Feya Faku: South Africa has lost a quintessentially jazz musician, and decent human being

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

After his demise the social media platforms became abuzz with messages of both mourning and celebration of a life well lived by one of the country’s foremost musicians, Feya Faku.

To those who may not be attuned to the idea of both celebrating and mourning, this is a deeply entrenched culture in South Africa where when a person dies, people have to mourn.  But it is also a culture that sees people celebrate a life well lived, a life lived with purpose and impact. Not many get to enjoy such contradictory reactions from people. It is an accolade that one earns when they die, and their life was impactful in society, worth celebrating in both life and in the after-life.

And the trumpeter Feya Faku who passed on Monday, June 23, 2025 in far-away Switzerland during a tour, is one of the few that get such an honour of being mourned and at the same time being celebrated by the South African public.

And those who are pointing to the fact that Faku, despite his success both locally and internationally, remained humble, are not exaggerating, saying, it simply because as per tradition, one has to say good things about those that have departed. Such people mean what they say about the Port Elizabeth born jazzman.

They are also correct when those who are both mourning and celebrating at the same time, suggest that Faku was the quintessentially ultimate jazz professional, who took care of seemingly small things, that are in fact qualities essential for success in the show business, such rehearsing properly for a show, arriving on time at appointments, not going on stage half drunk. And generally carrying himself with a deportment consistent with and expected of a respectable and decent human being that he was.

I have attended several concerts and performance where Faku was billed, and on and off stage, he was a man who knew his purpose in life. He was a man you would want to hang around with, and have a meaningful conversation, done within the acceptable framework of mutual respect, even where differences of opinions, views and perspectives emerge.

Faku was especially also respected as a dedicated and committed jazz music professional, the old school type who respected the protocols of the genre. He took his instrument of choice, the trumpet very seriously. You should have seen him perform, as I have seen him on several occasions previously, mostly at Niki’s Jazz Oasis Jazz restaurant in Newtown. Each time he performed there he showed a lot of respect to his instrument, and therefore, his performances connected nicely with the audience, who in returned the favour by giving him the same respect he gave them.

But Feya also did not take himself too seriously off stage. I have shared drinks with him, especially at Niki’s after his shows, and at no stage did he come out as someone demanding special respect of the sort he had just enjoyed on stage while entertaining you.  He knew and understood that the stage is the stage, and off stage, you are just another human being among others, and hierarchies were not only undesirable, but unnecessary.

And therefore, it was always a pleasure for one moment to listen, think about his performance, meditate and even dance, and the next moment after the show, chill with Feya.  Talk leisurely about anything and everything under the sun, whether politics or social life. But his deportment always commanded respect, without him demanding it.

And therefore in the demise of Feya, South Africa has lost, not only one of the foremost and finest jazz musicians, but also a decent human being.

He touched many hearts, ticked many brains and in the process, converted many to the beautiful art called jazz in this country, and around the world.

‘’Just a month ago at Niki’s… Today, we mourn. On the 2nd of May, Fezile Feya Faku surprised us with a visit. Quietly dignified as always, he insisted we take photos.“Let’s capture this moment, Nikza” he said with that soft, knowing smile. We used his phone and he later sent the pictures to me.

We spoke about life, about music, and with gentle pride, he told me that his son, Bathabile Faku, had just started playing the flute. You could hear the joy in his voice.

Last night, while on tour in Switzerland, we received the heartbreaking news that Feya had taken his final bow.

He had only just celebrated his birthday on the 6th of June back home in Gqeberha, and for the first time, shared the stage with his son, a moment that surely filled his heart to the brim.

We’ve shared many special memories over the years… from launching “Tacit” together across South Africa, to his unforgettable birthday tribute performance for me in April 2021, and countless soulful nights at Niki’s. Each note he played told a story, and each story left its mark on our hearts.

I’m deeply grateful he stopped by last month, still full of grace, stories, and jazz. Little did I know it would be our last conversation, our last hug, our last photo, together.

To his family, friends, fellow artists, and jazz lovers both here at home and across the world – our hearts are with you.

Go well, Mfoka Faku! You left us with music in our soul,” said Simnikiwe Sondlo, the owner of Niki’s Oasis Jazz Restaurant.