Sankomota

Last updated
Sankomota
Also known asUhuru
Origin Maseru, Lesotho
Genres Afro-Jazz, Rock fusion
Years active1976 – present
Labels Shifty Records
Members
  • Frank Leepa
  • Moss Nkofo
  • Black Jesus
  • Pitso Sera
Past members
  • Tsepo Tshola (deceased)

Sankomota is an Afro-jazz fusion band formed in 1976 in Lesotho. The band consisted of several members in its earliest years, namely: Frank Leepa (guitarist, vocalist, arranger, composer), Moss Nkofo (drummer), Black Jesus (percussion), Moruti Selate (bass), Tsepo Tshola (lead vocalist and composer), and Pitso Sera (guitar), among others. Peter Schneider managed the band from its early years until 1979. Under the leadership of Leepa, Sankomota's career spanned more than two decades.

Contents

History

Frank Leepa - also known as The Captain - started the band in school, called Anti Antiques. The band later changed its name to Uhuru. However, due to the popularity of Black Uhuru from the Caribbean, they had to change their name again. When asked what Sankomota means, Frank Leepa said that it is the name of a mighty warrior from the Basotho and Bapedi people. Sankomota was the first band to record an LP in Lesotho. They were recorded by Lloyd Ross and Warrick Sony of Shifty Records on November 11, 1983. The album was self-titled, and it has nine tracks that collectively run under 50 minutes long.

Tsepo Tshola died on 15 July 2021. [1]

Discography

Related Research Articles

List of notable events in music that took place in the year 1965.

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1977. This year was the peak of vinyl sales in the United States, with sales declining year on year since then.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Flock of Seagulls</span> English new wave and synth-pop band

A Flock of Seagulls are an English new wave band formed in Liverpool in 1979. The group, whose best-known line-up comprised Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds, hit the peak of their chart success in the early 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elf Power</span> American indie rock band

Elf Power is an American indie rock band that originated in Athens, Georgia, United States. The line-up consists of guitarist/vocalist Andrew Rieger, keyboardist Laura Carter, guitarist Dave Wrathgabar, bassist Bryan Poole, and drummer Peter Alvanos. They are part of the Elephant Six Collective.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isham Jones</span> American bandleader, saxophonist, bassist and songwriter (1894–1956)

Isham Edgar Jones was an American bandleader, saxophonist, bassist and songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Threadgill</span> American composer, saxophonist and flautist

Henry Threadgill is an American composer, saxophonist and flautist. He came to prominence in the 1970s leading ensembles rooted in jazz but with unusual instrumentation and often incorporating other genres of music. He has performed and recorded with several ensembles: Air, Aggregation Orb, Make a Move, the seven-piece Henry Threadgill Sextett, the twenty-piece Society Situation Dance Band, Very Very Circus, X-75, and Zooid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sotho people</span> Bantu ethnic group of Southern Africa

The Sotho, also known as the Basotho, are a Sotho-Tswana ethnic group native to Southern Africa. They primarily inhabit the regions of Lesotho and South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Sanborn</span> American saxophonist (1945–2024)

David William Sanborn was an American alto saxophonist. Sanborn worked in many musical genres; his solo recordings typically blended jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He began playing the saxophone at the age of 11 and released his first solo album, Taking Off, in 1975. He was active as a session musician, and played on numerous albums by artists including Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Sting, the Eagles, Rickie Lee Jones, James Brown, George Benson, Carly Simon, Elton John, Bryan Ferry and the Rolling Stones. He released more than 20 albums and won six Grammy awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">L. Shankar</span> Indian violinist, singer and composer

Shankar Lakshminarayana, better known as L. Shankar, is an Indian violinist, singer and composer who also goes by the stage name Shenkar. Known for his innovative contributions to world music, he is often regarded as one of the pioneers of East- West fusion, blending the rich traditions of Indian classical with Western genres such as jazz, rock, and electronic music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian jazz</span> Music genre or scene

Jazz music has a long history in Australia. Over the years jazz has held a high-profile at local clubs, festivals and other music venues and a vast number of recordings have been produced by Australian jazz musicians, many of whom have gone on to gain a high profile in the international jazz arena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cindy Wilson</span> American singer-songwriter and musician (b. 1957)

Cynthia Leigh Wilson is an American musician and one of the vocalists, songwriters and founding members of new wave rock band the B-52's. She is noted for her distinctive contralto voice and also plays percussion during live shows. She is the younger sister of the late guitarist Ricky Wilson (1953–1985), who was also a founding member of the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Lee (musician)</span> American musician and composer (1928–2023)

William James Edwards Lee III was an American jazz bassist and composer, known for his collaborations with Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin, his compositions for jazz percussionist Max Roach, and his session work as a "first-call" musician and band leader to many of the twentieth-century's most significant musical artists, including Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Harry Belafonte, Peter, Paul and Mary, Simon and Garfunkel, Judy Collins, Arlo Guthrie, Billy Strayhorn, Woody Guthrie, and Pete Seeger, among many others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 in jazz</span> Overview of the events of 1960 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1916 in jazz</span> Overview of the events of 1916 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1916.

Women in jazz have contributed throughout the many eras of jazz history, both as performers and as composers, songwriters and bandleaders. While women such as Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald were famous for their jazz singing, women have achieved much less recognition for their contributions as composers, bandleaders and instrumental performers. Other notable jazz women include piano player Lil Hardin Armstrong and jazz songwriters Irene Higginbotham and Dorothy Fields.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. C. Hopkins</span> American band leader

J.C. Hopkins is an American bandleader, writer, record producer, and Grammy-nominated producer, and songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Keberle</span> Musical artist (born 1980)

Ryan Keberle is an American trombone player, composer, arranger, and educator. Described by The New York Times as a "trombonist of vision and composure", he leads Ryan Keberle & Catharsis, Collectiv do Brasil, his All Ears Orchestra, the Big Band Living Legacy Project and co-leads the international chamber jazz ensemble, Reverso. Keberle has performed with David Bowie, Maria Schneider, Wynton Marsalis, Darcy James Argue, Alicia Keys, and Sufjan Stevens, among others, and has appeared on seven Grammy Award-winning records.

<i>Techno-Bush</i> 1984 studio album by Hugh Masekela

Techno-Bush is a 1984 studio album by South African jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela. It was recorded in Gaborone, Botswana.

Music of <i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i> Music composed for video game franchise

Sonic the Hedgehog is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created and owned by Sega. The franchise began in 1991 with Sonic the Hedgehog, a side-scrolling platform game, and has expanded to include printed media, animations, feature films, and merchandise. The music of Sonic the Hedgehog has been provided by a number of composers, ranging from Sega sound staff to independent contractors and popular bands. It covers a wide array of genres, including pop, funk, rock, metal, ska, punk, hip hop, R&B, jazz, electronica, trance, breakbeat, drum and bass, disco, ambient, world, orchestral, and lo-fi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afro fusion</span> Dance genre and musical style

Afro fusion is a dance and musical style that emerged between the 1970s and 2000s. In the same way as the dance style, the musical style invokes fusions of various regional and inter-continental musical cultures, such as jazz, hip hop, kwaito, reggae, soul, pop, kwela, blues, folk, rock and afrobeat.

References

  1. "Legendary jazz musician Tsepo Tshola has died", Channel24.com, 15 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021
  2. Wiser, Danny (17 November 2020). "LESOTHO: Dreams Do Come True - Sankomota". 200worldalbums.com. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  3. "Shifty – since '84".