The Cape Town jazz community is mourning the loss of one of its most esteemed figures.
Legendary guitarist and music mentor Alvin Dyers passed away on Sunday at the age of 71.
Born in Harfield Village in 1953, Dyers developed a passion for the guitar at just seven years old, when he received his first guitar, which he shared with his brother Errol.
Errol Dyers, who also had a musical career, passed away in July 2017 at the age of 65 due to complications from emphysema.
At the time of Alvin’s death, he was performing with the Alvin Dyers Trio, featuring Roy Davids on drums and Valentino Europa on bass guitar.
Dyers’ musical journey began with his first band, Sacred Legion, which he formed with Errol. He was also a member of the Pacific Express band, known for its performances in the 1980s.
The father of two, Alvin played his final gig at a friend’s funeral on Saturday before passing away at his Kensington home due to natural causes.
In 2011, the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) honored Dyers through the Western Cape Jazz Legends project, celebrating the province’s rich jazz heritage and promoting greater appreciation for its musicians.
He was also recognized at the 2023 DCAS Cultural Awards with a Ministerial Legacy Award, acknowledging his significant contributions to jazz music as both an educator and guitarist.
DCAS MEC Ricardo MacKenzie stated, “Alvin Dyers was more than just a musician; he was a beacon of inspiration for aspiring artists. His legacy will live on through his music and the countless lives he touched as a teacher and mentor.”
Musician Theodore Lawrence expressed his condolences, saying, “Rest in peace to the great Alvin Dyers who passed away suddenly. My heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Heather Dyers, and sons Alexander and Jordan-Joel Dyers, as well as his friends and colleagues.”
Lawrence further highlighted Dyers’ impact on the music world, noting, “As a music educator who taught jazz guitar privately, in schools, and through community music projects, at the South African College of Music at the University of Cape Town, and as a facilitator of international jazz exchange programs, including those with the Norwegian Jazz Academy, Dyers had a profound influence on the careers of many young jazz musicians and the South African jazz scene as a whole.”
