Tag Archives: Johnny Dyani

Johnny “Mbizo” Dyani was from a musical family and began taking part in the piano and singing in a normal choir young. At 13, he turned to bass, but would make use of both tone of voice and piano down the road. Chris McGregor employed him for the Blue Records …

Pianist Chris McGregor shaped this Southern African group in 1962 with Dudu Pukwana (alto), Mongezi Feza (trumpet), Nick Moyake (tenor), Johnny Dyani (bass), and Louis Moholo (drums). In 1963, the Blue Records earned the country’s Greatest Jazz Group honor, but the tensing rules pursuing anti-apartheid uprisings produced life difficult in …