Johnny Dyani

Johnny Mbizo Dyani (30 November 1945 – 24 October 1986) was a South African jazz double bassist, vocalist and pianist, who, in addition to being a key member of The Blue Notes, played with such international musicians as Don Cherry, Steve Lacy, David Murray, Finnish guitar player Jukka Syrenius, Pierre Dørge, Peter Brötzmann, Mal Waldron, fellow South African Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim), and Leo Smith, among many other prominent players.

Biography Dyani was born (3 years before the establishment of Apartheid) and grew up in Duncan Village, East London, in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, eastern Cape Province of South Africa.

In the early 1960s, he was a member of South Africa's first integrated jazz band, The Blue Notes,

In 1966, Dyani toured Argentina with Steve Lacy's quartet.

Performing widely throughout Europe, Dyani moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, in the early 1970s,

Johnny Dyani, wrote a song for Gerald Vuyisile Mei, in 1983 about their encounter, where GV Mei as an anthropological researcher shared his findings on oral tradition, he titled the song, 'Bongo', meaning, 'Proud'

Discography 1964: The Blue Notes – Township Bop (Proper, released in 2002) 1964: The Blue Notes – Legacy: Live in South Afrika 1964 (Ogun, released in 1995) 1967: Steve Lacy – The Forest and the Zoo (ESP) 1968: Chris McGregor Group - Very Urgent (Polydor) 1970: Alan Shorter – Tes Esat (America) 1971: Don Cherry – Orient (BYG) 1972: Rejoice (Cadillac, 1988) with Mongezi Feza and Okay Temiz 1973: Good News from Africa with Abdullah Ibrahim 1973: Music For Xaba with Mongezi Feza and Okay Temiz 1975: Blue Notes for Mongezi with Chris McGregor, Dudu Pukwana, Louis Moholo 1976: Haazz & Co – Unlawful Noise with C. Hazevoet, P. Brotzmann, H. Bennink, L. Moholo, P. Bennink 1976: Johnny Dyani with Chris Joris – Songs For Mbizo (released VKH Tonesetters, 1991 [incl. Dyani's voice] and Jazz Halo/Omnitone, 2002) 1977: Abdullah Ibrahim – The Journey (Chiaroscuro) 1977: Blue Notes in Concert Volume 1 (Ogun, 1978) 1978: Johnny Dyani with John Tchicai & Dudu Pukwana – Witchdoctor's Son (SteepleChase) 1978: Johnny Dyani Quartet – Song for Biko (SteepleChase) 1978: David Murray – Let the Music Take You (Marge) 1978: David Murray – Last of the Hipman (Red) 1978: African Bass: Solo Concert, Willisau Jazz Festival 1978 (Sing A Song Fighter, 2018) 1979: Abdullah Ibrahim/Johnny Dyani – Echoes from Africa (Enja) 1979: Spiritual Knowledge and Grace (Ogun, 2011); with Louis Moholo-Moholo, Dudu Pukwana, and Frank Wright 1979: The Blue Notes – Before the Wind Changes (Ogun, 2012) 1980: Joseph Jarman, Famoudou Don Moye feat. Johnny Dyani – Black Paladins 1981: Johnny Dyani & Mal Waldron Duo Live at Jazz Unité – Some Jive Ass Boer (Jazz Unité) 1983: Johnny Dyani & Joe Bonner – Suburban Fantasies (SteepleChase) 1983: Live at Umea Jazz Festival Anders Gahnold Trio with Gilbert Mathews 1984: Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra– Brikama (SteepleChase) 1984: Percussion Summit (Moers Music) 1984: Johnny Dyani – Afrika (SteepleChase) 1985: Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra – Even the Moon Is Dancing (SteepleChase) 1985: Live at Jazzclub Fasching – Anders Gahnold Trio with Gilbert Mathews 1985: Johnny Dyani Quartet – Angolian Cry (SteepleChase); with Harry Beckett, John Tchicai, and Billy Hart 1987: Johnny Dyani – Witchdoctor's Son – Together (Cadillac Music & Publishing) 1990: Detail – In Time Was – Frode Gjerstad, John Stevens, Kent Carter 1993: Three Khan Jamal, Pierre Dorge 1996: Born Under The Heat (Dragon Records) 2008: The Blue Notes – The Ogun Collection (Ogun); compilation 2014: Rejoice & Together (Cadillac); compilation