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The music of the Townships as a genre was originated in the 1900s and is characterized by its musicians, who were often urban Township residents during the the Apartheid era in south Africa. The music of the Townships was created because of the presence of segregation during the time of segregation, and the musicians in the Townships created the music in response to the environment. The music of the Townships in South Africa began with the migrant laborers, who lived in area which were labor reserve and dormitories. These poorly built houses which the African occupants had to rent, were built by Apartheid for its lower classes Africans. In the 1950s the Apartheid regime passed legislation to further consolidate the Apartheid state, and violent methods of implementation also assisted this along. One of the most serious legislation that was passed for urban African music was the Group Areas Act of 1950, which separated all racially mixed neighborhoods by removing African communities and relocating them on the peripheries and into townships. From these ghettoes we are able to see emotions and creativity of musicians within the Townships due to a lack of power, resulted in the musicians' need to explore alternative musical paths. The Apartheid regime suppressed the music of jazz because it was music aspiring to musical and social equality. The aim of the Apartheid rulers was to form an ideology and program for separating and turning African South Africans against each other. But, African people, who were a musical community, found many ways around the system and created music even when they were facing draconian laws and many African music lovers bought their music and gave them some serious form of support. Music amongst African South Africans is like breathing is to human beings, and they proved it by creating new genres of music where none existed.
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South Africa's polyrhythmic and soulful songs are some of the best in the world. Sifiso Ntuli put it this way: "Song is something that we communicate to the people who otherwise would not have understood where we are coming from. You could give the long political speech and they would still not understand, but I tell you, when you finnish that song, people be like I know where you guys are coming from.' South Africa is distinguished by the most complex musical history, and the greatest profusion of styles and the most intensely developed recording industry anywhere in Africa. Despite many regional and stylistic variations, its music - vocal based and long and deeply influenced by America and Europe, it is different from what one would hear anywhere else on the continent, or from nearby parts of central, for that matter, anywhere in the world. This is a country where you have twelve year-old children break out in complex harmonies whose time signatures defy the rigid regiment of the metronome, classic scoring is a foreign concept. For Africans in South Africa, everyday is a new song or two or three. Throughout South Africa, there is a song for every event. In fact, South African African music is one of the most influential countries in the world of music, and it is also the homeland of some of the greatest and most popular artists in the world. Although from the 1900s, American Jazz music came into South Africa, and the Africans took to it and tried to imitate it, there has always been African folk music by all the 9 clans that comprise the Maguni/Bakone folk music which illustrates the the diverse and attractive use of instrumentation by these different ethnic groups, as well as different vocal styles, whilst maintaing a distinctly and uniquely African South African sound in texture and musical sounds. This type of music and other types of music have large audiences and followers right throughout the country of South Africa and the continent of Africa. The singers of these folk songs sing about the day-to-day issues of the common man and they sing in styles that are appealing to their community and the world.
African Traditional, Spiritual, Church, Popular Music in South AfricaAfrican Spiritual and Church and Mbube Music Music for African people is for everyone and it also goes hand in hand with some form of dance and as background, and adn everyone participating as singers in the song. African people sang in school choirs, church choirs, in the many vocal groups that were all over the shanty towns, the reserves and the Townships. There are a lot of funeral dirges, wedding songs, songs for the ancestors, community vocal a cappella and songs for the struggle, Jazz and so on. There are many different influences that have influence and affected African music in South Africa. The missionaries provided the first organized musical training into the country and this brought to light many of the African musicians like Enoch Santonga, who wrote the African National Anthem ""Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika". Around the end of the 19th century, South Africa elites in cities like Cape Town, Natal and Johannesburg were influenced by foreign musicians and sounds like the 'Ragtime', which gave rise to the music of the Colored by the 'Coons' and other new genre of African music. And in 1890s, Orpheus McAdoo's Jubilee Singers popularized American Spirituals by the 1890s and this influence was made even more popular by singers like Mahalia Jackson. This led to the emergence of Gospel Music in the early twentieth century.
Before Christianity came to South Africa, people believed that the spirits of their ancestors controlled their daily lives, and they still do today. There was a central God, who was called "Umvelinqange" or "Moholomoholo" ("The Great, Great One" or "The "Old, Old one"). All this has more than historical interest because millions of African South Africans still worship their ancestors the old way. "Izigubhu" or "Meropa"(Drums) to call upon and communicate with their ancestors; they also use drums to sing and dance to the ancestors on special celebratory activities. Many more Africans, especially the poor and poorly educated, merely gave up the "White Man's religion. They instead turned to other forms of worship which they have found more gratifying. There are three categories of these:
The Ethiopians Movement (Inspired by Garveyism;
The Zionists and
The return to Ancestors Worship. These new, all-African, independent Christian churches were greatly influenced by mission churches from which they sprang. But they refused allegiance to any European source of authority. Instead, they espoused the Ethiopian line which, at its simplest. From these, years later came a new and colorful offshoot of Christianity , called Zionism. As orthodox Christian influence has slipped, these independent and Zionist churches(they have nothing in common with Israel's Zionism), have multiplied. Today there are several thousands of them with a total membership in the millions.
