Goema Captain was a legend and pioneer

The music industry in South Africa is mourning one of their greats.

Musician and composer, Gerald ‘Mac’ Mckenzie, 72, died in a Johanesburg hospital on Monday April 29. The cause of his death was not revealed.

Known as the Goema Captain and the frontman of The Genuines, with his roots in Bridgetown, Mckenzie has been described by his industry friends as a legend and a pioneer.

He fused different genres of music, including goema, rock, jazz, and even composed a symphony.

Throughout his mix-masala of music however, he always encouraged younger musicians to tell their own stories.

Musician Leslie Javan, said he met Mckenzie when he was 16 years old.

“Our neighbour, Charles Isaacs, had a langarm band. I am 20 years younger than him (Mckenzie) and I remember that time they started The Genuines and the Gramadoelas. Mac encouraged us as composers to write our own music, to write about our culture and to tell the stories of our people. He said we must create our own voice and not try to sound like American artists. I am classically trained. We all start somewhere — even if that means singing cover versions of songs — but eventually you find your voice. Mac encouraged us and told us not to feel discouraged about what is happening in the industry,” Mr Javan said.

Hilton Schilder said he lost his “soulmate”.

“The last time we played together was in Lamberts Bay in December last year. I’ve lost my soulmate, my brother and the greatest composer. I met Mac in 1978 when I was in matric at South Peninsula High School. He encouraged me to take piano seriously. He mentored me in that way. We were together since, although over the years we took different paths, we always ended up together. We did a lot of nice stuff, but we only played original music. We mentored lots of people to play their own music, because cover versions can stunt an artist’s growth. We have our own genre,” Mr Schilder said.

Singer, writer, producer and activist Ernestine Deane met Mckenzie in the early 2000s when she was lead singer for Moodphase5ive.

“There was a lot of cross-collaboration at that time and Mac was interested in my voice. From there our relationship just grew and our friendship became solid. He leaves such a big hole. He taught so many musicians and didn’t keep his knowledge and expertise to himself. He was a natural teacher and mentor. A true community man. He knew the genius of a man transcended all that. He was rough and raw. As a cultural activist, he did not compromise. Hy het ook nie kak gevat nie,” Ms Deane said.

His friend Ian Harris, said Mckenzie was always the “most powerful energy in the room”.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody who was more himself than Mac was. I think most of us are shape shifters to a degree. We will adjust according to who was in the room, whereas Mac was always the most powerful energy in the room — no matter who else was with him there. He was somebody that was being true to himself relentlessly. Mac owned himself — the light and the dark parts and he wasn’t afraid to show the world both.”

Mr Harris also spoke of his disappointment at South African artists’ lack of finances.

“The frustration for me is that once again we have one of the legends of South Africa’s creative and cultural output going to the grave with nothing to his name. It should not be. Mac taught me that whatever your thing is, do it deeply. He certainly didn’t so anything in order to be liked,” he said.