Robert Wyatt is an English retired musician. A founding member of the influential Canterbury scene bands Soft Machine and Matching Mole, he was initially a kit drummer and singer before becoming paraplegic following an accidental fall from a window in 1973, which led him to abandon band work, explore other instruments, and begin a 40-year solo career.
Mduduzi ThembinkosiEdmund Tshabalala, also known as Mandoza, was a South African singer-songwriter and kwaito recording artist. He was known for his contributions to the kwaito genre and his numerous hit singles, including "Nkalakatha", "Uzoyithola Kanjani, Tornado", "Sgelekeqe", "Ngalabesi", "Godoba", "Tsotsi Yase Zola" and "Indoda", which topped the charts in South Africa and all over the African continent. His second album Nkalakatha, released in 2000, became the biggest selling album of his career, selling 350,000 units.
Freshlyground was a band formed in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2008. Freshlyground is best known for writing, perform and playing the instrumentals of the afrofusion and soca single "Waka Waka " alongside Colombian singer Shakira, which received worldwide recognition. The music video featuring the group has achieved over 3.9 billion views on YouTube, which has resulted in it becoming one of the most-viewed videos on the platform.
Paul Hanmer is a South African jazz pianist.
Trains to Taung is the debut album by South African jazz pianist Paul Hanmer. The album combines jazz with African music.
The South African Music Awards are the Recording Industry of South Africa's music industry awards, established in 1995. The ceremony is held annually, usually in late April or May, with the judging process starting in November of the previous year. The nominations are typically announced at the end of March. The winners receive a gold-plated statuette called a SAMA.
The Bassline live music venue and club was established in 1994 in the Melville neighborhood of Johannesburg, South Africa. The venue closed in 2003 and reopened the following year in the downtown Newtown Cultural Precinct, featuring a concert venue with a capacity of 1000 and a performing space with 150 seats. In its 24-year history, Bassline hosted over 3200 concerts featuring many emerging music acts and well-known South African, African, and global music icons.
The Blue Notes were a South African jazz sextet, whose definitive line-up featured Chris McGregor on piano, Mongezi Feza on trumpet, Dudu Pukwana on alto saxophone, Nikele Moyake on tenor saxophone, Johnny Dyani on bass, and Louis Moholo-Moholo on drums. After moving away from their home country in 1964, they established themselves on the European jazz circuit, where they continued to play and record through the 1970s. They are now considered one of the great free jazz bands of their era, whose music was given a unique flavour by their integration of African styles such as Kwela into the progressive jazz ideas of the time.
South Africa has a notable jazz scene.
McCoy Mrubata is a South African jazz saxophonist.
Sheer Sound is a South African independent record label formed in 1994 by Damon Forbes.
Kesivan Dev Naidoo is a South African drummer, who plays predominantly jazz, electronica and world music.
Guy Buttery is a South African musician primarily known as a guitar player.
Gary Meek is an American jazz and fusion saxophone and keyboard artist. As a featured artist or session musician he has contributed to more than 150 albums.
Revolution is a house band formed in Johannesburg, South Africa, consisting of twin brothers George and Joseph Mothiba. They emerged into the spotlight with the release of their third album The Journey in 2002, supported by the hit single Vhavenda, it was recognised as the Best Selling Release at the 2003 South African Music Awards. Since then, they have released a further twelve albums at a rate of close to one per year, achieving some degree of commercial and critical success.
The apartheid regime in South Africa began in 1948 and lasted until 1994. It involved a system of institutionalized racial segregation and white supremacy, and placed all political power in the hands of a white minority. Opposition to apartheid manifested in a variety of ways, including boycotts, non-violent protests, and armed resistance. Music played a large role in the movement against apartheid within South Africa, as well as in international opposition to apartheid. The impacts of songs opposing apartheid included raising awareness, generating support for the movement against apartheid, building unity within this movement, and "presenting an alternative vision of culture in a future democratic South Africa."
Phola is a studio album by South African jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela. The record was released on 19 February 2008 via Four Quarters Entertainment label.
Melanie Scholtz is a South African born jazz singer, composer, dancer and visual artist who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Hugh Masakela.
Ringo Madlingozi is a South African singer, songwriter, record producer and a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa. Madlingozi rose to fame when he and his band Peto won the Shell Road to Fame contest in 1986. He later formed a group called Gecko Moon with Alan Cameron, a fellow Peto member.
