MALOMBO Jazz will never fade, says veteran musician Abbey Cindi as he continues to release songs.
Abbey (83) from Mamelodi West in Tshwane, who rose to fame together with the likes of the late Philip Tabane, who died in 2018 in Mamelodi, said he loves Malombo Jazz more than anything else.
According to the veteran, they started the Malombo Jazz genre in 1963 with Tabane and Julian Bahula, who is now based in the United Kingdom.
He said the best thing about Malombo Jazz is that it is more indigenous and unique as they are also using instruments instead of voices only.
Abbey told Daily Sun: “I want to teach young people this type of music so that it never dies when I am gone.
“I love this genre because it is not fashionable and people sing it directly from the heart.”
He also said that music lives in him. and there are always new songs coming up.“It’s difficult for me to live without music. Music has a language and culture as it educates people,” he said.
Cindi said middle class and educated people love his music.
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He said all these years music has been fulfilling him and there is no other thing that he can do except it.
Abbey said he misses Philip because he was his inspiration and he inspired him too.
“If it’s allowed whenever, If I could meet Philip in heaven, we would continue singing Malombo Jazz. We shared the same passion in music,” he said.
His wish is for young people to learn Malombo Jazz from him before he leaves this world.
“Malombo Jazz is a spiritual music,” he said.
He says he is bringing back blues, swing, kwela and isicathamiya.
Abbey said he also does contemporary jazz but he is planning to put isicathamiya, kwela, mbaqanga and gospel together in his next project.
He started his music company called Africa Music International in 2019. His sixth album will be released soon.
His last album called United States of Africa was released in 2008. After that, he released three singles Jazz Goes to Church in 2019, Girls Holiday in 2021 and Hleziphi in 2021.
He will be performing at Wits University in Joburg during the Cosmology Jazz Festival on 30 April.
His manager Jabu Masilela said Abbey is a blessing to Mamelodi.
Cindi has toured Brazil, Holland and Germany.
Musician and manager of Cindi, Jabu Masilela, said that Cindi is a blessing to Mamelodi, South Africa and the world as whole.
“As young people we are learning a lot from him,” he said.
