BOOK LAUNCH: An Evening of Poetry and Jazz featuring Natalia and Friends at Book Circle Capital in Melville

It is not everyday that jazz and poetry inter-mingle in the open and show-off their poetic jazzy affair at a book launch. Covid19 has impacted the livelihood of so many people including the live performances which most creatives depend on for survival. The night of the 19th November 2021 afforded me the opportunity to attend an Evening of Poetry and Jazz featuring Natalia Molebatsi with Makhosazana Xaba and Friends at Book Circle Capital, 27 Boxes in Melville Johannesburg. The night comprised of musical rendering by The Lex Futshane Trio band including Lex Futshane (bassist), Siphiwe Shiburi (drums), Yonela Mnana (keys) and Themba Mokoena (guitar).   

Makhosazana Xaba, Natalia Molebatsi and Sewela Langeni. Pic by Khehla Chepape Makgato

"In the history of our BCC it is the first time we have a book launch with live jazz performance," remarked Sewela Langeni the founder and director of Book Circle Capital in her introduction of the evening's gathering. It is interesting what poetry, like visual arts, can do to spaces. The two can transform spaces in ways unimaginable. For the first I saw the 27 Boxes being transformed by jazz and poetry. The book launch of Wild IMPERFECTIONS - AN ANTHOLOGY OF WOMANIST POEMS was a launch of a different kind.

Themba Mokoena, Siphiwe Shiburi and Lex Futshane. Pic by Khehla Chepape Makgato

Makhosazana Xaba performed a poem Have Come To Take You Home by Diana Ferrus which is a tribute to Sarah Baartman. This poetic piece is much renowned by its political significance in how it changed the complexion of repatriation of African heritage from Europe. It was written in 1998 in the midst of the French reluctance to release Baartman’s remains from the Musé de L’Homme. The popularity of the poem is widely believed to be responsible for the return of Baartman‘s remains to South Africa, in 2002. The poem was published into a French law. This poem explains the power of art, more specifically of poetry. 

Natalia Molebatsi performed few poems from the book including Women of Xolobeni by Makhosazana Xaba. I find Xaba's poems soaringly deep, pointedly sharp and straight to where it matters most - the mind, heart and soul. She deals with you promptly in few words and her message is delivered, done and dusted. From her two poems she read herself, in the collection you know she offered you a skhafthin to nibble on as you journey back home, more so to nibble long after you have heard her voice delivered it.

Both their performances were accompanied by jazz. This music genre is not a healing fusion but also connects you with your inner self. For Natalia this night was also a night of remembering Meysha Jenkins who passed on a year ago. She invoked the beautiful spirit of Jenkins by reminding us of her words: 'if you love poetry you love jazz and if you love jazz you love poetry'.   

Without giving to much of the book, it is available for purchase at Book Circle Capital. This book carries with it incredible voices of African women. It confidently summons the African continent and Africans in diaspora to embark in a journey of listening carefully to women who are the custodians of human conscience. Here is a work of genius.

One would wish there were more of poetry and jazz performances than political rallies resplendent of empty promises and a chance for politicians to show off their material accumulation through bluelights cars and heavily guarded security personnel around them. It was quite refreshing to attend a book launch that had a live performance. 

The launch was made possible by Penguin Books SA, Concert SA and Book Circle Capital.

Khehla chepape Makgato, Johannesburg 2021