Born a Jwarha nicknamed a Pharaoh
musically inclined from birth to rebirth
an aligned star
descendendant of a musical lineage ‘cause
Daddy was one of Cape Town’s Jazz Godfathers
So the musical love affair began
in Langa with the trumpet
as musicians gathered across racial colour lines Sundays
descending on the door steps
of township community centres
jamming the day away
in hours long sessions
jazz then being the culture of the day
so it was thus Jwarha suckled
As musical passions flew
the sojourn continued to flow
in Saxophone blows
and so the love affair bloomed,
maturing from journey to journey
from playing simple tunes in a teen band
to playing with a McCoy Tyner pianist mould,
Roger Kaza,
In Jwarha’s words:
“This was the band that groomed me...”
To joining the Cups Ngcukana Band,
But never fashioning himself a musician
‘cause back then in Cape Town no-one
was a professional musician
So off to Forthare Ezra went
where in ’73 students were expelled
due to Black Consciousness inspired protests
“Mr Natural feel for music”
Added two UNISA Degrees to his name still
Jwarha the Pharaoh was gracious and forbearing
Mentored “Lil’ Giants”
Soft spoken and of affable character
would stop band prac’
just to sing bass lines
for his students to play patiently
in his smart, brilliant
and musically precocious manner
Once nicknamed “Kehla”
for his trumpet playing abilities
Ezra tutored youngins for maths
in the Langa / Gug’s townships
A husband, son and brother
These became:
The Final Notes of a Son of the Soul.
