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Mbaqanga
Mbaqanga () is a style of South African music that emerged in the early 1960s in the urban townships, particularly around Johannesburg. It draws from a variety of ethnic traditions, including Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Pedi, and Tsonga musical elements. Mbaqanga blends traditional South African vocal harmonies, rhythmic patterns, and dance styles with influences from marabi, kwela, and Western popular music such as jazz. It continues to influence musicians both in South Africa and globally. History 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 a staple form of musical and spiritual sustenance; it was their "musical daily bread."Coplan, David B. "Sounds of the 'Third Way:' Identity and the African Renaissance in Contemporar ... [...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 mbaqang ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Soul Brothers
The Soul Brothers is a South African Mbaqanga music group from KwaZulu-Natal formed in 1975 by Moses Ngwenya and David Masondo.https://www.chronicle.co.zw/soul-brothers-return-to-bulawayo/ They released over 45 albums including two solo albums that were released by the lead vocalist David Masondo in collaboration with Deborah Fraser, most of which earned them gold status in the Recording Industry of South Africa. In total the band has sold of over five million copies of their entire albums. In 2001, the band won South Africa Music Awards for the song "Intombi Yam", and in 2011, the band won South Africa Music Awards for best Mbaqanga album. In early 1976, the band released a single, "Mshoza Wami" which sold over 60 000 units within three months which was a rare achievement in the Mbhaqanga music genre. The band has visited many countries and performed in different notable events. Masondo released two solo albums before his death in 2015. On his solo album, he made collaboration ... [...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, Nka ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahotella Queens
The Mahotella Queens is a South African female band formed in 1964 by music producer Rupert Bopape, consisting of Hilda Tloubatla, Nobesuthu Mbadu, and Amanda Nkosi. The group is noted for their distinct vocal harmony sound, guitar-led mbaqanga music, and fast stage dancing. Bopape was a talent scout and producer at the independent Gallo Africa's subsidiary dedicated to black music, Mavuthela Music Company. He formed the Mahotella Queens as the company's resident girl group and the ensemble, often led by the deep-voiced male vocals of Simon 'Mahlathini' Nkabinde, went on to have many hit records during the 1960s. The Queens line-up during this period usually comprised Hilda Tloubatla, Juliet Mazamisa, Ethel Mngomezulu, Nobesuthu Mbadu and Mildred Mangxola. The Queens and Mahlathini were backed by Mavuthela's house band, the Makgona Tsohle Band (including Marks Mankwane on lead guitar and West Nkosi on alto saxophone). In 1972 the line-up of the Mahotella Queens disintegrate ... [...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 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jaiva
Jaiva, Township jive (TJ), Soweto jive, Soweto sound or Soweto beat is a subgenre of South African township music and African dance form that influenced Western breakdance and emerged from the shebeen culture of the apartheid-era townships. Influences and particularity While closely associated with mbaqanga, township jive more broadly incorporates influences from mariba and kwaito, and is synonymous with none of these. To the extent that marabi influences TJ, it may be somewhat sanitised as TJ broke into the international commercial arena. Emergence in world music circles The Boyoyo Boys received additional press coverage when Malcolm McLaren allegedly plagiarised their song "Puleng" and released it as the hit " Double Dutch", capitalising on the emergence of breakdance and hip-hop.Ambrose Ehirim, Sunday, 9 December 2007, The Boyoyo Boys and Township Jive Today , http://magazine.biafranigeriaworld.com/ambrose-ehirim.html Additional momentum for world beat attention to S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mgqashiyo
The music of South Africa exhibits a culturally varied musical heritage in conjunction with the multi-ethnic populace. Genres with the greatest international recognition being mbube, isicathamiya, mbaqanga, afrofusion, kwaito, South African pop music, afro house, South African hip hop, Shangaan electro, bacardi house, bolo house, gqom and amapiano. The country's most internationally recognised and prominent musicians include Solomon Linda, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Stimela, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Ray Phiri, Abdullah Ibrahim, Wouter Kellerman, Brenda Fassie, Seether, Die Antwoord, Jeremy Loops, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Lucky Dube, Lebo M, Goldfish, Freshlyground, Black Coffee, Anatii, Zakes Bantwini, Master KG, Nomcebo Zikode, Nasty C, and Tyla. Pre-20th-century history Early records of music in South Africa as well as Southern Africa indicate a fusion of cultural traditions: African, European and Asian. Modern country's early musician Enoch Sontonga wrote the Souther ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marabi
