Jonas Gwangwa

Jonas Gwangwa (1937–2021) was a South African jazz trombonist, composer and bandleader, one of the most important figures in the country's jazz tradition and a prominent voice in the cultural wing of the anti-apartheid movement. He came up through Johannesburg's vibrant jazz scene alongside contemporaries such as Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba, playing in groups linked to the landmark musical King Kong before going into exile abroad during the apartheid years.

While living outside South Africa, Gwangwa continued to develop a sound rooted in South African township jazz — marabi- and mbaqanga-influenced grooves fused with the harmonic language of American jazz — performing and recording internationally and becoming closely associated with the Amandla Cultural Ensemble, the ANC's touring performance group that used music to campaign against apartheid. His trombone playing was warm, lyrical and deeply vocal in phrasing, characteristic of the township jazz idiom.

Gwangwa also composed for film, most notably contributing to the score of the 1987 anti-apartheid drama Cry Freedom, work that earned international recognition including an Academy Award nomination. After South Africa's transition to democracy he returned home, remaining an active and respected elder of the jazz community until his death in 2021. His long collaboration and friendship with Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba placed him at the center of South African jazz's global reach.