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Thokozile
''Thokozile'' is an album by the South African mbaqanga group Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens, released in 1987. The album was a reunion of Mahlathini with the backing Makgona Tsohle Band and three of the original Queens, Hilda Tloubatla, Nobesuthu Mbadu and Mildred Mangxola. The album (#Gallo-GRC BL 590) featured re-recordings of older songs such as "Umculo Kawupheli" (heard here as "Sibuyile") and "Sithunyiwe" ("Thokozile"). The album propelled the group into immediate international stardom when it was issued internationally on the Earthworks label. Critical reception Robert Christgau deemed the album "professional dance music at its finest and roughest." ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' wrote that "the music is dense with intertwining melody lines and urgent choruses." ''The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahlathini And The Mahotella Queens
Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens (also known as Mahlathini Nezintombi Zomgqashiyo and Mahlathini and the Girls of Mgqashiyo) were a South African ''mbaqanga'' supergroup made up of the three musical acts linked together by talent scout and record producer Rupert Bopape at the Gallo Recording Company in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1964. The group composed of the following three distinct parts: * The late Simon "Mahlathini" Nkabinde (1937–1999), a "powerful singer" in the ''basso-profundo'' "groaning" style. * The girl group the Mahotella Queens (1964–present), the classic line up being the threesome, Hilda Tloubatla, Nobesuthu Mbadu and Mildred Mangxola. Still recording and performing internationally, the trio are noted for their distinct vocal harmony sound alternating between multi-part harmonies and unison vocals, guitar-led mbaqanga music, and fast stage dancing. * The instrumental band, the Makgona Tsohle Band (1964–1999), that is noted for creating the mbaqa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahlathini And The Mahotella Queens Albums
Simon "Mahlathini" Nkabinde (1937 or 1938 – 27 July 1999) was a South African ''mbaqanga'' singer. Known as the "Lion of Soweto", Nkabinde is the acknowledged exponent of the deep-voiced, basso profundo "groaning" style that came to symbolize mbaqanga music in the 1960s. Nkabinde was also a very active live performer in South Africa, recording and performing with the Mahotella Queens and the backing Makgona Tsohle Band from 1964 to 1971, and then again from 1983 to 1999. The Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens act was propelled into international stardom in the wake of Paul Simon's 1986 ''Graceland'' album. Early career and life Nkabinde was born in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal and grew up in Alexandra, Gauteng. As a young boy, he began leading isicathamiya and mbube choirs at traditional Zulu wedding ceremonies. By the time he was a teenager, Nkabinde's voice was much admired. During the early 1950s, however, his voice became strained and was reduced to a growl. Initially, Nkab ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahlathini
Simon "Mahlathini" Nkabinde (1937 or 1938 – 27 July 1999) was a South African ''mbaqanga'' singer. Known as the "Lion of Soweto", Nkabinde is the acknowledged exponent of the deep-voiced, basso profundo "groaning" style that came to symbolize mbaqanga music in the 1960s. Nkabinde was also a very active live performer in South Africa, recording and performing with the Mahotella Queens and the backing Makgona Tsohle Band from 1964 to 1971, and then again from 1983 to 1999. The Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens act was propelled into international stardom in the wake of Paul Simon's 1986 ''Graceland'' album. Early career and life Nkabinde was born in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal and grew up in Alexandra, Gauteng. As a young boy, he began leading isicathamiya and mbube choirs at traditional Zulu wedding ceremonies. By the time he was a teenager, Nkabinde's voice was much admired. During the early 1950s, however, his voice became strained and was reduced to a growl. Initially, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Makgona Tsohle Band
The Makgona Tsohle Band was a South African instrumental band that is noted for creating the mbaqanga music style. Mbaqanga is an acculturated popular South African music that emerged in the 19th century. Mbaqanga is also referred to as township jive. The group was formed in 1964 at Mavuthela (the 'black music' division of Gallo Record Company), and became the Mavuthela house band. It garnered success by backing fellow Mavuthela-Gallo stars, Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens. It is often referred to as the South African equivalent to Motown's The Funk Brothers. History Origins: 1956 – 1964 The individual band members were all domestic workers from Pretoria. West Nkosi, born in Nelspruit in 1940, was sent to live with his grandfather in Pretoria at the age of 16 to find employment.Allingham, R: Liner notes, ''Mathaka Vol 1''. Gallo Record Company, November 2007 Nkosi found work as a market porter, and then as a house servant, in 1957. During his off-hours, Nkosi played meti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paris - Soweto
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Since the 17th century, Paris has been one of the world's major centres of finance, diplomacy, commerce, fashion, gastronomy, and science. For its leading role in the arts and sciences, as well as its very early system of street lighting, in the 19th century it became known as "the City of Light". Like London, prior to the Second World War, it was also sometimes called the capital of the world. The City of Paris is the centre of the Île-de-France region, or Paris Region, with an estimated population of 12,262,544 in 2019, or about 19% of the population of France, making the region France's primate city. The Paris Region had a GDP of €739 billion ($743 billion) in 2019, which is the highest in Europe. According to the Economist Intelligenc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini. It also completely enclaves the country Lesotho. It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World, and the second-most populous country located entirely south of the equator, after Tanzania. South Africa is a biodiversity hotspot, with unique biomes, plant and animal life. With over 60 million people, the country is the world's 24th-most populous nation and covers an area of . South Africa has three capital cities, with the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government based in Pretoria, Bloemfontein, and Cape Town respectively. The largest city is Johannesburg. About 80% of the population are Black Sou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
