TODD MATSHIKIZA

He was the only jazz organist. No pianos in those days. His organ was carted on a donkey truck from house to house, and wherever it moved, the people went. Queenstown was happily situated for Gashe because every train bearing miners ('mine boys' in South Africa English) between the Eastern Cape and johannesburg stopped there overnight. And the miners veins were full with jazz as they were with women, and they got both at Gashe's jazz sessions. We looked upon the women Handjievol, Nomadabi, Annatjie, Nodoli and others with awe. Us kids knew those women's names weren't clean, though we never knew why. But we knew they were the women that danced where Gashe played.

- Todd Matshikiza, "Stars of Jazz", Drum, June 1957.