A six-part series telling the story of South African jazz over the last 50 years.
1: American Accents, Shebeen Sounds
Born in the townships and mixing African forms and American influences, South African jazz developed its own distinctive voice in the 1940s and 50s. John Fordham investigates its early roots, its flowering as a genuinely popular music, and the runaway success of the jazz opera King Kong by Todd Matshikiza. The show ended up in the West End of London and on Broadway, despite increasing political oppression back home. With comments from pianist
Abdullah Ibrahim and writer Anthony Sampson , and a rare archive interview with Todd Matshikiza himself.
Producer John Goudie