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Breaking into sound: dis/locating Ntu cosmology and improvisation in South African jazz
Thesis (PhD)-- Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2023
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| _version_ | 1867613919703465984 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Makhathini, Nduduzo |
| author2 | Vos, Stephanie |
| author_browse | Makhathini, Nduduzo Vos, Stephanie |
| author_facet | Vos, Stephanie Makhathini, Nduduzo |
| author_sort | Makhathini, Nduduzo |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (PhD)-- Stellenbosch University, 2023. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/127007 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:48.089Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/127007 Breaking into sound: dis/locating Ntu cosmology and improvisation in South African jazz Makhathini, Nduduzo Vos, Stephanie Muller, Stephanus Phalafala, Uhuru Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Department of Music. Cosmology Improvisation (Music) -- Instruction and study Jazz -- South Africa Ntu cosmology Influence (Literary, artistic, etc.) Jazz musicians -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (PhD)-- Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This artistic-led enquiry emerged from the premise that jazz studies exclude or, at least, do not adequately address the significance of spiritualities in South African jazz. Where spirituality is invoked, it is treated as background and not seriously engaged with. Emerging from this premise, this study argues that there is a deep connection between cosmologies and how people come to sound, including in what is known as ‘jazz’. As a scholar and an artist with a mature practice, I have come to understand jazz, in the context outlined in this study, as a process in improvisatory realms that dialogues, intimately, with cosmology. Two chapters formulate ntu cosmology as point of departure for engaging (South) African worldviews, in which concepts of wholeness and continuity form governing principles. The study shows how an understanding of ntu cosmology provides alternative lexicons for engaging South African jazz improvised musics. It suggests that improvisation could be understood as a form of ritual overlapping between physical and metaphysical planes. This process is understood as the breaking into sound, engaging with ‘elsewhere’. The contributions this study makes to jazz scholarship are located in a) theorizing the breaking into sound, b) reading the bandstand as communal and ritual space, and c) proposing divination (or the throwing of the bones) as a different way to think about improvisation. To elaborate on these perspectives the study walks in the footsteps of four seminal artists (Philip Tabane, Busi Mhlongo, Bheki Mseleku and Zim Ngqawana), with whom I have engaged in various ways: as a disciple, band member, session musician and a keen follower of the music. From a decentering point of view, the positioning of the study as an artistic-led inquiry constitutes an epistemological intervention, making it possible to argue from a musical and artistic standpoint. By advancing, through artistic practice as a primary means of knowing, the importance of the spiritual (rather than ineffable, or transcendent, or sublime), means that one approaches the issue of musical meaning (or importance) through cosmological registers. Guided by the artistic aspects of my work and that of my interlocutors, the study constructs a framework for understanding jazz improvised musics in South Africa that is cosmologically, ontologically and epistemologically conscious. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie artistiek-geleide studie vertrek van die premis dat jazz studies nie die belang van spiritualiteite in Suid-Afrikaanse jazz (genoegsaam) aanspreek nie. In gevalle waar spiritualiteit aangespreek word, is dit dikwels ter agtergrond en word dit nie ernstig bespreek nie. Vanuit hierdie vertrekpunt argumenteer die studie dat daar ’n diep verband is tussen kosmologieë en hoe mense na klank kom, insluitend in waarna verwys word as ‘jazz’. As ‘n navorser en kunstenaar wat werk vanuit ’n bestaande praktyk, verstaan ek jazz as ’n proses wat, deur improvisasie, in dialoog is met kosmologie. Twee hoofstukke formuleer ntu-kosmologie as ‘n vertrekpunt om met Suid-Afrikaanse wêreldbeskouings in gesprek te tree, waarin die konsepte van geheelheid en kontinuïteit sleutel beginsels vorm. Hierdie studie wys hoe ’n verstaan van ntu-kosmologie ’n alternatiewe leksikon oopmaak vir die verstaan van Suid-Afrikaanse jazz geïmproviseerde musieke. Dit suggereer ’n verstaan van improvisasie as ’n vorm van ritueel waarin die fisiese en metafisiese oorvleuel. Hierdie proses word verstaan as ’n ‘deurbraak in klank’ (‘breaking into sound’), wat ‘elders’ betrek. Die bydraes wat die studie maak tot die veld van jazz studies, is a) in die teoretisering van die ‘deurbraak in klank’, b) in die verstaan van die verhoog (‘bandstand’) as gemeenskaplike ruimte, en c) in die voorstel van ’n begrip van divinasie (die gooi van die gebeendere) as ‘n ander manier om te dink aan improvisasie. Om hierdie perspektiewe uit te bou, volg die studie in die voetspore van vier belangrike kunstenaars (Philip Tabane, Busi Mhlongo, Bheki Mseleku and Zim Ngqawana) met wie ek verbind is/was op verskeie maniere: as ’n dissipel, lid van ensemble, sessie musikant en ’n toegewyde volgeling van die musiek. Vanuit die perspektief van de-sentrering, maak die posisionering van die studie as artistiek- geleide projek ’n epistemologiese intervensie wat argumenteer vanuit ‘n musikale en artistieke standpunt. Deur artistieke praktyk as ’n primêre modaliteit van kennis te beskou, bevorder die studie die belangrikheid van die spirituele (eerder as die onsegbare, die transendentele of die sublieme), wat beteken dat die kwessie van musikale betekenis en belang deur kosmologiese registers benader word. Gelei deur die artistieke aspekte van my werk, stel die studie ’n raamwerk op vir die verstaan van jazz geïmproviseerde musieke in Suid-Afrika wat kosmologies, ontologies en epistemologies bewus is. Doctoral 2023-02-23T14:56:03Z 2023-05-18T06:59:51Z 2023-02-23T14:56:03Z 2023-05-18T06:59:51Z 2023-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127007 en_ZA Stellenbosch University vi, 239 pages : illustrations (some color) application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Cosmology Improvisation (Music) -- Instruction and study Jazz -- South Africa Ntu cosmology Influence (Literary, artistic, etc.) Jazz musicians -- South Africa UCTD Makhathini, Nduduzo Breaking into sound: dis/locating Ntu cosmology and improvisation in South African jazz |
| title | Breaking into sound: dis/locating Ntu cosmology and improvisation in South African jazz |
| title_full | Breaking into sound: dis/locating Ntu cosmology and improvisation in South African jazz |
| title_fullStr | Breaking into sound: dis/locating Ntu cosmology and improvisation in South African jazz |
| title_full_unstemmed | Breaking into sound: dis/locating Ntu cosmology and improvisation in South African jazz |
| title_short | Breaking into sound: dis/locating Ntu cosmology and improvisation in South African jazz |
| title_sort | breaking into sound dis locating ntu cosmology and improvisation in south african jazz |
| topic | Cosmology Improvisation (Music) -- Instruction and study Jazz -- South Africa Ntu cosmology Influence (Literary, artistic, etc.) Jazz musicians -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127007 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT makhathininduduzo breakingintosounddislocatingntucosmologyandimprovisationinsouthafricanjazz |