The Zion Christian Church(ZCC) is the largest African Initiated Church in Southern Africa, with 10-15 million member belonging to the ZCC, and 3 to 5 million members belonging to the saint Engenas ZCC. ZCC, began in 1910, and have heir headquarters in Moria, in the Limpopo province, South Africa. Engenas Lekganyane, a former member of the Free Church of Scotland, apostolic FAith Mission and Zion Apostolic. One of the most important missions of ZCC is to heal people and they have a very strong male contingent of singers in khaki jacket and trousers, with their made-from-tires-boots they use to stump on the ground as they sing in formation and according to age. Though their songs are sung in different South African languages, and they are more
a cappella and soulful in their singing. The African Zion churches have also their peculiar singing style which in most times is accompanied by drum(Isgubhu), bells and some percussion along with hand-clapping. Then there are the European Anglican churches, Roman Catholic, Seventh Day Adventists(who have affected music too amongst) Methodists and so forth. There are also Africans believe in their ancestors who sing being accompanied by "Isgubhu"(Drums) and some other percussion, dancing and singing. The "Isgubhu" used to rouse the ancestors are smeared with red ochre mixed with animal blood on the drum skin, and heated next to fires for the best part of the early night. In the deep of the night, when payed, these sacred drums have a haunting and eerie sound accompanied by singing and hand clapping.
Mbube, Iscathamiya, Ngomabusuku, Isishameni, Umzansi and Ummqongo StylesMusic is everywhere and anytime amongst the Africans in South Africa. There is music sung by children in the street, the youth in several places and occasions like weddings and other community celebrations. One of the most interesting and powerful genres of African popular music is called or known as "Mbube music" or "Iscathamiya" or "INgoma Busuku", sung mostly in
a cappella mode and all the group are composed of all males singing all various parts of the harmony in very melodious rendition and tradition.
This music really started in the 19th century when the American Minstrel shows became very popular form of stage entertainment. For African audiences, however, no visiting minstrel troupe created a deeper impression than the Orpheus MCAdoo's Minstrel, Vaudeville and Concert Company. Between 1890 and 1898, McAdoo, one of the first Afro-Americans of note to visit South Africa, made two phenomenally successful tours of the country that lasted ore than five years. By the turn of the century, in the wake of McAdoo's tours, minstrel had reached even remote rural areas in South Africa, where mission school graduates formed minstrel troops and they adopted names such as , "AmaNigel Coons", "Pirate Coons", or "Yellow Coons".
The most well known is the world Renowned "Ladysmith Blackmambazo". This traditional music is still alive and well in South africa and there are hundreds of groups that sing Mbube music. This music was made popular by migrant workers in all the industrial center like Johannesburg and the city of Durban in Natal. They also hold weekly all night competitions that might involve as many as 30-40 choirs, from the vital artery of Mbube music. They sung a complex and variety of traditional and modern styles that are themselves the products of a long process of modernization, urbanization and rural-urban interaction. This music also reflects upon the experiences and struggles of generations of migrant workers which the Mbube performers moulded these diverse idioms into a unique expression of Zulu songs for the poor and working class identity.
Apart from the more urban 'ragtime' and 'coon song' influences, veteran performers identify two further, rural sources of early Mbube music: "Ngoma"(Zulu for music) light dance and wedding songs and the hymnody of rural missions congregations in the districts of Dundee, Newcastle and Vryheid in the Natal Interior, South Africa. These areas have been subjected to intense missionization and were part of the established coal mining center of this region, and this accounts for the Mbube origins. Removal of Africans from the lands and being placed in the crowded so -called Native reserves by the colonialists for free and cheap labor supply from the Africans to cities like Johannesburg and Durban, facilitated for the formation of the music. Ngoma is a collective term for great variety of dance styles such as 'Isishameni', 'Umzansi', and 'Umqongo' which originated among farm laborers in the Natal midlands during the 1920s. The early protagonist of 'Isishameni' created a new song style incorporating the more western hymn based wedding songs in 'Izingoma zomshado'((Wedding Songs) into traditional material. By the 1920s, these wedding songs were already danced to steps derived from urban "raking" movements popularized by a man called Caluza. To the present day, choirs maintain a practice of "Ukureka"(Ragtime) while entering the hall from the door. The accompanying songs are called "Amakhoti(Chords) and according to the veteran, Paulos Msimanga, are borrowed from African wedding songs.
According to T. Pewa, most Mbube performers "first heard of [Western] music at school and were encouraged by teachers to sing church hymns ... By singing in church we got to know that that there is soprano, alto, tenor and bass, and not singing in unison as the Ngoma dancers do ... After we left school, we continued to sing. We just wanted show that males could do it without females." Experimenting with wedding songs and other African traditional material, and incorporating elements of the "Isikhunzi" tradition, Solomon Linda, a young migrant laborer form Pomeroy in Natal, had begun to formulate a style that emphasized strong bass lines, soft falsetto solos, and a repetitive I-!V-14-6-v7 harmonic pattern that characterized much of South African African working class music. Linda became the first Mbube to introduce group uniforms and in 1939, his group, the 'Evening Birds' attracted the attention of Gallo recording company and producers, where Linda worked as a packer. The first recording, "Mbube"("Lion") not only became an instant success, but its title soon became synonymous for the entire genre: "Mbube".
