🎤 FOR BRENDA — SS Sone of the Deep

(LINDIKAYA NTSHINGA)

It is rare,
moments like these—
where a man is allowed
to speak from the inside of his chest.

I do not come for prize,
nor for glory.
I am a humble programmer,
not a soldier of noise—

but I am born of Stephen Biko—
and I know when I have the right,
so I write what I like.

And today…
I speak of a name
that has walked with me
for more than 30 years
in jazz.

Brenda Sisane.

To me—
you are not just a voice.
You are a weapon of knowing.
A sword carried in truth.
A flame that does not ask permission
before it transforms silence.

The name Brenda…
we do not treat it lightly.

Here in the Eastern Cape,
in our jazz understanding,
we read names like language before language.

Brenda carries sword.
Brenda carries flame.
It cuts, and it warms.
It breaks silence and builds memory.

That is how we hear you.

You are my Miles Davis,
my Winston Mankunku Ngozi—
not imitation,
but recognition of spirit.

A flame like Old Norse fire,
burning knowledge into those who listen
without asking for attention.

I speak now like an old jazz cat,
because the language chose me.

Through the drum of Louis Moholo,
through the timing of Ron Carter,
down the breath of Hugh Masekela—
I learned to listen.

And in that listening…
I heard you.

You speak for John Coltrane,
you speak for Zim Ngqawana—
you carry voices
that refuse to disappear.

Mother of sound.
Custodian of memory.
A voice that travels
all nine provinces
without moving.

From 2000 and beyond…
to Kaya, to now—
we will always stand by you.

Because your jazz space
is our home.

Kutsho mna, Lindikaya—
and even that…
is layered meaning.

And me—
I stand here
not as one who arrives,
but as one who continues.

It does not matter the platform—
code or radio,
system or signal.

Ndimi lo:
a jazz fanatic who loves radio.

Thina, Sisi—
siyakuthanda.

You are veteran.
You are journalist.
You are the one who was called.

Ngu Qamata, qhubeka wenze njalo.

Enkosi for being born as my sword—
and may jazz music live through you forever.

May uThixo abe nawe always.

As Friedrich Nietzsche once reflected,
a life without music feels like a mistake—
and in our own understanding,
we carry that truth deeply.

But thina maXhosa sithi:
ubomi ngaphandle kuka Brenda Sisane on the airwaves… bu file.

Enkosi Sisi for reaching out.

Ndim —
Lindikaya Ntshinga.

And this…
is gratitude spoken in jazz.