Mathaka Vol 1 was the first album by the Makgona Tsohle Band after reuniting in early 1983 - they had disbanded circa 1977, though each member continued to work in the music industry, either as session musicians, producers, or a combination of the two. Both guitarist Marks Mankwane and saxophonist West Nkosi became musician-producers; Nkosi in particular became one of the top producers at Mavuthela, producing acts such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Mpharanyana, and Amaswazi Emvelo among others, whilst Mankwane produced other high-selling groups like Abafana Baseqhudeni and Walter and the Beggers, in addition to being the sole mentor and arranger for the popular Mahotella Queens.
The idea to reunite came as a result of Nkosi's clinching a deal with the SABC to co-produce a possible television series for the newly introduced black service in the country. Nkosi got the idea of five friends working as auto-mechanics in a township garage, playing their music whenever the garage owner left the building. As such, Nkosi and his Makgona Tsohle Bandmates Marks Mankwane, Joseph Makwela, Vivian Ngubane, and Lucky Monama, were the stars of the soap opera/musical comedy, Mathaka. The success of Mathaka led to Nkosi issuing this release.
Mathaka Vol 1 contained 1983 re-recordings of the band's 1960s and 1970s mbaqanga "heyday" hits, such as "Two Mabone", "Sikhulekile", "Vula Bops" and "Kupa Marama" (though none of the songs from this album were ever performed in the series). Also included is a recording of the popular tune "A Tear Fell".
The album was followed up the same year with Kotopo Vol 2 (which was composed entirely of songs that were performed in the series).
The South African music scene includes both popular (jive) and folk forms like Zulu isicathamiya singing and harmonic mbaqanga. Other popular genres are Marabi, Kwaito, house music, Isicathamiya, Gqom, rock music, hip hop and Amapiano.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo are a South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They became known internationally after singing with Paul Simon on his 1986 album Graceland, and have won multiple awards, including five Grammy Awards, dedicating their fifth Grammy to the late former President Nelson Mandela.
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, and blends traditional African vocal styles and melodies with instruments from European and American popular music.
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.
Below the Waste is Art of Noise's fourth full-length original album and their last album for China Records before Anne Dudley re-formed the group with ZTT's Trevor Horn and Paul Morley for 1999's The Seduction of Claude Debussy.
Simon "Mahlathini" Nkabinde 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.
Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens 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 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, 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.
Gallo Record Company is the largest 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.. 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.
The Township Idols is a 2003 compilation album by the South African singing group Mahotella Queens. The group started recording for Gallo Record Company in 1964, initially under different group names in addition to the "Mahotella Queens" name. Although they are prolific recording artists, the songs collected on this album are mainly from the 1990s, licensed from the US-based Shanachie Records.
Raymond Lema A'nsi Nzinga, known as Ray Lema, is a Congolese (DRC) musician. A pianist, guitarist, and songwriter, he settled in France in 1982.
Hilda Semola Tloubatla 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 the apartheid government's 'Group Areas Act' in the country.
Nobesuthu Gertrude Mbadu Shawe was a South African mbaqanga singer, and a singer in the acclaimed group the Mahotella Queens.
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 featured re-recordings of older songs such as "Umculo Kawupheli" and "Sithunyiwe" ("Thokozile"). The album propelled the group into immediate international stardom when it was issued internationally on the Earthworks label.
Paris – Soweto is a 1987 album by the South African mbaqanga group Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens. The album was recorded just after the group reunited in 1986, and was one of the first albums to be recorded specifically for the international audience. The album was recorded in Paris and released internationally on the Celluloid label, and under the group's long-standing Gallo label in South Africa. The first single, "Kazet" became one of the group's signature tunes.
Tsamaya Moratuoa is a 1980 album by the Mahotella Queens. The album was one of the first to feature a more modern form of mbaqanga, implementing a 1980s drum backing with solid drumsticks. The album featured songs such as "Tsamaya Moratuoa," "Mpulele," "Re Basadi Kaofela" and the Sotho-traditional hymn "Seteng Sediba".
West Nkosi was a South African music producer, saxophonist and songwriter.
The Indestructible Beat of Soweto, later repackaged as The Indestructible Beat of Soweto Volume One, is a compilation album released in 1985 on the Earthworks label, featuring musicians from South Africa, including Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Mahlathini.
Mbaqanga is an album by the South African musical group Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens, released in 1991 and in the US in 1992. The group supported the album with a North American tour.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
