Saxophonist-flutist-composer-bandleader-educator TK Blue (aka Talib Kibwe) has been a vibrant force in the music for several decades now. Likely he is most known for the decades he served as NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston‘s music director. During that period, TK became one of my closest confidants on all things Randy as the grandmaster and I worked feverishly on his autobiography, African Rhythms (pub. 2010 Duke University Press).
As with any of us who connected with Randy Weston, our immersion included Africa and his ongoing search for the African essence in the music. Throughout his many years in the company of Randy Weston, TK Blue’s African sensibility grew by leaps and bounds. Subsequent years have found him traveling the continent on his own search, including pursuing bandleading performance and touring opportunities for his bands in the Motherland. He has also since vowed to investigate at least part-time residence opportunities in Africa. Clearly some questions were in order for this restless explorer…
Talk about your most memorable experiences performing in Africa and what made them special?
It’s quite challenging to cite a “most memorable” experience as all of my trips in Africa were immensely enlightening and profoundly spiritual. Each country has unique cultural “gems” to offer and their particular take on language, food, and music! My first trip to Africa was in 1979 and my most recent excursion was in April 2024. If hard pressed I would say traveling to the interior of Sierra Leone by boat and visiting Tasso Island during my USIA State Department Tour of West Africa 1990 was an outstanding experience.
What have been some of your most rewarding experiences collaborating with African musicians on the continent?
I noticed quite early in my collaborations with musicians from the African continent that we are joined at the hip!!! While spreading her wings throughout the African diaspora, Mother Africa carried remnants of its musical structure and significance. These seeds took roots in the new world and have influenced the connections among people of color. I am a strong believer that Jazz musicians have access to the portal which allows a beautiful symmetry with an in-depth link to the music of many cultures, especially the traditional music of Africa! Case in point on my trip to Tasso Island we were greeted by an ensemble of horn players, with some [instruments] resembling the muffler on a car! I took out my soprano saxophone and we hit immediately!! The Chief of this particular clan was so elated he performed a “blessing” ceremony to protect my entourage on our journey and he asked the Ancestors to bring us back to Africa, our homeland!!
What differences did you find in the audiences in the various regions of Africa you’ve had the privilege of visiting and performing – North, South, East, West?
The audiences varied but for the most part the differences were not because of any particular country, but urban versus “the bush”. Performing in the major cities/capitals, you played for a variety of people with many being expatriates of European countries. Performing in the countryside for the local residents is where you truly feel the heartbeat of Africa! However both experiences are very rewarding and I found keeping the music flowing rhythmically always reached the audiences and fostered a dynamic relationship with everyone dancing and moving to the rhythm!
Where in particular did you find audiences most responsive to the expression of what we call jazz, and why do you suppose that response was particularly memorable?
Performing in the major cities can allow you to “stretch” experiment and take more liberties. I remember a particular concert in Ouagadougou the capital of Burkina Faso. We kept the music vibrant via swing, funk, bossa nova, 6/8 African feel, Afro-Cuban, Calypso, etc….The folks were dancing in the aisles fervently!! After the show a brother came to see us and mentioned he was disappointed because we did not play anything free or avant garde! I asked if he saw all the folks dancing and having a great time! As an artist I feel it’s best to play for the audience and not for the particular taste of one individual! Overall the major cities will have more of a jazz audience!
As an experienced, veteran musician – as well as someone who has taught and mentored younger musicians – what advice would you offer to succeeding generations of musicians dreaming of, planning to, embarking on performances of their music for African audiences?
Yes!!! Go for it and you will be rewarded with the experience of a lifetime! Travel with only love and forgiveness in your heart! Walk with humility and open arms! Try as much as possible to leave behind your own cultural mores from the west and enter the Motherland with a clean state of consciousness. Listening is a huge asset and will allow you to collaborate with traditional musicians. Be prepared to help as much as possible and share your knowledge with aspiring young musicians from the continent. Keep altruism close and experience the spirit of our ancestors! Pay attention to the subtleties in traditional African music and know that every sound, every note, has a place in the structure of traditional societies which add to the foundation of the African aesthetic!!