There were Mbube groups with names like the "Dundee Evening Birds"(1948), "Natal Champions"(1935), "Dundee Wandering Singers"(1950), Ngobese's Morning Light Choir"(1947, "Bantu Glee Singers"(1932), "Fear No Harm Choir"(1934), "African Zulu Male Voice Choir"(1935), Choir"(1935), "Shooting Stars"(1947), "Durban Crocodiles"(1969), King Star Brothers"(1968) and "Ladysmith Blackmambazo"(1967), just to name some of the well known and famous few Mbube Groups. One other thing worth noting is that Linda's influence on later Mbube groups was, however, not restricted to musical sounds. I. Sithole recalls that the dance, called 'istep'(step), highlighted uniformly of movement and a "soft touch." Whereas "isikhwela Joe" performances were characterized by still and static body postures, Mbube dancing featured slow, but intricate footwork contrasting with a straight, uninvolved torso. Both the stalking choreography and the close harmony, deep resonant bass sound of Mbube remain the basis of all succeeding styles until present. Mbube transitioned to smooth, low key "Cothoza Mfana" and "Iscathamiya sound" of the late 1960s and 1970s.
Etymologically, "Iscathamiya" derives from "cathama", "to walk softly," while "Cothoza Mfana" is best translated as as "walk steadily, boy". "Cothoza Mfana" was the name of the show launched by South African Broadcaster(SABC), Alexius Buthelezi who launched it in the 1960s. The development of "Cothoza Mfana" should be also be attributed to the King Star Brothers. "Cothoza Mfana" eventually replaced Mbube as the most common term for Zulu male choral singing. In terms of musical substance, Cothoza Mfana shared the same tonal, structural and rhythmic features with its predecessor styles like "Isikhwela Joe" and "Mbube". The discovery of Mbube music by the Zulu radio service of the SABC, and Buthelezi's "Cothoza Mfana" Show popularized Mbube or "Cothoza Mfana" beyond the community of migrant workers. Since the early 1970s and due to outstanding musicianship of the Ladysmith Blackmambazo, Mbube music, "Cothoza Mfana" or "Scathamiya" found millions of fans throughout South Africa. Shabalala's [of the Mamabazo] contribution to "Isicathamiya/Mbube was to offer a new narrative style that combines poetic sensitivity with deep, metaphorical Zulu. Like few popular musicians before him,he was able to give meaningful expression to the experience and thoughts of millions of African South Africans. Shabalala said: "To make a song is like writing a book. Remind the people of the olden things, tell them about the future. Just try to help them."
Marabi, Kwela and Mbaqanga - Authentic African South African Original SoundsAfricans, in their struggle against Apartheid, Apartheid South African Radio Stations and predator Recording studios like Gallo Records, tried to find their own identity by pioneering Marabi, Kwela and Mbaqanga Sounds. They were also avoiding being swamped by the Bebop, and American sounds. From the time when the settlers set their foot in South Africa, attacks were made on the authentic traditional
Music of the People. When Vasco da Gama landed in the Cape, he was flabbergasted when he saw the Khoi play five flutes at a time. The colonialists who invaded South Africa have been trying to get a grip on African music, that was then, as it is still now, fully integrated in their everyday life, playing an important role at wedding ceremonies, funerals, initiation rites, daily work and entertainment. Even in the early stages of the colonization, the oppressors realized that, unless they were able to break the cultural fiber that gave the African people their sense of pride and cultural identity, it would be a difficult process to administer them political or exploit them economically. Thus it was that, at certain stages in South African history, some folk songs, usually sung at funerals or in war, were either discouraged or banned.
In the late 19th century mineral revolution in South Africa created an African proletarian melting pot of various African ethnic groups, cultures and traditions which soon manifest itself in a variety of songs,dances and instrumentation. The miners gave performances during their leisure time of a cultural blend of African melodies and demonstrated their exposure to a variety of cultural influences that of the Malay Slaves and a bit of the colonizers' musical cultures. By the 1900, African slums and shanty towns, built particularly around the mining compounds, and African culture was so diversified that a 'epical urban cultural tradition was born, woven around the means of survival in poverty and from police pass raids'. The one escape form everyday misery was the Shebeen(Jook joints-like), which were places where 'illicit' alcohol beverages were sold. The Shebeens were important in that they played a significant role in the development of urban African musical culture because various urban songs were performed there. They became the working pace for the unemployed musicians, who could in this way avoid working for white bosses.
