Jazz in the key of freedom – The Mail & Guardian

Bring him back home: Jazz drummer Kesivan Naidoo, who now lives in Switzerland, will be performing work commemorating 30 years of democracy in South Africa. Photo: Jacqui van Staden

Kesivan Naidoo is one of the most highly regarded jazz musicians of his generation. His masterful drumming style, which can switch from laid-back groove to all-out intensity at a moment’s notice, is the stuff of legend.

He’s shared stages with greats such as Miriam Makeba, Bheki Mseleku, Winston Mankunku, Abdullah Ibrahim and Louis Moholo-Moholo. And he’s done everything from winning the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Jazz to playing a sold-out show at the historic Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Born at the tail end of the Seventies, Naidoo made his on-stage debut at the tender age of 14 at the Hogsback Arts Festival in the Eastern Cape, playing with the Webster Jazz Quintet. 

That was in 1993, the year before South Africa would hold its first democratic elections, so the story of Naidoo’s musical journey has moved in lockstep with that of a free, if not always fair, South Africa.

Now based in Switzerland, Naidoo created a show to commemorate 30 years of SA’s democracy and performed it in Basel to a rapturous reception. Now, he’s bringing it home with a series of performances starting at the music festival Journey to Jazz in Prince Albert in May.

The creation of this performance began when The Bird’s Eye Jazz Club in Basel approached Naidoo to curate a concert commemorating 30 years of democracy in South Africa. Hosted in collaboration with Museum Tinguely, it was a chance for Naidoo to expand a body of work he had developed for the 20th anniversary of democracy, performed at Carnegie Hall in 2014.

“There wasn’t a lot of budget at that point, so I connected with other Swiss-based musicians to do those first performances,” he explains. 

Basel, with its vibrant international music scene and renowned jazz school, provided fertile ground for collaboration. 

“There are a lot of musicians from all over the world in Switzerland. Some, like myself, decide we’re going to stay here.”

The ensemble Naidoo assembled reflected this global mix: Brazilian guitarist Fabio Gouvêa, Spanish bass prodigy Joan Codina  and French saxophonist Charley Rose. But before diving into his compositions, Naidoo introduced the group to the roots of South African jazz. 

“We did Hotep Galeta, Bheki Mseleku, Miriam Makeba,” he says. “I wanted them to feel our music, understand how it works.”

The performances were electric. All four concerts sold out, with audiences responding in ways that surprised even seasoned Basel jazz patrons. “People were dancing. We got standing ovations after each set,” Naidoo recalls. “It was the first time the venue saw something like that. But, for me, that’s normal in South Africa.”

This energy, rooted in the deep connection between South African music and dance, is a key part of Naidoo’s musical philosophy. “Even when we’re playing complicated music, I tell the band: ‘Don’t forget about the dance. Our music is about movement.’”

Encouraged by South Africans in the audience, Naidoo decided it was time to bring the show home. 

To honour the occasion, he ensured at least half of the band would be South African, bringing in acclaimed pianist Bokani Dyer and trumpeter Darren English — both, like Naidoo, recipients of the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz award. 

The international contingent from Switzerland rounds out the ensemble, creating a fusion that mirrors the project’s global journey.

The first South African performance will take place at Journey to Jazz, a pivotal moment made possible through the support of festival directors Kyle Shepherd and Brenda Sisane, as well as Swiss sponsorship. 

“Journey to Jazz is where we’re premiering this configuration of Kesivan and the Lights. It’s a special one because of the diverse group of musicians.”

As a bonus, Naidoo will also reunite with his seminal band Tribe, which hasn’t performed together in years: “It felt like the right time to bring Tribe back. It’s a rare opportunity for us to play together again.”

After Journey to Jazz, Kesivan and the Lights will go on to deliver the commemorative performance in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. But the project doesn’t end with the live performances. Naidoo plans to record the music and create a documentary that captures not just the spirit of the music but the enduring relationship between South Africa and Switzerland, shaped by historical migration, artistic exchange and mutual support.

“During apartheid, Switzerland was a refuge for many South African artists in exile such as Bheki Mseleku,” Naidoo says. “There’s a rich history that hasn’t been fully told.

“Sometimes, when you leave a space you’re immersed in, you start to see its beauty more clearly,” Naidoo reflects. “When I was living in South Africa, I was always thinking about how things could be better. But leaving gave me a new perspective on just how special we are as a nation and how much we’ve accomplished.”

His music seeks to communicate this realisation — an appreciation for the country’s diversity, resilience and cultural richness. Though he now lives abroad, Naidoo carries his South African identity with pride, seeing himself as a messenger and ambassador through his art. 

“If I could survive at home, I would be at home. It’s a beautiful country. But I feel privileged to represent it through my music.”

The upcoming performance is also deeply personal. Naidoo’s connection to South Africa’s history is rooted in his own family legacy. His aunt Theresa Solomon was Cape Town’s first black mayor. His grandmother’s brother Marcus Solomon spent a decade imprisoned on Robben Island. 

“I was born into this political consciousness. As a child, I was already thinking about what it meant to fight for freedom.”

This consciousness shapes Naidoo’s music, which includes poignant moments like incorporating excerpts from Nelson Mandela’s first speech after his release — a recording gifted to him by Cape Town’s City Hall. “I remember watching that speech with my family, all of us in tears, so hopeful for the future,” he recalls. 

“That moment was about possibilities opening up, about the birth of the Rainbow Nation.”

Yet, Naidoo is keenly aware of the complexities of freedom. 

“Mandela’s words about being responsible for our freedom are still relevant today. We can be critical, but we also have to remember that our democracy requires care and effort.” 

His composition is an invitation to reflect; not to lecture, but to remind. “We have to remember where we come from and where we’re going. I believe we can be even better than we imagine but we need to get it together.”

Naidoo aims to spark conversations about unity, resilience and the enduring pursuit of freedom: “Music is about message and feeling. Even in protest, there’s a rhythm that unites people. That’s the energy I want to bring; one of reflection, hope and collective strength.”

It’s a powerful reminder that while democracy is a legacy, it is also a living, breathing journey, shaped by each generation’s commitment to remembering, honouring and striving for something greater. For Naidoo, it’s about more than just music. It’s about connecting cultures, honouring legacies and sharing the rhythms of South Africa with the world. 

And if the reception in Basel is anything to go by, the homecoming promises to be unforgettable.