West Nkosi
West Nkosi (born Mkhubatseli West Nkosi, 1940 – 8 October 1998) was a South African music producer, saxophonist and songwriter. Nkosi was born in Nelspruit, South Africa. He was an original member of the Makgona Tsohle Band which backed Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens. He was also a producer in the Mavuthela Music subsidiary of Gallo Record Company where he produced thousands of recordings by several famous South African artists, including the first 22 records for Ladysmith Black Mambazo (he managed the group until their international discovery in 1987). Nkosi also produced all the international releases for Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens, and the Makgona Tsohle Band between 1986 and 1991, when he left both the Mahlathini and the Queens and Makgona Tsohle to concentrate solely on producing. Nkosi did, however, return to the recording studio with the critically acclaimed ''Rhythm of Healing: Supreme Sax and Penny Whistle Township Jive'', in 1993. Nkosi was paralyzed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gallo Record Company
Gallo Record Company is the largest (and oldest independent) record label in South Africa. It is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is owned by Arena Holdings. The current Gallo Record Company is a hybrid of two South African record labels, rivals between the 1940s and 1980s: the original Gallo Africa (1926–85) and G.R.C. (Gramophone Record Company, 1939–85). In 1985 Gallo Africa acquired G.R.C.; as a result, Gallo Africa became known as Gallo-GRC. Five years after the acquisition, the company was renamed Gallo Record Company. History Eric Gallo set up a one-man business, the Brunswick Gramophone House, in 1926. The record shop was originally devised to distribute records from the US-based Brunswick Records into South Africa. However, noticing the lack of recording facilities (as well as the amount of local talent) in the country, Gallo decided to form a recording studio in 1932 and, borrowing equipment (and a sound engineer) from the then just-defunct Metropole compan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mbaqanga
Mbaqanga () is a style of South African music with rural Zulu roots that continues to influence musicians worldwide today. The style originated in the early 1960s. History Historically, laws such as the Land Act of 1913 to the Group Areas Act (1950) initially prevented black South Africans from integrating from different tribal communities, consequently making it almost impossible for most black native music artists to gain recognition beyond their tribal boundaries. The music genre mbaqanga developed during this time (1960s) and to this day most of the major record labels are white-owned companies with very few black artists that have contributed to their own material. In Zulu, the term ''mbaqanga'' means an everyday cornmeal porridge. ''Mbaqanga'' aficionados were mostly plebeian, metropolitan African jazz enthusiasts. Many of them were not permitted to establish themselves in the city, but they were unable to sustain themselves in the rural country. ''Mbaqanga'' gave them ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hilda Tloubatla
Hilda Semola Tloubatla (born 1942) is a South African ''mbaqanga'' singer, and the lead singer of the acclaimed group the Mahotella Queens. Tloubatla was born in Payneville, South Africa before moving to kwaThema township in 1951 as a result of (what was) the apartheid government's 'Group Areas Act' in the country.Info.gov.za, National Orders: Order of Ikhamanga, Hilda Tloubatl, 2005. Early life Tloubatla first began her music career by recording at the South African Broadcasting Corporation in the late 1950s and early 1960s. However, it wasn't until she joined the session musician team at Gallo Record Company in 1964 that Tloubatla first gained national fame. She was immediately recruited into a new female group, the Mahotella Queens, as a lead singer, along with fellow group members Nobesuthu Mbadu, Mildred Mangxola, Juliet Mazamisa and Ethel Mngomezulu. The five Queens were then paired with a mbaqanga instrumental team, the Makgona Tsohle Band and the gruff, "groaning" vocals ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nobesuthu Mbadu
Nobesuthu Gertrude Mbadu Shawe (26 April 1945 – 31 August 2021) was a South African ''mbaqanga'' singer, and a singer in the acclaimed group the Mahotella Queens. Early life Mbadu was born in Durban, South Africa and was raised by her father Ferguson Mbadu and her grandmother, Selinah Mbadu.Info.gov.za, National Orders: Order of Ikhamanga, Nobesuthu Mbad 2005. She was a singer in both her school and church choirs, and was a member of the acclaimed Amangeyami group. She was spotted by EMI 'black music' talent scout Max Gcaba, who recruited her to EMI where she made several recordings under the name 'Gcaba Sisters'. Rupert Bopape, the black music talent scout for Gallo Record Company (and producer of Gallo's black music unit Mavuthela Music Company) managed to persuade her to move to his stable in 1965. She agreed and was subsequently recruited into his new female group, the Mahotella Queens alongside fellow group members Hilda Tloubatla, Mildred Mangxola, Juliet Mazamisa and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mildred Mangxola
Nontsomi Mildred Mangxola (born 9 January 1944) is a South African ''mbaqanga'' singer, and a singer in the acclaimed group the Mahotella Queens. Mangxola was born in Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa, and loved singing from a young age. She was also a part of local girl group The Daveyton Queens.Info.gov.za, National Orders: Order of Ikhamanga, Mildred Mangxola , 2005. Early life Rupert Bopape, a talent scout with Gallo Record Company, recruited Mangxola into a new female group, the Mahotella Queens alongside fellow group members Hilda Tloubatla, Nobesuthu Mbadu, Juliet Mazamisa and Ethel Mngomezulu after seeing her perform with the Daveytons. The five Mahotella Queens were then paired with a mbaqanga instrumental team, the Makgona Tsohle Band The Makgona Tsohle Band was a South African instrumental band that is noted for creating the mbaqanga music style. Mbaqanga is an acculturated popular South African music that emerged in the 19th century. Mbaqanga is also referred to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
