By Zuko Komisa
Point of View with Phemelo spoke to musician, songwriter and producer Victor Masondo about his journey and his love for music.
Masondo was born and raised in Durban, in a musical family.
His late father, Daniel, was a minister and a guitarist, while his two elder brothers played the bass guitar and the drums respectively.
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Over the years he’s managed to work with artists such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Ray Phiri, George Duke, Gerald Albright, Sibongile Khumalo, Ian Herman, Nana Coyote, Gail Hamilton, Take 6, Al Jarreau, Sheila E, Chante Moore, Jeffrey Osborne, Tsepo Tshola, the late Wendy Mseleku, Hugh Masekela, Al MacKay, Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten, as well as Roy Wooten.
LISTEN TO THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE:
On his love for the bass instrument
“I feel like the bass for me is an extension of my voice, so it feels like what you would call an active download, it feels like God has given you something and you let it sink in and send it out. Bass has been that kind of voice that I send out, where I am like I think people will be able to hear what I am trying to say.” says Masondo.
With impressive accolades over decades of making timeless music, Masondo shared fantastic stories of key moments in his music career.
Victor, along with his school and bandmates Zim Ngqawana and Lulu Gontsana, caught the attention of legendary jazz musicians Max Roach and Clark Terry during one of the University Jazz Band’s trips to the United States while Victor was studying music at Natal University under Darius Brubeck, son of the legendary pianist Dave Brubeck.
Victor took advantage of an opportunity to tour the U.S., Europe, and South Africa with the South African band “Friends First” after graduating in 1987, bass in hand.
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On the one person who expanded his view of music
“One of the biggest breaks I got in my career was Mama Mariam Makeba. It all started with a man called Sandile Shange, who was one the greatest musicians in Durban, he was also influenced by my Dad too, who introduced me to Darius Brubeck, and my first trip to play with his father was with Brubeck, which was a great experience for me. When I first came back to South Africa, I met Felicia Marian, who travelled back with Mama Meriam Makeba and said, she’s always asking for music, can you send music.
Masondo would go on to produce an album for Mariam Makeba.
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