Oliver Weindling writes:
Going right the way back to our foundation in 1987, David Mossman built relationships with some of the most influential musicians on the UK scene. Not least of these was Louis Moholo-Moholo.
Louis Moholo-Moholo, who has just died at the age of 85 on 13 June, was the last of the great influential Blue Notes, the seminal South African band, including Chris McGregor, Dudu Pukwana, Mongezi Fesa and Johnny Dyani which arrived in London in 1965 and exploded on the scene. They arrived in London in 1965, after a year in Zurich, fully formed and so influential when they played regularly at Ronnie Scott’s Old Place. But so great that he was able to die back in his home country, South Africa.
We were lucky to experience such a range of performances from him over the years at the Vortex, in such a range of bands. Whether it be one of his large groups, such as Viva La Black! or his Octet, in duo with some extraordinary pianists, such as Keith Tippett, Irene Schweizer or Alexander Hawkins, or in his latter-day working group, The Four Blokes, including Alexander Hawkins and Jason Yarde, sometimes augmented to five with Shabaka Hutchings. The relationship with Irene in fact went back to when the Blue Notes arrived in Zurich in 1964 and the young Irene, from nearby Schaffhausen, went along nearly every night to hear them.
So much joy and energy exuded from him, though there was clearly thought behind his spontaneity. His skittering drumming was unforgettable.
He always worked with young musicians as well as his contemporaries. Thus his influence continues, amongst the cohort of musicians whom he ‘trained’. Steve Williamson, Alexander Hawkins, Jason Yarde, John Edwards were amongst the “chosen ones” and, with such amazing musicians, we shall hear the influence of South African jazz, as through the filter of Louis, for generations to come.
There’s a great story about Foxes Fox, which shows how close the Vortex was to the creativity of Louis. The band was playing as a trio at the Vortex, with Louis, John Edwards and Evan Parker. John was taken ill, but Steve Beresford, happening to be in the audience, took over. And lo, a quartet was born. So, when they were due anyway to record a quartet gig at the Vortex there happened to be there Kenny Wheeler, who had come with his trumpet, though he was mainly there to collect some CDs. Suddenly it was a quintet. And such a lovely album.
Below we include a sample of the original Foxes Fox album and of his quintet at the Vortex in 2011
Both this and the photo are by Andrew Newcombe, taken in 2011 at the Vortex
Ungaphumla ngoxolo