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34-522: 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

68-441: A South African version of jazz . Musically, the sound indicated a mix between western instrumentation and South African vocal style. Many mbaqanga scholars consider it to be the result of a coalition between marabi and kwela . A South African tourist website sponsored by the government describes mbaqanga as "the cyclic structure of marabi . . . with a heavy dollop of American big band swing thrown on top." Mbaqanga also provided

102-423: A boereqanga hit with Viva Madiba . Mbaqanga was fully replaced as the dominant music genre in the 1980s by a new urban genre called 'bubblegum.' An Afro-dance pop, Bubblegum was mainly influenced by mbaqanga and other popular African styles. With the introduction of television in 1976, this musical genre was promoted as music across all ethnic groups. Characterized as a representation of a move towards music that

136-447: A Zulu word for steamed cornbread, fused marabi and kwela influences. The cyclic structure of marabi melded with traditional dance styles such as the Zulu indlamu , combined with big band swing. The indlamu input developed into the "African stomp" style, giving a notably African rhythmic impulse to the music and making it quite irresistible to its new audiences. Rupert Bopape, enticed by

170-419: A massively growing urban population. A typical area was the township of Sophiatown , near Johannesburg , which had since the 1930s offered a black urban lifestyle. Sophiatown and Alexandra were rare "freehold" areas where blacks could own property. Its proximity to Johannesburg's downtown area made Sophiatown attractive to performers eager to explore new avenues of music. The area became an important seed-bed for

204-480: A poor man. This was partly due to the exploitation of black South African musicians at home and abroad as Mahlathini pointed out. Mbaqanga groups of the 1960s also found it difficult to get air time on local radio stations, and had to perform outside record stores to attract audiences. Mbaqanga developed in the South African shebeens during the 1960s. Its use of western instruments allowed mbaqanga to develop into

238-514: A simultaneous faltering of the Mahotella Queens popularity, with disco and soul eclipsing local mbaqanga sounds. South Africa's first television station aimed at black audiences, TV3 (now known as SABC 1 ), was launched in 1982. This led to West Nkosi, Mavuthela's top producer, forming a partnership with local studio Trilion Entertainment, in the hope of producing a new TV series about the still-famous Makgona Tsohle Band. Eventually, in 1983,

272-543: A very early forum for black and white interaction in a segregated country. As a result, the "white Nationalist government brought this vital era to an end" by razing the townships that supported mbaqanga such as Sophiatown . The genre gained popularity as a result of radio play by stations under the South African Broadcasting Corporation . Early artists included Miriam Makeba , Dolly Rathebe and Letta Mbulu . Mbaqanga maintained its popularity until

306-713: A worldwide interest in African music, leading to artists such as the world-famous Ladysmith Black Mambazo as well as Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela gaining huge popularity abroad. To fulfil the growing demand, West Nkosi organised a new album between Mahlathini, three of the Queens (Tloubatla, Mbadu, and Mangxola), and Makgona Tsohle. The result was the 1987 Thokozile , which saw the group's popularity escalate out of South Africa, leading to countless world tours, television appearances, and several requests for personal appearances. In August 1998, still producing influential acts, West Nkosi

340-465: 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 European and American popular music. 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

374-460: Is based on Xhosa bow instruments such as the 'umrhube' and 'uhadi' which are the two fundamental sounds in Xhosa music. Xhosa traditional musicians imitate the sounds of their musical bows using their voices through the maneuvering of their tongues and shaping of the mouth cavity. They produce overtones by raising the tongue therefore creating a resonance chamber. The characteristic sound of overtone singing

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408-481: The "bouncy" rhythms of the style. The female vocalists were released under different names, such as Izintombi Zomgqashiyo , The Dima Sisters , and the Mahotella Queens ; the first two biggest selling Mavuthela singles had both been pressed with the same name, Mahotella Queens, so that was the pseudonym that became etched in the public's memory as the group's name. Not long after, the combination of Mahlathini and

442-597: The '50s) created a large base of fans, as did the Dark City Sisters and The Soul Brothers . Other mbaqanga musicians included Simon Baba Mokoena and West Nkosi , who broke away from the Makgona Tsohle Band in 1990 for a successful solo career until his death in 1998. Mbaqanga's popularity faded during the 1970s because of the influence of Western pop, soul and disco into South Africa. Public performances declined because labour migrants no longer wanted to be in

476-463: The 1980s when it was replaced by South African pop music known as bubblegum. Bubblegum is a genre highly influenced by mbaqanga. One of the few remaining mbaqanga bands is The Cool Crooners . This band consists of a coalition between two rival bands that eventually merged: The Cool Four and The Golden Delicious Rhythm Crooners . By the middle of the 1950s, the evolving indigenous South African music exploded in popularity given its increased reach to

510-606: The Mahotella Queens with the Makgona Tsohle Band was thrilling audiences around the world and in Africa. For the remainder of the 1960s and most of the 1970s, the Queens and Makgona Tsohle remained extremely productive and popular, despite some large member changes in the Queens line-up. However, when Rupert Bopape suffered a stroke in 1977 and retired, his former charges – Marks Mankwane, West Nkosi, and Lucky Monama, all of them part-time Mavuthela producers – were ready to become full-time producers. This led to Makgona Tsohle disbanding, with

544-597: The Mahotella Queens . It is often referred to as the South African equivalent to Motown 's The Funk Brothers . 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. Nkosi found work as a market porter, and then as a house servant, in 1957. During his off-hours, Nkosi played meticulous pennywhistle kwela tunes outside sports centres or on

578-624: The Norwegian group Real Ones included a tribute track, "All the Way Back (Shades of Mbaqanga)", on their 2003 album This is Camping . Xhosa music Xhosa music is characteristically expressive and communicative which includes rhythmical expression of words and sounds. It also includes physical movement employed when clapping, dancing or playing a musical instrument. Different Xhosa chiefdoms share similar musical concepts. Learning traditional music begins with incentive and desire to fully share in

612-670: The band members complained about insufficient pay. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled in 1984. However, another phase was in store for Makgona Tsohle: Marks Mankwane, for years the Mahotella Queens' sole producer, regrouped the original Mahotella Queens ( Hilda Tloubatla , Nobesuthu Mbadu , Mildred Mangxola , