Sam Nhlengethwa Jazz Lithographs
Photo credit: Solomon Moremong
Sam Nhlengethwa's first lithographs at The Artists' Press were a series of five prints around the Jazz theme and were published to coincide with his exhibition at the Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year in 1994. Nhlengethwa has continued to return to the jazz theme over the years. In his latest suite of five prints, inspired by Miles Davis's Kind of Blue, Nhlengethwa has played with the intensity of the blue that he associates with this classic album.
INSPIRED BY "KIND OF BLUE"
"I'm still celebrating 6 glorious decades of good quality jazz as portrayed in Kind of Blue!
I
was brought up by my maternal grandmother, Sophia Mokoena, from when I
was only 9 months old. I lived full-time with her in Ratanda, a township
in Heidelberg, east of Johannesburg. During school holidays, I used to
visit my parents and siblings in Kwa-Thema, Springs. Occasionally, I
would visit my eldest brother, Ranky, who was then living in Katlehong,
Germiston with my mother's uncle. What drew me to Ranky was that he was a
strong jazz fanatic and a player too.
In 1970 when I
was only 15 years old, my 2nd eldest brother, Mxolisi was getting
married. He and his best men were nervously listening to some jazz
vinyls. It got so tense that they even forgot to turn the other side of
the vinyl. I immediately took over and I remember the vinyl on the
turntable was Time Out by Dave Brubeck. It was a hit in the townships
because of the track Take 5.
I continued playing for
my brother and his best men until I landed my hands on the album Kind
of Blue that was made on 2nd March and 22nd April 1959. What was
striking was that unlike with the other vinyls where we picked tracks,
Kind of Blue was played repeatedly from the 1st track, So What? to its
last track Flamenco Sketches. I can proudly say since that day, I was
introduced to the "jazz bible."
In my studio downtown
Johannesburg, a week never passes without me listening to Kind of
Blue. I actually have three copies, two CDs - one for my car, the other
for my studio and a vinyl for my collection.
I fully
agree with the author, Ashley Khan when he says, " jazz musos call it
the bible and critics call it the one jazz album every fan must own."
Who can argue with that - a jazz classic album of its own?
Jimmy
Cobb, the drummer in Miles Davis' Kind of
Blue sextet said of its members, they were respected leaders from their
individual jazz groups who were brought together for the first time
during the recording of Kind of Blue. It is this high level of expertise
and talent that made the very first recording of Kind of Blue "
beautiful and smooth sounding...no effort.... no tension.... just
relaxed.The band always sounded good. How could it sound bad?" Cobb,
asked.
In Ashley Kahn's book "Kind of Blue - The making
of the Miles Davis Masterpiece", Bill Evans, one of the pianists, is
quoted as saying when they did the album, they had no idea it would
become so important. As a painter, I drew a parallel to that - when I do
a new painting I never know how important it will be! Quincy Jones says
he "plays Kind of Blue every day. It sounds like it was made yesterday.
It is my orange juice." To that I can I can add it is my glass of
water. Indeed, it sounds like it was made yesterday.
Miles
Davis and his entire sextet, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, John Coltrane,
Julian Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb, left a legacy
that is still inspiring the jazz musicians and jazz lovers. Columbia
Records and its entire staff should be proud of this classic album." Sam Nhlengethwa.
For links to other prints done by Nhlengethwa, please scroll to the bottom of this page where you will also find more text from Nhlengethwa regarding his love for jazz.
Please note that the sold out prints from the jazz series are in Nhlengethwa's archive.
Title: John Coltrane
Medium: Three colour lithograph
Paper size: 76 x 57 cm
Image size: 68.5 x 49.5 cm
Edition size: 40
Price: R 14 000 (excl.VAT)
Title: Cannonball Adderley
Medium: Three colour lithograph
Paper size: 76 x 57 cm
Image size: 68.5 x 49.5 cm
Edition size: 40
Price: R 14 000 (excl.VAT)
Title: Miles Davis
Medium: Three colour lithograph
Paper size: 76 x 57 cm
Image size: 68.5 x 49.5 cm
Edition size: 40
Price: R 14 000 (excl.VAT)
Title: Bill Evans
Medium: Three colour lithograph
Paper size: 76 x 57 cm
Image size: 68.5 x 49.5 cm
Edition size: 40
Price: R 14 000 (excl.VAT)
Title: Sextet
Medium: Five colour lithograph
Paper size: 57 x 76 cm
Image size: 68.5 x 49.5 cm
Edition size: 40
SOLD OUT
Title: Take I
Medium: Two colour chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 38 x 45 cm
Image size: 25 x 31 cm
Edition size: 25
Price: R 8 500 (excl.VAT)
Title: Take II
Medium: Single colour chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 38 x 45 cm
Image size: 25 x 31 cm
Edition size: 25
SOLD OUT
Title: Score Reading
Medium: Two colour chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 38 x 45 cm
Image size: 25 x 31 cm
Edition size: 25
Price: R 8 500 (excl.VAT)
Title: John Coltrane Solo
Medium: Two colour chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 45 x 38 cm
Image size: 31 x 25 cm
Edition size: 25
SOLD OUT
Title: John Coltrane on Break
Medium: Two colour chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 45 x 38 cm
Image size: 31 x 25 cm
Edition size: 25
Price: R 8 500 (excl.VAT)
Title: Modern Jazz Quartet's Last Concert
Medium: Four colour lithograph
Paper size: 75 x 106 cm
Image size: 65 x 95 cm
Edition size: 50
Price: R 19 500 (excl.VAT)
Title: Tacet
Medium: Seven colour lithograph
Paper size: 75 x 106 cm
Image size: 65 x 95 cm
Edition size: 50
SOLD OUT
"Jazz simply inspires me. Of all the subjects that I have dealt
with, none has been re-visited like jazz. Jazz is second nature to me. I
come from a family of jazz lovers. My eldest brother, Ranky, was a jazz
musician. I used to hang around with him and his friends a lot. I still
play the flute that he gave me. I think at heart, I am a non-practising
jazz musician!
Painting jazz pieces is an avenue or
outlet for expressing my love for the music. As I paint, I listen to
jazz and visualise the performance. Jazz performers improvise within the
conventions of their chosen styles. In an ensemble, for example, there
are vocal styles that include freedom of vocal colour, call-and-response
patterns and rhythmic complexities played by different members.
Painting jazz allows me to literally put colour onto these vocal
colours.
Jazz is rhythmic and it emphasises
interpretation rather than composition. There are deliberate tonal
distortions that contribute to its uniqueness. My jazz collages, with
their distorted patterns, attempt to communicate all of this. As a
collagist and painter, fortunately, the technique allows me this freedom
of expression. Like a jazz musician who can depart from the original
melody altogether and improvise on its harmonic base, I create a
well-balanced final product with interesting textures, perspective and
dimensions from juxtaposing pieces from different original backgrounds.
What I am doing is not new though, as there are other artists before me,
who painted jazz pieces e.g. Gerard Sekoto, Romare Bearden, Henri
Matisse.
The jazz musicians I chose inspire me. Their
music is educational. Nina Simone, for instance, sings about the
suffering of African Americans. I enjoy her music and message. Modern
Jazz quartets music is instrumental but meaningful.
I
buy jazz CDs and dvds as part of my career. Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett,
John Coltrane feature highly in my collection and I also have their
autobiographies. Ron Carter made me love acoustic bass especially in his
album with Roberta Flack "The first time I ever saw your face" - I was
17 when I first listened to it and knew pretty little about love but I
enjoyed the instruments played.
In addition to the
international jazz musicians in my collection, I have a number of locals
like Miriam Makeba (or Mama Africa as she is affectionately known),
Lemmy "Special" Mabaso, Abdullah Ibrahim etc. Their early music reminds
me of Keith Jarrett's words: "Jazz is like a vehicle that transports
various traditions..." Lemmy Maseko played the penny whistle with skill;
Miriam Makeba's "Malaika" backed by overseas musicians became a hit.
Abdullah Ibrahim is a well-respected pianist. You can bring together
jazz musicians from different backgrounds to perform and they will
produce a stunning piece of music! Thank you." Sam Nhlengethwa
Click on the links below to see other prints that Sam Nhlengethwa has done, listed by series title
Township Series
Restaurant Series
Conversations
Glimpses of the 50s and the 60s
Tribute Interiors
Sam Nhlengethwa Print Archive
For orders (with free shipping) or any other enquiries, please contact us.
You might like these
Sam Nhlengethwa Conversations
A series of lithographs focussed on conversations between people.
Espoir Kennedy
Lithographs by street salon artist Espoir Kennedy who is originally from Burundi.
Gary Frier
A portrait of David Koloane done by Gary Frier during his residency at The Bag Factory.
