Winston Mankunku Ngozi
Winston Monwabisi "Mankunku" Ngozi (21 June 1943 – 13 October 2009) was a famous South African tenor saxophone player.
Also recorded as Winston Monwabisi Ngozi · Winston Ngozi
Winston Mankunku Ngozi
- Full name
- Winston Monwabisi Mankunku Ngozi.
- Born
- 1943. · Retreat.
- Died
- 2009. · Cape Town.
- Nationality
- South Africa.
- Occupation
- composer, saxophonist and musician.
- Fields
- jazz and cape jazz.
- Languages
- English.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Winston Monwabisi "Mankunku" Ngozi (21 June 1943 – 13 October 2009) was a famous South African tenor saxophone player.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Winston Mankunku Ngozi (1943–2009) was a composer, musician and saxophonist, of South African nationality. The composer was born Winston Monwabisi Mankunku Ngozi in Retreat and died in Cape Town.
The work spans cape jazz and jazz. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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wikidata · Q1527319 · wikipedia · Winston Mankunku Ngozi
In this article
Early life
Early life
He was born in Retreat, Western Cape, on 21 June 1943, the first child in a musical family. He played piano at the age of seven, and later clarinet and trumpet. In his mid-teens he learned the alto and tenor saxophone. He cites John Coltrane, local saxophonist "Cups & Saucers", pianist Merton Barrow, as well as bassist Midge Pike as major influences.
Career
Career
Mankunku chose to remain in his native Cape Town during apartheid. This meant that he was subjected to the Separate Amenities Act and similar apartheid legislation. A classic tale tells of his performance with an all-white big band in the Cape Town City Hall in 1964, where, because a mixed-race band was unlawful, he was forced to play behind a curtain so as to remain out of sight. In 1968 he recorded the famous blockbuster "Yakhal' Inkomo", with Early Mabuza, Agrippa Magwaza and Lionel Pillay. It won him the Castle Lager "Jazz Musician of the Year" award for 1968. Another colleague was Abdullah Ibrahim.
Death
Death
He died on 13 October 2009 after a long struggle with illness.
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Winston Mankunku Ngozi was recorded at birth as Winston Monwabisi Mankunku Ngozi. The authorities additionally record the headings Winston Monwabisi Ngozi and Winston Ngozi. His recorded language was English.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1943
Winston Mankunku Ngozi born at Retreat.
2009
Winston Mankunku Ngozi died at Cape Town.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Retreat.
Birth place
Cape Town.
Death place
Discography
• Yakhal’ Inkomo (1968, with Lionel Pillay, Agrippa Magwaza, Early Mabuza) • The Bull and The Lion (1976, with Mike Makhalemele, Trevor Rabin, Ronnie Robot and Neil Cloud) • Winston Mankunku & Mike Perry Jika (1987, with Richard Pickett, Mike Campbell, Bheki Mseleku, Russell Herman, Claude Deppa, Lucky Ranku) • Winston Mankunku & Mike Perry Dudula (1996, with Spencer Mbadu, Richard Pickett, Errol Dyers, Charles Lazar, Buddy Wells, Marcus Wyatt, Graham Beyer, The Merton Barrow String Quintet) • Molo Africa (1997–1998, with Feya Faku, Tete Mbambisa, Errol Dyers, Basil Moses, Lionel Beukes and Vusi Khumalo) • Abantwana be Afrika (2003, with Andile Yenana, Herbie Tsoaeli, Prince Lengoasa and Lulu Gontsana)
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Mojapelo, Max. Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music. African Minds. 13 February 2024. 978-1-920299-28-6.
- 2.Winston Monwabisi Ngozi | South African History Online.
- 3."Ngozi, Winston Monwabisi 'Mankunku' (South Africa)", music.org.za.
- 4.Winston Monwabisi Mankunku Ngozi smooth-jazz.de
- 5.Statement by Patrick Craven, Congress of South African Trade Unions spokesperson, on Winston Ngozi Cosatu
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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