Izibongo zika Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane: In the mind of Saccharine Radio’s Ayanda Mzaca

They say we are always one gesture from being the cruelty we have suffered or one kindness from helping each other heal in the open. If that be true, then Izibongo by Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane is the one kindness that has not only helped me heal in the open but has helped me find community in the space of healing that I didn’t even know I needed.

When I first listened to the album, it felt like I was living in the music – a whole new world opened before me. It was and still is so spiritual and deep in composition. The compositions are heavy yet subtle. From the intro it feels like we are outside emakhaya and uGogo is about to tell a story and so she signals for everyone to gather by the gentle tapping of the shaker in the title track. Once everyone is seated before her, she starts with a prayer, as we do, acknowledging and conversing with the Creator (uNkulunkulu) in Hymn for the Creator before proceeding to share the stories she has with her children and grandchildren. If you are familiar with prayer sessions then you will know that there’s usually a song or a chorus that’s sung after the prayer almost as a means to exit from the intensity of the prayer while maintaining the harmony of community going into whatever is next on the agenda; and that is exactly what Prelude to Words does – it releases the buildup tension from the intro while igniting your curiosity about the stories to follow. Then, the stories come laced with wisdom, gratitude, and the lessons learned from the school of life; represented by songs like Ntate Mashiloane, Umoya Wokholo, and Amehlo Ayakhuluma, just to name a few.

After listening to the album more times than I can count, I needed to experience the music live. So when the UKZN Centre for Jazz and Popular Music announced that Mash was next on their lineup, it was a no-brainer that I simply had to be there and I was – front and diagonal. Yes, I was not front and center because I wanted to observe Mash as he played. He took to the stage barefooted with ikhehlekhehle (traditional shaker) strapped to his left leg (just as it appears on the album cover). He would later explain that he performs barefoot as a means to draw energy and connect with the audience. I imagine that when he stomps his foot he summons those who came before from the depths of the earth, and that that energy travels from his foot through his body and eventually comes through his hands which then play on the piano, creating an energy field that he, his band, and the audience can co-create in.

As an aspiring musician I’m jealous I didn’t think of these compositions myself. If I had, I would have debuted and retired on the same day. Still, I remain forever grateful to live in this era of music and witness the greatness and authenticity of remarkable musicians such as Mash. There aren’t enough words to express the effect his music has but it is special and simply sublime, particularly in live settings. To this day I reminisce about that day at UKZN and more recently, his performance at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz. Those moments hold space for me to be, and I hope you find the same refuge in this music.

I believe we all have that one moment we wish to hold on to and archive in the unerasable parts of our memory because it unlocked something profound in us. Izibongo is that moment for me. It has been over a year since its release and it still remains my daily bread – Apple Music can attest to that. Not only did I meet Mash that day at the Jazz Centre but that event was the first time I heard a playlist of mine play in a venue other than my house. That moment will probably be credited as a catalyst for some of the projects I will do in the future. As an album, Izibongo is pure genius. As inspiration, it is a tangible example of what I strive to do through Saccharine Radio.

Izibongo is about the importance of home, the people we create it with, and the many journeys we take to get back to it. It is an African story rooted in percussion – subtle but loud, tender yet confrontational. Everything balances. Everything is exactly where it ought to be and I recommend it to one and sundry.

In the confusion we live in, I believe music of this calibre can help us find our way – if we just listen and follow its lead.

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