Johnny Mbizo Dyani (30 November 1945 – 24 October 1986) was a South African jazz double bassist, vocalist and pianist, who, in addition to being a key member of The Blue Notes, played with such international musicians as Don Cherry, Steve Lacy, David Murray, Finnish guitar player Jukka Syrenius, Pierre Dørge, Peter Brötzmann, Mal Waldron, fellow South African Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim), and Leo Smith, among many other prominent players. Dyani was born (3 years before the establishment of Apartheid) and grew up in Duncan Village, East London, in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, eastern Cape Province of South Africa. In 1966, Dyani toured Argentina with Steve Lacy’s quartet.[1] Lacy, Rava, Dyani and Moholo recorded The Forest and the Zoo. In 1971, Dyani formed his own group Earthquake Power, and in 1972 co-founded Xaba with fellow Blue Note Mongezi Feza and Turkish percussionist Okay Temiz. Performing widely throughout Europe, Dyani moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, in the early 1970s,[1] and about ten years later to Sweden, recording many albums under his own name. He recorded with Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim), Don Cherry, Steve Lacy, David Murray, Joseph Jarman, Clifford Jarvis, Don Moye, Han Bennink, Brotherhood of Breath, Mal Waldron, Pierre Dørge and many others. Dyani died suddenly in 1986 after a performance in West Berlin.