Marabi - Original African Music Played with Western Instrument The music called Marabi(meaning "to Fly Around") was born out of a call for modern African urban music from every African groups, and it was also really born out of the Shebeens. Marabi is an African polyphonic sound and was the cultural interpretation of African music in an urban environment and it was played using Western instruments like tambourines, guitars,concertina and bones, pebble-filled cans and pianos. The music of Marabi was a form of protest against exploitation and an escape from day-to-day misery. Later on Marabi was played on an organ by, among other, the renowned Boet Gashe from Queenstown, which was nicknamed "Little Jazz Town". the great significant character of Marabi was was its multi-ethnic dimension, and it was diametrically opposed to the oppressors divide-and-rule ideology of the apartheidizers. Marabi was more than music, it was much more the expression of a new cultural development among the growing urban African workers.
The organ was later on added to the instruments of Marabi, and Boet Gashe from Queenstown, nicknamed "Little Jazz Town", was among the fist musicians to use it. Marabi as a music genre had an multi-ethnic character, that was diametrically opposed to the oppressors ideology of divide-and-conquer as its policy. Marabi was more than music, it was more so the expression of a new cultural development among the growing urban African workers. Marabi first appeared between the 1920s all throughout to the 1940s in the Johannesburg slumyards in South Africa. Marabi was not only influenced the the social economic and social conditions, but was influenced by a variety of other issues by assimilating a large amount of performance tradition into one main style of music. Marabi may also means a lawless, loose person or rowdy environment. Robinson states that in the Empire Exhibition, Marabi music was not allowed to be part of the show indicating the selective enthusiasm of White audiences for contemporary African performance. Marabi was criticized because it was associated with the culture of heavy drinking, and that if reflected the 'dangers' of free Africans. This music was disliked because it originated in the urban Township, and this form of Township music dynamics and hardships of urban life in slum-yards. Coplan says that Marabi lyrics were considered rather 'loose' in that the participants were free to make up lyrics to suit the melody as they wished and also were well-known for being an expression of political protest at the time.
The Jazz Maniacs, around 1935 to 1944, were the leaders in playing the music of Marabi.
In 1982, Wilson "Kingforce" Silgee offered this historical account of Marabi: "We were the most popular band The Jazz Maniacs). I knew Marabi beat and Zuluboy was a Marabi pianist. so we put that beat into our music. That's why we had a bigger following. The roots of the African people; we had them in our rhythm. Marabi used to happen over weekends when the "girls" were off,and the domestic workers were given given of. It used to take place from Friday until Monday morning. The Jazz Maniacs stood well into the 1950s when "Mbaqanga" became popular and the band could not join in Sophiatown. If the Marabi was specially loved among African(unskilled) workers, the African middle class developed an interest in American jazz. Partly due to World War II, the import of American jazz stagnated(there were jazz movies), and there was a gap in the market which was gratefully filled by the South African musicians. Singers like Dolly Rathebe from Sophiatown became hugely popular with their arrangements(not copies, but versions with their won African arrangements) of successful American Jazz tunes. Increasingly, jazz became an inalienable part of Africans in the South African music scenes, manifesting itself particularly in the ethnic and cultural melting pot of Sophiatown, the legendary demolished suburb of Johannesburg [and in its place town called "Triomf" (Triumph), was built by the Apartheid regime] - my addition]."
Pennywhistle Jive - Kwela MusicThe music of Kwela was first produced by children in the African Slums as they creatively imitated their favorite jazzmen. Pennywhisles were overlooked by overseas audiences and they were considered to be a child's instrument. It may not have met with friendly ears from the White folks, but Africans managed to look upon Kwela as an authentic expression of their urban culture rather than an indolent pastime of juvenile delinquents. Kwela was even regarded was even regarded as the new, close-harmony Township style based on Marabi or on the songs of the migrant worker, most of it was original. Just like Marabi, Kwela music became popular despite the adversities that it faced. In fact, young urban Africans danced to Kwela Music, which to some, entailed a sexually suggestive form of jive dancing where the dancers shouted the world, Kwela(meaning, climb up or climb on , or climb, which might mean anything to climb on top of, or come on and join in the dance). Kwela turned to be profitable for the city of Johannesburg, where it was born, and it competed with imported music and was also well commercialized by studios in Johannesburg.
Pennywhistle jive , focused as usual in Johannesburg city, was one of the first musical styles to become a commercial phenomenon and the very first to win a measure of International renown. The indigenous predecessors to the Pennywhistle was the reed flute of cattle herders, with three finger holes. When the herd boys came to the cities, they were able to buy similar "tin" whistles with with six finger holes, made in Germany. Willard Cele has been credited with creating a Pennywhistle by placing the six-holed flute between his teeth at an angle. Cele spawned a legion of imitators and fans, especially after appearing in the 1951 film "The Magic Garden".(Wiki)
Copland states that this particular style makes use of a unique combination of instruments including the string bass, the guitar, drums and several Pennywhistles to construct the strong repetitive melodic line. Groups of flautists payed on the streets of South African cities in the 1950s, many of these Pennywhistle players played in White areas, and the police would come and arrest them for creating public disturbance. some young Whites were attracted to the music, and came to be known as "Ducktails", and they were regarded as juvenile delinquents and they loved this music called "Kwela". Pennywhistle jive also spread outside of South Africa, and this was through the migrant workers, to Lesotho, Swaziland and Malawi(Wiki)
It took several years for the record companies to wake up to the commercial potential of the Pennywhistlers. Little flute material was released until 1954, When Spokes Mashiyane's "Ace Blues" backed with the 'Kwela Spokes" became the biggest African hit of the year. Only then did record producers begin to take the flute jive seriously, and in the following decade around a thousand a thousand 78 rpm discs were issued. After is initial success, Spokes Mashiyane remained the most single and famous Pennywhistler, although another flute star, Abia Temba was also very popular throughout the 1950s.
