Karen Rutter
MOREIRA Chonguiça’s new CD, MP Reloaded, is a self-described “hip, easy listening album”, featuring smooth new arrangements of nine of the musician’s original tracks. So why did he choose to go the remix route? Moreira laughs, an infectious, warm sound.
“I couldn’t help myself. That’s the honest truth,” he says.
The SAMA award-winning saxophonist has been praised for his authentic jazz compositions, which have been featured on three earlier albums. He’s also performed at numerous prestigious jazz events – from the Cape Town International Jazz Festival to the Lugano Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
Mozambican-born, he graduated from the jazz studies programme at UCT’s College of Music with an Honours degree, and has been carving an impressive name for himself in contemporary jazz circles. And now an album with a house beat?
“Really, I couldn’t resist,” says Moreira.
“It’s part of our evolutionary make-up, that we push ourselves into new and challenging directions. I don’t see a divide between the acoustic and the technical side of things. I’ve been listening to all sorts of music recently – rock, hip hop, deep house – and there are some beautiful sounds being made.”
Moreira continues: “I also wanted to be the first jazz musician to remix their own songs. Most often, DJs are invited to re-interpret jazz compositions, but I had this dream, to do it myself.”
And, with the skillful help of Zimbabwean beatmaster Emerson Tanaka Mnangagwa, he’s done that.
“Look, it took me three years to get this project completed, but I’m happy. No culture is static – I’m not static. We are dynamic human beings, and we push things.”
The result is a funky groove on fave tracks such as Boarding Time and The Art of Love; easy listening indeed, but with just the right edginess to keep things interesting.
Alongside working on his house beats, it’s been a busy time for Moreira.
He’s just finished with the MoreJazz series in Maputo, Mozambique, a jazz festival he launched three years ago and which has featured the likes of Manu Dibangu and Moreira’s special friend, saxophonist Najee.
This year Jonathan Butler and Hugh Masekela were on the bill, alongside the Moreira Project.
“It’s a great festival, because it focuses on three aspects – entertainment, education and tourism,” explains Moreira.
“It’s held over several days, and ties in with the Mozambique trade expo. Tickets are really cheap – R20 – so we get all sorts of audience members, from grassroots to high end. And we hold workshops where veteran performers such as Masekela get to share their experience with young musicians.”
Encouraging and supporting the youth is clearly a big priority for Moreira.
He is a patron of the Escola Nacional de Musica (National School of Music) in Maputo, where he initially studied and where he goes back regularly to raise funds and also tutor students.
In Cape Town, he’s been part of a music initiative in Kensington, run by fellow performers Camillo Lombard and Ezra Delport, where he teaches saxophone and life skills to young aspiring musicians.
“I’m 36 years old, and I’m worried about the youth,” Moreira says. “It’s important for them to have a passion for whatever it is they want to do.
“Sometimes I think kids give up too easily. And what I really don’t like is a person who expects things to just land in their lap.”
He reckons that people who complain rarely get things done.
“You can’t sit at home and wait for the telephone to ring – and get upset when it doesn’t. You have to go out there and make things happen.
“Okay, you might get a slap in the face 100 times – but then on the 101st time you may get somewhere,” he smiles.
This comes from a musician who has clearly worked hard – and is still working hard – to promote and expand not only his own unique sound, but to support others to do the same.
“You know, in the end, it’s not a competition,” Moreira says.
“It’s about playing together. It’s about being part of humankind.”
l See www.moreiramusic.com or www.facebook.com/moreirachonguicamusic