern

Victor Sibusiso Masondo was born and raised in Durban, and because of the nurturing influence of a musical family, knew at an early age that he wanted a career in music. His late father, Themba Daniel Masondo, was a Pastor, and a guitarist, while his two elder brothers played bass guitar and the drums respectively, providing a strong influence in Victor’s choice of a career in music. While studying music at Natal University under Darius Brubeck, son of the legendary pianist Dave Brubeck, Victor, alongside his school and band mates Zim Ngqawana, and Lulu Gontsana, caught the attention of legendary jazz musicians Max Roach and Clark Terry during one of the University Jazz Band’s trips to the U.S. After Graduation in 1987, Victor, with bass in hand, took advantage of an invitation to tour the U.S., Europe and South Africa, with the South African band “Friends First”. In 1990, after returning to South Africa from exile, Miriam Makeba made Victor an offer he could not refuse - to produce Mama Africa’s first album at home. The recording featured Hugh Masekela, Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie, which led to a tour in 1991 with Dizzy Gillespie and Miriam Makeba with Victor as the musical director. After the Dizzy Gillespie / Miriam Makeba tour of 1991, Victor was commissioned by the Sun City Group and others to Write, Arrange, and Produce a song for AIDS Awareness, https://youtu.be/XFLf-eAI0zs?si=IqUKLlwNCVpdRVmc which featured the biggest gathering of South African musicians like Lucky Dube, Jabu Khanyile, Tsepo Tshola, Cinema, Soul Brothers, Wendy Oldfield, Rebecca Malope and many others.
Between 1993 and 1996 Victor served as Musical Director for the “Shell Road to Fame” and witnessed the launching of the musical careers of artists like Rebecca Malope, Sharon D, Ringo and many others. It was during this time that Victor became a member of the famed group Stimela with Ray Phiri.
Victor worked extensively across cultures in South Africa recording albums with many Artists like, Anton Goosen, Koos Kombuis, Nico Carstens, Laurika Rauch, who described him as a world class citizen who slips in and out of every genre easily, Johannes “Bloudruk” Kerkorrel whom he also toured the Afrikaans music market a lot.
Victor’s abilities as both a Songwriter and Producer, caught the attention of the organizers of a U.S. based Production Company and Warner Bros. Records in 1995. This led to Victor being invited to produce an album in celebration of the “new” South Africa. The album, “A Place of Hope”, featured Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Ray Phiri, George Duke, Gerald Albright, Sibongile Khumalo, Ian Herman, Nana Coyote, Gail Hamilton, Take 6, Al Jarreau, Sheila E, Chante Moore, Jeffrey Osborne, Tsepo Tshola, the late Wendy Mseleku, Hugh Masekela, Al MacKay, Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten, Roy Wooten (Future Man) and many other musicians from both the USA and South Africa. This project raised funds for the restoration of the famed Regina Mundi Church in Soweto. A church with a rich historical value which hosted struggle icons like Nelson Mandela, Bishop Tutu and many more as a place of safety to meet for strategic planning for the liberation of South Africa from the then apartheid regime.
In 1996 Victor received the Standard Bank Young artist award which is given each year for high achievement and recognition for great contribution to the music industry. The award
carries names such as Johnny Clegg, Sibongile Khumalo to name but a few internationally successful musicians.
Victor has also been among the few musicians who have been called to arrange and conduct the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra and also the Johannesburg based JMI orchestra where he showcased his ability by conducting a classical concert doing Vivaldi’s concerto in D Major amongst other pieces.
In 1998 Victor Masondo produced one of the tracks for Ce Ce Winans album, Everlasting Love. https://youtu.be/Vetd9H5VJZk?si=JPl1FNbfY0iG4uVu This was another collaboration between South African Gospel music with the well known Feel The Spirit spiritual. His arrangements were a portrayal of the sound of South African chants and singing style that, as he referred to it an easy fit, because of the shared spiritual values that are universal to the genre and historical music values.
In 2001 Victor produced an album for a respected Japanese singer, Tokiko Kato which led to touring Japan and recording more albums in Tokyo and the rest of the continent. This led to the endorsement by Yamaha where Victor has designed his 5 string fretless bass; he is the first South African to receive such an honour from such a big company in Japan. Currently he is still touring Japan up to 2 or 3 times a year doing recordings, musical directing and television concerts and shows.
