We recently caught up with composer, saxophonist, and Ansonica Records artist Matt Dacso. Matt is based in Galveston TX, where he is also a full-time physician. His work in the medical field brought him to Botswana in 2009, where he befriended members of the local Afro-jazz scene and ended up forming a group, the Trans-Kalahari Quintet. He regularly returns to Botswana to record and perform with the quintet.
This year, the Trans-Kalahari quintet released their album A LONG JOURNEY HOME with Ansonica Records. Matt joined me to discuss the formation of the quintet, how the album came to be, and his hopes for how listeners worldwide can learn more about the music scene in Botswana.
Thank you Matt for taking time to speak with us!
The TRANS-KALAHARI QUINTET (TKQ) is an instrumental Afro-jazz ensemble comprised of musicians from the United States, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. The band was formed as a quintet by Arthur “Makhwenkwe” Mengwe in 2010, but has steadily added regular members and featured artists over the past decade of collaborative work.
