Taking a Johnny Clegg Zulu dance down memory lane

PETER FELDMAN

Johnny Clegg and I go back a long, long way.

He was a 15-year-old school boy when we met. His mother, Muriel, a jazz singer of note and also a record company public relations officer, used to tell me about him when I was covering the music beat for The Star.

She wasn’t keen on him going into the townships and the hostels to meet with various black musicians. She asked me to chat to him and try to dissuade him from pursuing this “hobby”.

I told her that I did not want to interfere with Johnny’s obvious passion, and I left it at that.

Ironically, these were the very musicians who helped shape his style and rocket him into the annals of South African musical history.

He has announced his retirement from performing and undertook what he called his Final Journey. Watching him going through his paces in this cavernous arena with his band in top gear and his faithful dancer and singer, Mandisa Dlanga, at his side, brought back so many memories.

I travelled to Paris in 1988 at the invitation of Clegg’s management to watch him perform to sell-out French audiences at a venue Le Zenith.

The audience danced along and knew every word of every song. I was moved by the compelling nature of his performance and how a foreign audience embraced him and took him to their hearts.

Even in Paris, walking down the street with him, we had had Parisians coming up to us from everywhere for a chat and an autograph. It was at this time that he was given an honour by the French Government for his contribution to music and, I think, his stance against the apartheid regime.

Over the decades I’ve done numerous interviews with him. His views on the world, anthropology and on music always captivated me because it came from an informed place in the man’s psyche. He is articulate and highly intelligent and well versed in the politics of South Africa. He is fluent in iZulu and hearing him engage with his black musicians – and fans – is something to behold.

He is humble and fame and fortune have never changed him.

We attended his wedding to Jenny at a country estate outside Johannesburg. It was a multi-cultural wedding and a fascinating affair.

I recall that both Johnny (being an honorary Zulu) and Jenny underwent a second ceremony. This was in KwaZulu-Natal and done in traditional Zulu fashion, where they had to wear traditional garb and go through all the rituals.

When I turned 70, Johnny was performing at The Mandela at the Joburg Theatre. His management allowed me to celebrate this occasion by inviting a group of friends to attend the concert and enjoy the amenities of the theatre.

Saturday night’s event allowed me to renew musical acquaintances with some of Clegg’s musician friends, performers who gave of their talent to help the Clegg legacy. On stage at various times were Arno Carstens, Soweto Gospel Choir, The Parlotones, Prime Circle, Just Jinjer, Tailor, a relatively newcomer to the business, and Johnny’s son Jesse who shared the spotlight briefly with Dad to sing Great Heart.

It was an occasion for celebration. When Clegg’s former musical partner, Sipho Mchunu, joined him on stage, it almost brought the house down. There were dancers, too, and a special appearance at the end by members of the George Goch Hostel dance group. Johnny was a member of the hostel dance group in his earlier years.

Johnny Clegg’s energy is unflagging and he has a new album coming out soon and it should be another blast of creativity. Will this really be this irrepressible icon’s last concert? Let’s wait and see.