Matshikiza’s King Kong Re-heard: A Pianistic Inquiry
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Date
2020-07
Authors
Mnana, Yonela
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Arts Research Africa, The Wits School of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand
Abstract
How did Todd Matshikiza, the famed Drum magazine reporter, pianist, and composer of King Kong, the South African hit musical of the 1950s, straddle these multiple worlds in his music? Drawing on my own experience as a jazz pianist, I attempted to answer this question through a performed analysis of an unreleased solo piano recording by Matshikiza. As a performer, my research aims to be not only about, but in the culture of South African solo jazz piano tradition.
Description
How did Todd Matshikiza, the famed Drum magazine reporter, pianist, and composer of King Kong, the South African hit musical of the 1950s, straddle these multiple worlds in his music? Drawing on my own experience as a jazz pianist, I attempted to answer this question through a performed analysis of an unreleased solo piano recording by Matshikiza. As a performer, my research aims to be not only about, but in the culture of South African solo jazz piano tradition.
Keywords
artistic research, arts research, decolonisation, arts pedagogy,
Citation
How did Todd Matshikiza, the famed Drum magazine reporter, pianist, and composer of King Kong, the South African hit musical of the 1950s, straddle these multiple worlds in his music? Drawing on my own experience as a jazz pianist, I attempted to answer this question through a performed analysis of an unreleased solo piano recording by Matshikiza. As a performer, my research aims to be not only about, but in the culture of South African solo jazz piano tradition.