The beginning of the end of the Pennywhistle craze can be precisely pinpointed and traced with the song "Big Joe Special", Spokes Mashiyane's first recording on the saxophone. Much as his "Ace Blues" had created sales sensation and inspired a legion of imitators four years before, and "Big Joe Special" proved to be the trendsetting hit of 1958. In its wake, every African producer now wanted material by similar-style sax players, and most Pennywhistlers, assuming they could get a saxophone, were happy to provide it.
After the success of "Big Joe Special", sax jives overtook Pennywhistle recordings in popularity to become the most popular African musical genre, and this was a development which did not meet with African universal approval. One jazz saxophonist, Michael Xaba, disdainfully referred to the new style as "Mbaqanga" - literally a "Dumpling" or some 'amorphous indistinguishable mixture' in Zulu, and in this instance, it meant "homemade" sounds - because most of its practitioners were musically illiterate. Ironically, the name soon gained a common currency as a term of endearment and indeed, the public's taste for instrumental "Mbaqanga" went on to last up to today and still progressing very rapidly and in some way, artists like Phuzekhemisi, have turned Mbaqanga into a political music. As well Spokes Mashiyane, the other key figure in sax jive, and in the whole South African music business, was West Nkosi, who was Gallo Recording Studios Mbaqanga saxophonist and an eminent producer.
Mbaqanga and Mqashiyo: African South Africans Original MusicThe popular music of African South South Africans in the Townships has been an outlet for both frustration and exuberance - an expression of a people's ever - vital spirit in the fact o oppression. Like the Blues or Reggae, Township styles known collectively as "Mbaqanga" or "jive" transmuted African traditional melodies and rhythms into electric urban popular African music. The restless city and Township energy poured out of the singers with 'open throated' abandon. Mbaqanga is a progeny of Marabi and Kwela styles of the Africans. It is a multi-ethnic music from different groups, but more specifically, it is the continuation of the Marabi and Kwela music from the Townships, with a little, but not significant touch of American jazz. But as a musical genre, it has its own original freshness and originality analogous to its place in African music history.
Mbaqanga as a musical genre in South Africa is very popular amongst South Africa. In the early 1950s, SABC along with the government created what was know as 'Msakazo', beamed from the Redifisions(Radiofusion), whereby the radio studios had speakers installed in the Township houses, and the programming was doe from the SABC African studios. The music of Iscathamiya, Marabi, Kwela and the music of Lekganyane and the Zionists was played up to a certain time in the evening: meaning, it was blast through these in-build house speakers to the African population. In fact, Mbaqanga, whether in the hall or stadium festival are the most attended and biggest of all the festivals in South Africa. Mbaqanga shows are characterized by several segments, beginning with a more traditional form of music, dance and costume transitioning to a more westernized form, and closed with a more African traditional dance and music format. The lyrics of Mbaqanga do consist of short couplets, according to Copland, but they also contain messages which deal with peoples day-to-day lives and with people like Phuzekhemisi who have gone political and other groups like Ama SAP and so forth, are the favorite amongst the african audiences. The instruments used in Mbaqanga change according to the band and musicians. But, their instruments include, guitars, drums, pianos, organs, Accordions, violins, drums and percussion and sound effects both vocally and technico-digitized sound production, and they also use a wah-wah paddle to affect the sound of the lead guitar, sometimes following the melodic vocalization of the women, who sang in all African languages in south africa.
One thing important about Mbaqanga was that its recordings show the development of women Mbaqanga recordings by female harmony groups. Beginning with the Dark City Sisters, who were immensely popular during the the fifties and sixties in many parts of the African Continent, these recordings were mostly by women artists. The music of the Dark City Sisters had a full impact on the Music of Zaire, Malawi, Zimbabwe Maputu and other African Musicians throughout Africa. The Dark City Sisters were much more than the greatest close harmony ensemble of their era(mid-1950s to id-1960s). A huge landmark in the history of modern South African music, and they brought a timeless freshness, originality ad excitement to a scene dominated by Western Jazz and Pop. The Dark City Sisters, more than any of their contemporaries, marked the transition from only imitating American Jazz and pop on record to a much more indigenous local pop hybrid, mixing Marabi Jazz with the harder sounds of Kwela(pennywhistle music) and Mbaqanga/Township Jive.
