Grahamstown — Cue contributing editor Daniel Hutchinson gets back to basics with bassist extraordinaire Victor Masondo.

Victor, the National Arts Festival has been missing you. Where have you been?

I've been producing and travelling a lot, mostly to Japan and the USA as well. In Japan I have been touring and producing Japanese musicians and really learning as I was teaching.

Your success as a producer with Ringo and Freshly Ground among other acts made it seem as if your interest had moved away from South African jazz. And yet your Duke Ellington arrangements for big band suggest otherwise. What is your next move?

My next move is to really create an interest in African Jazz as a powerful art worldwide. The first time I used these arrangements was in Washington DC where it was a tribute to both Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington. It got standing ovations and was very much appreciated. I love our music and cannot move from it at all.

You have also been mentoring young South African musicians in the business aspects of the music industry. Do you find our music industry to be more supportive of young artists at present than was the case a few years ago?

It could be better. We really need to support our artists by providing them with more venues and resources so they can be able to grow in their art. The industry needs to have more vision to support the art at grass roots level, support is needed from a young age and this music and its history has to be taught in every South African school.

Lastly, are you coming back for the Festival in 2010?

I definitely am planning to do so!