Ezra Ngcukana: the Gentleman’s Gentleman

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.