Jouyce Mogatusi's Dark City Sisters were under the direction of "talent scout" Rupert Bopape, , building on the foundations of artists like Mirriam Makeba, who also performed as part of the Skylarks. The group's rise almost mirrored the growth of rock 'n roll. Despite difficult working conditions at the time, under apartheid, against all odds, some of the greats managed to overcome the strict controls and manipulation in order to create something vibrant and lasting. The 50s saw the flowering of African Culture in many spheres, paralleling the general opening-u of society in the West. There were developments in journalism - especially typified by Drum Magazine, which helped broaden social and political awareness as well as promoting nationwide appeal of musical personalities. Music poured out of Shebeens(Jook-Joints) and everywhere there was a wind-up gramophone that played the 78 rpm's. Street musicians, often kids playing Pennywhistles, busked on the sidewalks. There was also another group called the "Flying Jazz Queens", who were the friendly rival of the Dark City Sisters with similar backing. It was common in those days to sometimes include songs by other artists when an album of a particular group's singles was being compiled. Like the Dark City Sisters, the Flying Jazz Queens also released a string of hits.
The music of the Dark City Sisters, the Flying Jazz Queens, and many others gave ordinary people a moment's escape into pure pleasure and a reminder of a rich cultural heritage. In one of their original sleeve notes to one of the Dark City Sisters' album they stated: "Forget your troubles and just get happy!" All of these positive developments were soon overshadowed by the increasing brutality of the inhuman racist political system(Apartheid), whose last vestiges have yet to be eradicated in the year 2010 and beyond. In 1963 Bopape left EMi for Gallo taking Mahlathini and others with him. later Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens were to inherit the musical supremacy that was once the preserve of the Dark City Sisters for over a decade.
From the 1960s onwards we see the emergence of the Mahotella Queens with their male singer known as the "groaner" hit the Mbaqanga music scene which they later called "Umqashiyo"(Zulu word for "Bounce" - Although"Mqashiyo was actually a name for a popular dance akin to "Ukuqhobosha" usually danced in weddings and celebrations by young girls). The dancing done by the women to the music and the rhythms on stage are all in sync with the music of Mbaqanga and they do a lot of "Ukuqhhobosha and their dance is the music altogether is called Umqashiyo. Their soaring vocals, often in counterpoint with the deep voice of the 'groaner' Mahlathini, were matched with some of the hottest Mbaqanga rhythms and they were the best group of all time.
The groaning of Mahlathini was at first considered to be a commercial gimmick invented by AaronJack Lerole of EMI's Black Mambazo in the early 1960s. Lerole subsequently gained a measure of groaning fame as "Big Voice Jack", and in the process, managed to permanently strip his vocal chords. His efforts were soon overtaken by Simon "Mahlathini" Nkabinde. As a teenager, Mahlathini secured a considerable reputation as a singer at traditional weddings in Alexandra Township, next to Johannesburg, where he led a large female group in typical African polyphonic fashion. His magnificent bass voice was well suited to the groaning style. The groaning style Mahlathini used is a well-known sound and voice found in many singing groups, choirs and ther African musical troupes within the African Community in South Africa. In many Township groups who sing in weddings and celebrations, one finds a groaner or several of them in the background backing up the female or other male singers. This can also be observed or heard from the dancing and singing male choirs of the Lekhanyane choirs. In some other Mbaqanga music like BheKumuzi Luthuli, "Amaswazi Emvelo" and others , you not only find the lyrics containing a narrative about daily live ups and downs, but they also do a Zulu rap("Izithakazelo- praises of one's family, clan or ones prowess in fighting or anything deemed worth rapping about). Amaswazi Emvelo" band are an exuberant vocal trio(Albert "Jerry" Motha, Wison Buthelezi and Sipho Madondo, backed by a powerful guitar and organ band. Johnson Mkhalali is a prominent accordion jive specialist. "Dilika" and "Jozi" are two of the Zulu groups led by David Mtshali and Moses Mchunu respectively. Then there is "Abafakazi" with Osiazi Ntsele on the vocals and they employ the distinctive Mbaqanga sax sound and jumping bass in the repertoire. "Nganesiziamfisa" No "Khambalomvaleliso" are one of the very popular Zulu-guitar/traditional groups.
Soon, all the essential Mbaqanga elements coalesced under the Mavuthela production facility; the male groaner roaring in counterpoint to intricately arranged five-part female harmonies, underpinned, - thank to the "Makhona Tsohle (Manages Everything) Band - with new style, totally electric instrumental back up; and this band had an ace guitarist guy called Marks Mankwane on the helm and he helped to provide the driving beat. This band also contributed to the sax jive instrumental showcasing West Nkosi. The members of this supergroup came from many varied clans and cultural groups in South Africa, and they comprised of the Zulus, Sothos, Pedis, Swazis, Xhosas and the Shangaan peoples. This was the case with many Mbaqanga groups throughout South Africa. After several years of growing popularity, vocal mbaqanga began to be reffered to as "Mqashiyo" ("Bounce" dance by women mostly- form the "Ukuqhobosha" dances done by women when singing in a choir at a wedding or celebration). In this case we can mention the "Mthembu Queens", The "Dima Sisters", "Mgababa Queens""Izintombi Zesimanjemanje" and the Makgonatsohle Band, and the Mahotella Queens, and so on.