In 2002 Victor produced Ringo Madlingozi’s album “Radio Ntumba”. This album (Multi Platinum) and achieved number one status on a number of TV and Radio Stations charts in South Africa and beyond. In 2004, the follow up album to Ntumba(Baleka) was released to great reviews and is currently a big seller.
In 2006 he got an invitation to arrange music in honour of Duke Ellington for the Duke Ellington Jazz festival held annually in Washington DC. He got to work with great highly acclaimed musicians like Roy Hargrove, Steve Turre and the United Nations Orchestra who were Dizzy Gillespie’s orchestra for many years, that which he called a great re-union.
In 2007 he finished producing the new Freshlyground record in Cape Town and also will got back to Washington DC for the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival which is a 90 Tribute to the late Dizzy Gillespie. The festival ran from September 9

• 17, the big day, Sunday, the 16th was a free, all-day concert on the national mall – at which Victor will presented his Dizzy Gillespie tribute with African rhythm arrangements with one or two Ellington pieces. The line-up included Eddie Palmieri, Airto & Flora Purim, Paquito & the UN Orchestra and Slide Hampton with the Dizzy Gillespie All-star Orchestra. James Moody, Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry, Danilo Perez, David Sanchez, Steve Turre and Claudio Roditi who performed as guests.
  Victor got an invitation to be the musical director for Miss World 2007 held in China, Miss South Africa and Miss Teen South Africa as well. 2008 He got another invitation for the Nelson Mandela Tribute Birthday concert in Johannesburg Stadium as musical director working with the late great legends Jonas Gwangwa and Dorothy Masuku. Victor was invited again for the 2008 Miss World held in Johannesburg Convention Centre.
  In 2009 Victor got yet another invitation to go back to Japan where he toured the country extensively with the well-known Japanese musician / singer and activist Tokiko Kato. Also he recorded with a few shows for Television while there. He toured Japan extensively as bass player/music director. After returning from Japan he got an invitation to go back to Grahamstown for the Annual Jazz Festival where he worked with Sibongile Khumalo and also re- connected and performed with an old time friend, Danilo Perez, the late Wayne
  Shorter’s pianist, whom he worked with in 1991 with the Legendary late Dizzy Gillespie and the United Nations Orchestra.
  In 2010 Victor got an invite to be the Music Director and Producer of the music for the Closing Ceremony for the World Cup. This is where he was working closely with the Grammy Award Winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Shakira, Hhashi Elimhlophe, Zolani Mahola(Freshlyground) Nianell, Wouter Kellerman, Stoan, and many great South African musicians. At the same time he served as musical Director for the Brenda Fassie Musical that got great reviews, directed by the legendary Actor Jerry Mofokeng. Victor Masondo has been conducting Music Industry seminars in Ivory Coast, Nigeria and many other countries for CISAC together with Rob Hooijer who used to work for South Africa’s collection right society, SAMRO.
  2011 Victor Masondo got invited to start on the 100 Year Centenary Celebrations of the ANC. The project was directed by James Ngcobo who is a respected Playwright, actor and Director for Theatre and prominent South African sitcoms and movies. He also was featured in the Lion King, Zulu version as the voice of Scar singing, “Be Prepared!!!” https://youtu.be/jsD7kg3Y5io?si=5WR632ILAe4pdwCc 2012 Victor got invited back to Japan where he toured for a month and performed amongst other concerts on one of the biggest Music Festivals called the FUJI ROCK Festival which is done Annually with many international Artists. At the same year he got an invitation to go to Berklee College of Music in Boston where he is part of a development of a New Music Curriculum initiated by the Late Hugh Masekela and Dr Cecil Adderley who is a Professor at Berklee.
  2013 Victor got asked to direct music for the SAFTA’s Awards, South African Film and Television Awards ceremony which featured amongst others, a stunning performance by Pretty Yende, who is a top classical singer who has worked with the best artists worldwide on both the Classical and Opera stages World-Wide. She is the first South African who received The Italian Knighting for her legacy in Opera. The other artists were Oskido, Professor and Uhuru, Mahotella Queens, Chiano Sky, Micasa, Ishmael to name a few. Also he did a great collaboration with a Legendary Gospel Musician, Chris Tomlin where he added African voices to a remake of his song, How Great is Our God!