Marabi is a style of music and dance form that evolved and emerged in South Africa between the 1890s and 1920s. The early part of the century saw the increasing urbanisation of black South Africans in mining centres such as the gold mining area around Johannesburg - the Witwatersrand. This led to the development of township slums or ghettos, and out of this hardship came forth new forms of music, marabi and kwela amongst others. Marabi was the name given to a keyboard style (often using cheap pedal organs) that had a musical link to American jazz, ragtime and blues, with roots deep in the African tradition. Early marabi musicians were part of an underground musical culture and were typically not recorded. Indeed, as with early jazz in the US, the music incurred the displeasure of the establishment. Nonetheless, as with early jazz, the lilting melodies and catchy rhythms of marabi found their way into the sounds of popular dance bands with a distinctively South African style. Th ... [...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 Ladysmith Black Mambazo are a South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of ''isicathamiya'' and ''mbube (genre), mbube''. They became known internationally after singing with American Paul Simon on his 1986 album ''Grace ... (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 Mahl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Graceland (album)
''Graceland'' is the seventh solo studio album by the American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was produced by Simon, engineered by Roy Halee and released on August 25, 1986, by Warner Bros. Records. It incorporates genres including pop music, pop, rock music, rock, ''a cappella'', zydeco, and Music of South Africa, South African styles such as ''isicathamiya'' and ''mbaqanga''. In the early 1980s, Simon's relationship with his former musical partner Art Garfunkel had deteriorated, his marriage to the actress Carrie Fisher had collapsed, and his previous record, ''Hearts and Bones'' (1983), had been a commercial failure. In 1984, after a period of depression, Simon became fascinated by a bootleg cassette of ''mbaqanga'', South African street music. He and Halee spent two weeks in Johannesburg recording with South African musicians. Further recordings were held in the US with American musicians including Linda Ronstadt, the the Everly Brothers, Everly Brothers, Rockin' Dopsie, Roc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marabi
Marabi is a style of music and dance form that evolved and emerged in South Africa between the 1890s and 1920s. The early part of the century saw the increasing urbanisation of black South Africans in mining centres such as the gold mining area around Johannesburg - the Witwatersrand. This led to the development of township slums or ghettos, and out of this hardship came forth new forms of music, marabi and kwela amongst others. Marabi was the name given to a keyboard style (often using cheap pedal organs) that had a musical link to American jazz, ragtime and blues, with roots deep in the African tradition. Early marabi musicians were part of an underground musical culture and were typically not recorded. Indeed, as with early jazz in the US, the music incurred the displeasure of the establishment. Nonetheless, as with early jazz, the lilting melodies and catchy rhythms of marabi found their way into the sounds of popular dance bands with a distinctively South African style. Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miriam Makeba
Zenzile Miriam Makeba ( , ; 4 March 1932 – 9 November 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including African popular music, Afropop, jazz, and world music, she was an advocate against apartheid and white-minority government in South Africa. Born in Johannesburg to Swazi people, Swazi and Xhosa people, Xhosa parents, Makeba was forced to find employment as a child after the death of her father. She had a brief and allegedly abusive first marriage at the age of 17, gave birth to her only child in 1950, and survived breast cancer. Her vocal talent had been recognized when she was a child, and she began singing professionally in the 1950s, with the Cuban Brothers, the Manhattan Brothers, and an all-woman group, the Skylarks (South African vocal group), the Skylarks, performing a mixture of jazz, traditional African melodies, and Western popular music. In 1959, Makeba had a br ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