One of the crucial developments leading towards Mbaqanga's characteristic harmonies was the use of five vocal parts rather than the four-part harmonies common in African-American vocal styles. The African female studio vocalists discovered that if the single tenor line was divided into a high and low tenor par, the resulting harmonies took on a breadth that was reminiscent of African traditional vocal styles. Copland says that the songs of Mbaqanga start with a lead guitar introduction, followed by by the bass(sometimes the bass opens a songs), followed by the bass melody pattern based on the F-C-G7-C formula played over a bouncing 8/8 Township rhythm.
In the 1970s, the female chorus-plus-groaner formula retained its popularity when practiced by old favorites like the Mahotella Queens, but almost every successful new Mbaqanga group had an exclusively male line-up. In the mid-1970s, David Thekwane produced a string of hits at Teal Records with the "Boyoyo Boys", and then there were the Soul Brothers and others. They were originally assembled s a a studio backing band for sax jive artist Thomas Phale, the same musicians later accompanied and lent their collective name to a male vocal group led by principal composer Petrus Maneli and their half-chanted harmonies and loping rhythms gave the Boyoyos a totally unique sound. One of their biggest successes, "Puleng", later caught the ear of British Producer Malcolm McClaren who subsequently transformed it into the 1981 British number one hit "Double Dutch"
Mbaqanga is still the main music of Africans in South Africa, and just because in the 1960s and 1970s , Soul, Disco and Pop music somewhat took-over the Music scene in South Africa, Mbaqanga never went into obscurity as claimed by some people. Yes, Paul Simon may may have launched Ladysmith Blackmambazo with the help of Hugh and Mirriam, and Mahlathini's appearance in Wembley Stadium and in Festivals in France and Central Park in New York, but Mbaqanga has never died nor stopped being popular in south Africa. This propelled the Mbaqanga as a musical genre fully into the International stage and musical front. Mbaqanga morphed into a new genre I would preferably call the Songs of the People. Just as Mbaqanga evolved from Marabi and Kwela.
'The Songs and the Music of the People' , as a genre, evolved into and from a very powerful mixture of Mbaqanga, Kwela, Marabi, and African Jazz, which has a crowded field of artists never mentioned before.
These are The Songs and the Music of the PeopleThe Soul Music which hit the United States in the early and late sixties affected the music and dance amongst the youth in South Africa. The should music from Booker-T and the MG's, Ottis Redding, Wison Pickett, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, The Impressions, Diana Ross and the Supremes Marvin Gaye, Percy Sledge, Brooke Benton, The Jackson Fives, Donny Hathaway, The Isley Brothers, The Meters, The O'Jays, War, The Temptations, The Staple Singers The Spinners The Beatles The Crudsaders, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Houston Person, Jimmy Smith, John Patton. The Three Sounds, Tom Scott, Weather Report and a host of Jazz musicians from Ragtime, Louis Armstrong, to Wynton Marseilles and contemporary young jazz lions and R&B, Disco and house music. But in the sixties, it was the soul music from the United states which gave rise to "Soul Music' in South Africa.
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The African Groups that were playing their Township brand of soul were the 'In Laws', 'The Movers, The 'Beaters'(who later called themselves 'Harari'), The 'Teenage Lovers', The Red Flames, The 'Heroes', The 'Movers, The Flames and many many more. The music was exploding in South Africa and there were many dance troupes that were created like the 'High Balloons' and other groups who were holding dance competitions all over the halls and stadium and in the yards of many homes, sponsored by locals. Mbaqanga has always, form its beginnings, been part of the local music scene, no matter which genre is in fashion. So that,even during the era of soul music or Kwaito in the Townships, Mbaqanga was still and is still is King. But Soul music in the Twonsips took it s own turn, that some groups kept on playing the Township brand of Soul, and some evolved to a more Afro-beat sound like the group 'Harari', 'Varikweru', 'The Kabasa', 'Batsumi'(Hunters) banned along with 'Varikweru' by Apartheid. Some were dismantled by the security forces for their political content and were never known nor recognized.
The music for the african people evolved with groups and individuals like The VIP's Babsie Mlangeni, 'Mpharanyana and the Peddlars', 'The All Rounders', 'Margaret Mcingana', 'Gilbert Matthews and Spirits Rejoice', 'The Group Joy'\ with Felicia Marion' known as the South African Supremes, Individual artists like 'Themba Mokoena', 'Baba Mokoena', 'Bakithi Khumalo', 'Paul Ndlovu', 'District Six' the Band, 'Mara Louw', 'The Drive', 'The Young Lovers', 'Victor Ndlazilwana and the Jazz Ministers', 'Juluka', 'Jabula' and many others. This was a time in South African music evolution when all the musical genres, new and old colluded and collided. Petty apartheid was introduced, and there were more jazz goups that were born in the musical mix and beat.
