Finding your purpose...Curtis' story

I met today’s guest poster on the train (I met the most amazing people on the train actually) I remember him with those giant architecture files and models, he seemed to like what he was doing but he truly lit up when he spoke about music. The end of one year he got off the train with a model of a building and the next got on with a saxaphone… months later I was at this event, I heard this amazing jazz music coming from the balcony I looked up and there was Curtis K, in his element and a true testament of “no fear, just faith”. Going against what people said, he has now shared a stage with musical greats like George Benson and Hugh Masekela and even toured abroad.

He launches his first CD this weekend so if you are in the area DO CHECK IT OUT!!! he will be releasing his Debut Album at AFM Church at 6pm on Sunday…

“There is no career in music.” This is one of the phrases I heard for most of my life. However, I always knew I wanted to do music.

I started playing piano at 8 years old and was ‘introduced’ to the saxophone when I was 10 (because I had no idea it even existed before I started playing it). I played the keyboard in church and later moved on to saxophone. While at school I attended saxophone lessons at the university and did my external exams to later study towards a music degree. Around the last 2 years of school when people started asking me what my plans were after school, I would boldly say: “I’m going to study music” which would result in this very unwelcome phrase being thrown at me.

I was young and naïve and believed everyone else knew better so I started the search for the next best thing that would hold a future for me, something that would ‘bring in money’. So in grade 11/12 I did renovations on my uncle’s property which sparked an architectural interest in me. My dad was a well-known draftsman for years which led me to believe that it must be in my blood. Despite the fact that I was studying electrical at the technical high school I was attending, I chose to study Architecture at university. I tried to convince myself that this was what I wanted to do.

In the architecture department there was a piano and I found myself playing it at least once a day, my friends and workers. I tried my best to succeed in my architectural venture, but deep down I knew I lacked the passion the career required. After completing my end of year portfolio, my design lecturer asked me a few questions about my designs and projects. Amongst them all, the one question that I clearly remember was: “Curtis, are you sure you want to do architecture?” Obviously wanting to give the correct answer I said “Yes, of course”. But that question laid heavily on my heart because I knew the real answer. Soon after that I read an article about a matriculant who also plays the saxophone, who was to do a music degree at UCT. While reading the article, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to do another year of architecture while knowing that music is my passion. I showed the article to my dad and told him that that was exactly what I wanted to do. With my parents’ support, I changed my course the following year.

God has opened so many doors for me since I took that leap of faith. With fellow musicians, I formed a local gospel jazz band, Company of Prophets and shared stages with various international artists such as George Benson, Ernie Smith, Hugh Masekela – a few of many. I’ve been lecturing saxophone students at NMMU for the last 4 years (something I never would’ve anticipated).

Last year, May 2014, I once again took a step into the unknown and traveled to Taiwan with my friend and fellow musician, Wesley Keet. We spent 6 months as part of an International Jazz Band whose members came from Spain, France and Italy.

This year I finally did something I feared doing for many years: I released my first gospel album, Hymns Volume 1, which showcases a collection of traditional hymns that I’ve played at different churches over the last 12 years. I was always afraid of not being ‘good enough’. But I realized that if I don’t take that leap of faith – if I’m going to wait until I’m ‘good enough’- I will never do anything. Even though we are our biggest critics and are often fearful of taking risks, we should remember that 2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” We need not fear that which is unknown because God is in control. Hebrews 11 tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. If our faith is in God who makes all things come into being, the last thing we should feel when it comes to our future is fear. Follow your heart and have faith in what it tells you to believe. Most of all, have faith in God because He knows the plans He has for you, plans that will not harm you but give you a future.