Ebony Sheikh founder Phahlane dares youths

Standard Style
JAZZ sensation and Ebony Sheikh founder Josiah Ndlovu, aka George Phahlane (pictured right), says he will be flexible in presenting his music to suit the youth, but would not give away his music identity.

BY SHARON SIBINDI

JAZZ sensation and Ebony Sheikh founder Josiah Ndlovu, aka George Phahlane (pictured right), says he will be flexible in presenting his music to suit the youth, but would not give away his music identity.

Some of the old school musicians have resorted to reinventing their music so as to remain relevant and not live in the past.

“I am somebody who really believes in my own thing. Music is culture and culture keeps on changing,” Phahlane told Standard Style.

“Culture doesn’t keep stagnant, but it keeps on changing. As an artiste, I acknowledge that I have to be flexible, to identify with time, but I will always keep the identity of my music — jazz part of it.

“However, definitely my music is supposed to appeal to the youth of any generation because I don’t want to be a follow-fashion monkey, that one I refuse. The youth really love this type of music I play.”

Phahlane said the challenge is that the youths are denied access to jazz music, which is why it is not popular to among them.

“They are being denied access to this type of music and there’s a saying from the other musicians that ‘bands live and die by the radio’,” he said.

“Let’s say you are a radio DJ — who is in-between the musician and the audience or listener? If you put my music in the shelves and then decide to say this is the new thing that is supposed to be played, it’s like you are putting me or my music away in a way that my music is no longer useful.

“You are now turning to be my master to say we are shutting this one out and we are now creating this one in. For me to jump and follow these ones [new generation] — I don’t know who is supposed to follow who (the elder or the youth), it will not work at all.”

He says he loves the vibe, which the youths are producing and urges them to take time in creating good music in order to avoid meaningless music.

“The youth have to listen and learn from how music from the past was created so that it stays relevant up to date,” he said.

“There’s a Ndebele saying, that ‘Inyathi ibuzwa kwabaphambili’ [Seek wisdom from the elders]. I like the vibe [what they produce from their computers] which these youths produce, but also I get disappointed when they sing vulgar lyrics in their nice music.

“We have to separate what is music or what is spoken word. They are really coming up with good vibes, but they should desist from singing vulgar language, and influencing other youths to like drug abuse and other bad things.

However, Phahlane is willing to work with the youths and his sixth album — Ntabez’kude — which marked Ebony Sheiakh’s return after self-imposed sabbatical — was produced by 20-year-old Collen Ndlovu.

“I am willing to work with the youths and I have already started working with upcoming artistes and my producer is 20 years old,” he said.

Phahlane is currently working on his seventh album.

He paid tribute to the late South African Afro-pop musician Johnny Clegg, saying his music inspired him.

Phahlane is the founder of the group Ebony Sheikh, which made a lasting impression with the song Celebrate in the 1980s. The group also provided a platform for some of the country’s legendary musicians such as Don Gumbo, John Maseko, Jealous Sibanda, Herbert Murerwa, Cuthbert Mkhosana, Ernest Sikhosana, Doctor Phahlane, Standrad Zaranyika and Siphathisiwe Ncube, Busi Ncube’s twin sister.

Ebony Sheikh went into hibernation in 1996 after a string of deaths of some of its members.