South African JazzSouth african Jazz has had many elements contributing to its evolution and development, and the most prominent and significant being the rich and eclectic cultural diversity of the country's inhabitants and their culture and musical culture together. As has been noted above, McAdoo and his Minstrels had a profound impact on the music of south Africa including Jazz. For instance, the history of the African Jazz Pioneers goes back to the early fifties when jazz was the fashion and big bands were the name of the game and the music of the day. It was when Dorkay House(at the end of Eloff Street, Johannesburg) provided a haven for South Africa's music and Arts , Drama, Music school and performances.
In 1959, the American peianist John Mehegan organized recordings sessions usingmany of the prominent South AfrianJazz musicians and thinkers like Hugh Masekela,dollar Brand(Abdul Ibrahim), Kipiie Moeketsi, Chris McGregor, Sathima Bea Benjamin, Johny Dyani, and Johas Gwangwa. The Cold Castle National Jazz Festival brought out more Musicans like Gideon Nxumalo, Dudu Pukwans, The Jazz Dallers, Claude Shamge, Chris Joseph, Gene Latimore.
The Townships brought forth groups like the The Orlando Seven, Elite Swingsters, N.D. Hotshots, Jazz Dazzlers, Orlando Seven, King Jury and his Band, Spokes Mashiyane and his Big Five, Snqamu Jazz Band. By 1959 and into early 1960s, the African Jazz scene was beginning to change. Sophiatown and its "Shebeens"(Jook joints-like) and dance halls was now only a memory. The 1963 festival produced an LP called Jazz The African Sound, but the Apartheid government oppression soon ended the Jazz scene. The Jazz musical "King Kong" took many musicians away from established group, sometimes forcing them to disband.
But in Orlando East(Soweto), Alexandra Township, Payneville, TwaTwa, Lady Selbourne and Cato Manor, Emkhumbane(Natal) Duncanville and New Brighton and in dozens of other Townships around the country, African jazz was alive and well. The riffing was now tighter, the soloist hotter and the beat was heavier. The Big Bands were still touring and along with specially assembled recording groups, they produced a steady stream of 78 rpm's shellac discs. There was also a saying amongst the musicians that Mbaqanga was what you ate, and Jazz was the dancing music, the drinking music and the Party music.
South African Music TodayFrom the 1960s, the days of Soul to the 1970s, where we begin to see the coming in a micx bag of sounds. Then comes the twonships sounds of the 1980s. Artists like Dan Twala who adopted the electronic keyboards from the Soul sounds of the Townships we have described above. Then we have Chicco Twala. Brenda Fasie, Mzwakhe Mbuli , Ringo, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Mzwakhe Mbuli. But the Sounds of Caiphus Semenya, Letta Mulu, Hugh Masekela were never out of the musical systems of the Africans. Harari Kept up the Beat; The Jazz Ministers were still churning the African Jaz sounds; Bra Zakes Nkosi'smusic stil lived; The sounds of Mahlathini, Amaswazi Emvelo, Phuzekheisi, George Maluleke, Philip Tabane and the Malombo, Mbube music has always thirved despite the fact that Paul Simon worked with Mambazo, but the Townships have clung to their Mbaqanga with groups like Ama SAP, Umfo, Bhekumi Luthili, DJs like Zulu Boy had hot shows up to 2006 on Saturdays playing for up to six hours of high powered Mbaqana rhythms and millions listening to his shows; There were groups like the Drive, Sakhile, George Maluleke, Bhudaza, Stimela, Joe Nina, Herman, Soul Brothers, Khakheni, soweto Teachers Choir, and the Ionians with the late Khabi Mgoma, Mirriam Makeba, Bayete, ofcourse Bongo Maffin, Boom Shaka and the msic of Kwaito, and some more Mbaqanga from the Sotho Version of it by Manka le Phallang, Dilika, Majakathatha, Mzikayifani Buthelzi, Rude boy Paul, Vusi Mahlasela, Bakithi Khuamlo, Bergville stories, Juluka, Rhytmic Elements, Image, Malaika and hundreds of Jazz and other types of Music Clubs that are alive and well in South Africa.
So that, it should be noted that South African Africans have an uncanny ability and talent and understanding of playing and listening to every kind of music there is, from classical Music, Classical jazz, R&B, Soul, Funk, Rock 'n Roll, Mbaqanga, Marabi, Kwela, in dingy and sparkly jazz clubs, Shebeens, Taverns,to big hall concerts and to open air festivals, the African music lovers have shown their love and sophisticated understanding of all genre, whether International of local, of African music lovers in South Africa are rich in character and inner strength that allows them to have integrity and have a very seriously mature taste, and they are demanding of quality from their local musicians to those internationally.
There is also a whole genre of local tradional Music from the music of the Kings by the Xhosa People, to Zulu traditional Music, Music of the Tswana, Pedi, Sotho People(called Mohobelo), the Venda women and people drummers and singers; the Swazi and Ndebele traditional and Mbaqanga. This is another genre which needs its own hub to be discussed thoroughly and clearly because it is another less known and discussed part of African South African Music that has not really been explored nor discussed enough in its entirety. When it come to African people and their music, the Beat Goes on! These are the songs of the People, This is Africa!
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