Biography
Photographer: Lerato Pakade
The quintessential South African jazz man, Herbie Tsoaeli is a largely self-taught bass virtuoso, born in 1963, in Nyanga East, in Cape Town – one of the more politically charged black locations in the Western Cape. Coming from this community at the forefront of producing South Africa’s rich jazz legacy, Tsoaeli has played a central role in both establishing the country’s jazz tradition and also keeping it alive. He has worked with Winston Mankunku-Ngozi, Tete Mbambisa, Louis Moholo-Moholo, Abdullah Ibrahim to name a few.
Photographer: Siphiwe Mhlambi
Herbie Tsoaeli is the 2013 Best Jazz Album South African Music Award (SAMA) winner, for his debut album African Time. In 2022, this was later followed by a SAMA award nomination for his sophomore studio album titled At this Point in Time: Voices in Volumes.
Tsoaeli got enthralled into music at the Nyanga Arts Centre, a community arts establishment that was founded in 1979 and where he did his apprenticeship as a musician. He also attributes part of his music training from Music Action for People’s Power (MAPP), an academy that was formed by activists who organized music events for political rallies and community functions in the early nineties. This institution was under the co-ordination of Juke Ngcukana, a trumpeter, from Cape Town, among other teachers. Another learning ground for Tsoaeli’s musicianship, was the Jazz Workshop, a Cape Town-based music academy founded in 1965 by Merton and Cynthia Barrow.
Herbie Tsoaeli with Winston Mankunku, Stix Mrwebi and Paul Dapogney, Photographer: Unknown, Herbie Tsoaeli Private Collection
A number of influential Cape Jazz artists have served as his inspiration including the likes of Bucs Gongco, Winston Mankunku Ngozi, Roger Khoza, Roy Sokuyeka, Tete Mbambisa, Robbie Jansen, Basil Coetzee, Louis Moholo, Gambu Pasiya, to name a few.
Herbie Tsoaeli in music band, Peto Photographer: Unknown, Herbie Tsoaeli Private Collection
One of the groups he played with in the early years was an Afro -pop outfit known as Ikhwezi. But his professional career took off in 1986 with the band called Peto (meaning “friends” in township slang). The Cape Town-based Afro-fusion outfit gained a national spotlight after winning first place at the annual Shell Road To Fame talent search in the best group category for their stirring song titled: Khaya – Where the Heart Is. The eight-member ensemble consisted of Ringo Madlingozi (lead vocals), Cyril Ngcukana (keyboards), Alan Cameron (keyboards), Mxolisi Mayekana (guitar), Thulisile Ngozi (trumpet), Greg Italian (alto), Percy Kunene (drums), Chris Tokalon (alto) and Tsoaeli on bass. Babes Ndamase was the original drummer.
The band also won the Autumn Harvest Personalities of the Year in 1987 and was nominated at the OKTV Awards for best township music. They were subsequently invited to perform at the King’s Trust Concert in Swaziland as Eric Clapton’s supporting act. Musically, Peto was in the league of Afro-fusion superbands like Bayete, Sankomota and Thetha. It’s unfortunate that the members didn’t stay together for long. Individually, they have moved on to become great artists.
In the mid-nineties Tsoaeli was involved in the landmark project, Mahube (Dawn), a cross-cultural collaboration of twelve of Southern Africa’s finest musicians. Mahube appeared in several high-profile music events on the local and international stages, notably a 2002 partnership with British rock superstar, Bono to produce the Third World debt alleviation album aimed at Africa.
Herbie Tsoaeli with Zim Ngqawana in France (1996), Photographer: Unknown, Herbie Tsoaeli Private Collection
Tsoaeli has also toured the United States and Europe with the late Zim Ngqawana and was involved in a number of cultural exchange programmes, notably with Ngqawana’s Ingoma ensemble, alongside the British jazz pianist Keith Tippett. Launched in the mid-nineties, these collaborations were aimed introducing the free jazz idiom of South African exiles like the Blue Notes.
Tsoaeli was also part of the star-studded band of instruments who recorded Suthukazi’s SAMA-winning album, Ubuntu (Sheer, 2001). He composed, arranged and played all the songs on the album, alongside Andile Yenana and Suthukazi Arosi.
Album cover: The Voice Quintet Legacy Vol.2, Songs For Our Grandchildren (2003)
While he has performed as a sideman with a number of illustrious musicians such as Hugh Masekela, Sibongile Khumalo, Mike Marhalimela, Barney Rachabane, Stompie Manana, George Leah, Bheki Mseleku and Zim Ngqawana to mention a few. He’s best known for his membership of the highly acclaimed jazz ensemble, the Voice, alongside Sidney Mnisi (tenor saxophone), Marcus Wyatt (trumpet), Lulu Gontsana (drummer), Andile Yenana (piano), and drummer Morabo Morojele.
In 2001, they recorded their debut album, Quintet Legacy: Volume One with the late Lulu Gontsana on drums. The main purpose of the Voice project has been to keep alive the rich South African jazz heritage as initiated by great musicians like Kippie Moeketsi, and the Brotherhood of Breath. Their second album, Songs for Our Grandchildren (2003) was nominated for best traditional jazz album at the South African Music Awards. They also played as a featured group at the 2004 Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
Standard Bank Joy of Jazz (2023) Photographer: Thamsanqa Ntuli
In the last four years, Herbie Tsoaeli’s different ensembles have ‘headlined’ the Cape Town Jazz Festival, the Berlin Jazz Festival and most recently at the Jazz and Classical Encounters Festival Volume Four, in November 2022, in Stellenbosch, as well as the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz in September 2023.