  2014 Victor Masondo scored a movie that was Directed by Xolile Shabalala who is a renowned Actress who is also a great director as well. He then got another call from Roshene Singh to compose a song for an Educational project which was shot for video featuring Stoan, Ziyon, HHP, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, PJ Powers, Verona Pillay, Duane Arthur, Hhashi Elimhlophe, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, LeAnne Kristan Dlamini, Trevor Sampson, Hlubi Kwebulana and Mzikayifani Primary Children’s Choir, Zwai Bala, Sipho Hotstix Mabuse and Maqhinga. The next work was with the Indigenous Games Festival which took place in Pretoria. He recently went to Durban to direct music for a Musical written by Joel Zuma called Music In The Air which was well attended with great reviews. The show was staged at Edinburgh Festival in 2015. He also just finished working on a song project for the Bill Gates Foundation with Yvonne Chaka Chaka. Victor Masondo is worked on the South African Film & Television Awards for 2015 as Musical Director.
  2015 to 2016 Victor Pursued his life-long dream to honour Dr Joseph Shabalala, founder of the World famous Ladysmith Black Mambazo who he regarded as one of his musical
  mentors. His dream was funded by LOTTO and the Tribute concert featured, Mbongeni Ngema, Dr John Kani, Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Vusi Mahlasela, Kholwa Brothers, Hhashi Elimhlophe and guest appearances by the Multiple Grammy Awarded Vocal Group Take 6, KwaMashu Christian Church Choir amongst others.
  2017 Victor did a concert he regarded as a landmark called 21 Songs Celebrating, 21 songs that were landmarks in South Africa Cross culturally. He featured Legends like Steve Kekana, Johnny Clegg, Sipho Mchunu, PJ Powers, Lemmy Special Mabaso, Mama Abigail Kubheka, Mama Dorothy Masuku, Soul Brothers, Kurt Darren, Sipho Mabuse, Ziyon, Micasa, Zwai Bala, Mahotella Queens, Jesse Clegg and so many more.
  2018 Victor’s latest work includes writing a song for The Living Legends Project called “Time Out” which features the music icons of South African music like the late Mama Dorothy Masuku, Mama Abigail Kubheka, Paul Ditchcfield, Don Mattera, Mahotella Queens, Karen Zoid, Anton Goosen, Stella Khumalo, Faith Kekana, Zamo Mbutho, Fani Ntlama, McCoy Mrubata, Prince Lengoasa, Jabu Magubane and an Orchestra led by Kutlwano Masote.
  2019 Victor has finished scoring a movie entitled OPUS directed by a young Award Winner Kgosana Monchusi that has made it to the Cannes film festival. Currently he has embarked on a project called House-Jams aimed at honouring our living legends by visiting them at their homes and get to share in their stories with a aim of living behind a rich legacy for the next generation.
  The Standard Bank Awardees were assembled to perform at the Joy Of Jazz Festival where Victor together with Gloria Bosman, Mandla Mlangeni, Africa Mkhize performed which was one of the Festival highlights. As he said “It was a joy to be re-united with my fellow Awardees”
  2020 Victor released the first series called Legacy Tributes, this time honouring the Late Dr Joseph Shabalala. Appearing are the Late Joe Mafela, The Late Ray Phiri, The Late Welcome Msomi. Also Dr John Kani, Hhashi Elimhlophe, Take 6, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Dr Mbongeni Ngema, Dr Thembi Mtshali and Speakers include Mr Nathi Mthethwa, former (Arts and Culture Head) and many cream of South African entertainers and government people.
  Because of his passion and drive to give back to his community, Victor has also embarked on a project that will see to the development and advancement of youth and rural communities in education and exposure of both knowledge and resources for the next generation by availing recording facilities with the vision of both documenting and recording rural music that would not make it into the mainstream media.
  Victor has finished recording his First Jazz Recording Album entitled As Promised, this album, as he said, has been in the making for a while and it’s time is now. This recording was prompted by a demand from his Jazz followers who have always wanted to hear his music and experience him back on stages nationally. Between producing Music, Song writing, Arranging and Conducting he has been kept really busy in his music passion.

The latest collaboration has been with Common Hymnal, a group of innovative music leaders in Nashville, Tennessee where he has been adding his South African influences on both Vocals using KwaZulu chants which is part of his Rural upbringing and his Signature Yamaha Fretless bass made for him in Japan. This collaboration has been a growing passion to see a merging of international artists on one stage to share music and ideas across the oceans.