Jonas Gwangwa, the legendary jazz musician, songwriter and producer, who wrote the score for movies such as Cry Freedom, died at the age of 83 Saturday. The details of his death are yet to be made public.
Tributes continue to pour in for Gwangwa who was a major figure on the music scene in South Africa for over 40 years. Born in Orlando East, Soweto, he first gained recognition playing the trombone with a group called The Jazz Epistles.
In the 1960s, he started to be noticed overseas and in 1965 was featured in a Sound Of Africa concert at the famous Carnegie Hall. Sadly, he was to end up living a great deal of his life in exile during the turbulent years of apartheid, he will always be remembered for using his music to advance the struggle for equality and freedom in South Africa.
President Cyril Ramaphosa was one of the first to pay tribute to Gwangwa saying, “ A giant of our revolutionary cultural movement and our democratic creative industries has been called to rest; the trombone that boomed with boldness and bravery, and equally warmed our hearts with mellow melody has lost its life force."
A giant of our revolutionary cultural movement and our democratic creative industries has been called to rest; the trombone that boomed with boldness and bravery, and equally warmed our hearts with mellow melody has lost its life force.#RIPJonasGwangwa pic.twitter.com/hlg4PyKQl4
— Cyril Ramaphosa ???????? #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) January 23, 2021
May you RIP Jonas Mgwangwa. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
