We were sitting on the spacious veranda after the recording and shoot of the album kwaNtu. I was sitting with the designer and music curator nkosasazana Bathini, chef Bathandwa, Kwantu Village founder and director mnumzane Qalo Gabela and musician mnumzane Gontse Makhene.
We were having fruits, snacks, and chats -then out of the blue I heard, “Gontse Magkene is the most important musician in South Africa”, joked mnumzane Qalo Gabela.
Then he went on to support his bold claim, “He has played with Kwani Experience, he plays with Dr.Nduduzo Makhathini, he plays with Malcolm Jiyane, he plays for Fede? and Fede? is the only band that can re-do what Kwani Experience did. His brother is percussionist Tlale Makgene, his father was a big actor[Ramolao Makgene]” and Gabela went on and on about bhuti Gontse.
But vele Magkene is a highly accomplished percussionist. Has performed across borders and bands. Not many African musician can say, “I have played with The Sun Ra Arkestra.” Makhene can. To walk in the path named by the forever living mnumzane Sun Ra, is to walk a path out of this world.
Before playing with Dr.Madala Kunene on kwaNTU, he had already been playing with him on big platforms. Like at the program Forest Jam, a residency exchange that took place between South Africa, Madagascar, Senegal, Switzerland, Italy & Mozambique(2015/2016). He also played with him at Sakifo Musik Festival in Reunion Islands(2016).
Big names are no biggie to him. Africa Day Celebration Concert (2018) is proof. If you have played with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and mnumzane Salif Keita, you have played with the whole of Africa.
Has played on some of the most important albums of our time. From The Muthaland Funk(2004) by Kwani Experience, Modes of Communication: Letters From The Underworlds(2020) by Dr.Nduduzo Makhathini on Blue Notes Records, We Are Sent Here By History(2020) by Shabaka and the Ancestors on Impulse Records.
Played on films such as the documentary Uprize!(2017) directed by mnumzane Sifiso Khanyile, the musical She is King(2017) directed by mnumzane Gersh Kgamedi.
Not only the goat, but the go to. Makhene is known to play with many musical outfits: Shabaka and the Ancestors, Manjik, Atoms And The Void, Msaki, Fede?, The Golden Circle, Amandla Freedom Ensemble, Kwani Experience, Abathwebuli Trio and many more.
His experience as a percussionist, accompanied him when it came to playing on the album kwaNTU. His drums carried the two guitars of Dr.Madala Kunene and mnumzane Sibusile Xaba. And it’s true what nkosazana Gwen Ansell wrote, that Makhene is, “…so integral to the sound he probably merits a front cover credit too.”
