Johnny Mbizo Dyani (30 November 1945 – 24 October 1986) was a South African jazz double bassist, vocalist and pianist, who, in addition to being a key member of The Blue Notes, played with such international musicians as Don Cherry, Steve Lacy, David Murray, Finnish people guitar player Jukka Syrenius, Pierre Dørge, Peter Brötzmann, Mal Waldron, fellow South African Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim), and Leo Smith, among many other prominent players.
Biography
Dyani was born (3 years before the establishment of Apartheid) and grew up in
Duncan Village, East London, in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
In the early 1960s, he was a member of South Africa's first integrated jazz band, The Blue Notes,
In 1966, Dyani toured Argentina with Steve Lacy's quartet.
In 1971, Dyani formed his own group Earthquake Power, and in 1972 co-founded Xaba with fellow Blue Note Mongezi Feza and Turkish percussionist Okay Temiz.[Francesco Martinelli, Johnny Dyani biography at AllMusic.]
Performing widely throughout Europe, Dyani moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, in the early 1970s,
Dyani died suddenly in 1986 after a performance in West Berlin.
Legacy
After his death, the remaining members of The Blue Notes reunited to record a moving tribute album, entitled
Blue Notes for Johnny. Other musical tributes include:
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Peter Brötzmann's album Fuck de Boere (1970), dedicated to Johnny Dyani
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Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra's album Johnny Lives (1987)
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David Murray's composition "Mbizo", which was first recorded on the Clarinet Summit's Southern Bells (1987) and the duo album The Healers with Randy Weston (1987) and giving the title to the World Saxophone Quartet's record M'Bizo (1997).
In a memorial published in the South African magazine Rixaka, Pallo Jordan wrote of Dyani: "Above all, his music resounded with a joy in life."
Johnny Dyani, wrote a song for Gerald Vuyisile Mei, in 1983 about their encounter, where GV Mei as an anthropological researcher shared his findings on oral tradition, he titled the song, 'Bongo', meaning, 'Proud'
Discography
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1964: The Blue Notes – Township Bop (Proper Records, released in 2002)
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1964: The Blue Notes – (Ogun Records, released in 1995)
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1967: Steve Lacy – The Forest and the Zoo (ESP Records)
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1968: Chris McGregor Group - Very Urgent (Polydor)
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1970: Alan Shorter – Tes Esat (America)
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1971: Don Cherry – Orient (BYG Actuel)
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1972: Rejoice (Cadillac, 1988) with Mongezi Feza and Okay Temiz
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1973: Good News from Africa with Abdullah Ibrahim
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1973: Music For Xaba with Mongezi Feza and Okay Temiz
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1975: Blue Notes for Mongezi with Chris McGregor, Dudu Pukwana, Louis Moholo
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1976: Haazz & Co – Unlawful Noise with C. Hazevoet, P. Brotzmann, H. Bennink, L. Moholo, P. Bennink
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1976: Johnny Dyani with Chris Joris – Songs For Mbizo (released VKH Tonesetters, 1991 incl. and Jazz Halo/Omnitone, 2002)
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1977: Abdullah Ibrahim – The Journey (Chiaroscuro)
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1977: Blue Notes in Concert Volume 1 (Ogun, 1978)
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1978: Johnny Dyani with John Tchicai & Dudu Pukwana – Witchdoctor's Son (SteepleChase)
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1978: Johnny Dyani Quartet – Song for Biko (SteepleChase)
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1978: David Murray – Let the Music Take You (Marge)
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1978: David Murray – Last of the Hipman (Red)
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1978: African Bass: Solo Concert, Willisau Jazz Festival 1978 (Sing A Song Fighter, 2018)
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1979: Abdullah Ibrahim/Johnny Dyani – Echoes from Africa (Enja)
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1979: Spiritual Knowledge and Grace (Ogun, 2011); with Louis Moholo-Moholo, Dudu Pukwana, and Frank Wright
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1979: The Blue Notes – Before the Wind Changes (Ogun, 2012)
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1980: Joseph Jarman, Famoudou Don Moye feat. Johnny Dyani – Black Paladins
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1981: Johnny Dyani & Mal Waldron Duo Live at Jazz Unité – Some Jive Ass Boer (Jazz Unité)
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1983: Johnny Dyani & Joe Bonner – Suburban Fantasies (SteepleChase)
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1983: Live at Umea Jazz Festival Anders Gahnold Trio with Gilbert Mathews
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1984: Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra– Brikama (SteepleChase)
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1984: Percussion Summit (Moers Music)
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1984: Johnny Dyani – Afrika (SteepleChase)
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1985: Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra – Even the Moon Is Dancing (SteepleChase)
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1985: Live at Jazzclub Fasching – Anders Gahnold Trio with Gilbert Mathews
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1985: Johnny Dyani Quartet – Angolian Cry (SteepleChase); with Harry Beckett, John Tchicai, and Billy Hart
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1987: Johnny Dyani – Witchdoctor's Son – Together (Cadillac Music & Publishing)
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1990: Detail – In Time Was – Frode Gjerstad, John Stevens, Kent Carter
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1993: Three Khan Jamal, Pierre Dorge
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1996: Born Under The Heat (Dragon Records)
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2008: The Blue Notes – The Ogun Collection (Ogun); compilation
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2014: Rejoice & Together (Cadillac); compilation
External links
