Nu Jazz Connection  USA/South Africa

feat. Darius Brubeck, Chris Merz, S'thembiso Ntuli,Fezile 'Feya' Faku, Lulu Gontsana, Monde 'Lex' Futshane, Mark 'Sparks' Kilian and Sazi Dlamini

Darius Brubeck
An associate Professor in the Music Department and the Director of the centre for Jazz and popular Music at the University of Natal in Durban, Darius was responsible for starting the first jazz studies course offered by an African University.

He has been involved and initiated a number of musical projects, having performed with superb jazz musicians, including of course his father Dave and Gathering Forces (see BW022). With the Nu Jazz Connection he has pursued his interest in South African and American jazz traditions, and in 1990 with his quartet the Afro Cool Concept he recorded 'Live at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival' and also performed in Paul Simon's Durban concerts. His work in South Africa is directed by the desire to present, encourage and develop jazz as educator, performer and composer.

Chris Merz
Born in Iowa in the US, Chris has a Masters in Jazz Composition from Massachusetts where he was lead alto saxophonist, principle soloist and composer/arranger with the award winning Jazz Ensemble I. Merz led the well known South African jazz group Counterculture, and currently lives in the US where he is Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Northern Iowa.

S'thembiso Ntuli
A completely self-taught musician, S'thembiso joined the Natal University Jazz Ensemble in 1987 to gain a more structured experience. He then went on to become a full time student. His tenor sax playing has strong African traditional roots and his improvised poetry and shouting enhance the bands energy.

Fezile 'Feya' Faku
Born in New Brighton, Fezile started playing with local musicians, most prominently with the Soul Jazzmen led by Duke Makasi. Since then he has played with seasoned artists such as Winston 'Mankunku' Ngozi and Barney Rachabane. Faku also plays with and composes for the modern jazz quintet Counterculture.

Lulu Gontsana
Born in New Brighton, he started playing drums professionally at the age of twelve with the revered Soul Jazzmen. He has since played with all the top South African Jazz names - Masakela, Ibrahim,Ngcukana, Mankunku, Rachabane to name but a few. Gontsana has played with the Afro Cool Concept since 1989 and was the logical first choice for the Nu Jazz Connection's tour in Germany.

Monde 'Lex' Futshane
Also from New Brighton, Monde plays acoustic and electric bass. He achieved national acclaim as part of the award winning Melvin Peters Quintet. A student of jazz bassist Marc Duby, he has also taken master classes with Victor Ntoni. He is also a member of Counterculture.

Mark 'Sparks' Kilian
Hails from Benoni in the Transvaal and has attained his BMus with distinction from Natal University. He was a founder member of the fusion band Shades, one of Durban's leading club bands and played with the Natal University Jazz Ensemble while studying electronic music and studio engineering and programming.

Sazi Dlamini
Having begun his University career as a medical student his interest in the guitar soon took over. One of his cousins taught him on a homemade tin guitar. His musical loves are rural maskanda music - traditional Zulu music employing western instruments, and Marabi - a jazz influenced folk music of the urban ghettos. In 1987 he committed himself to music fulltime and went on to compose for the Nu Jazz Connection, as well as playing regularly in several bands.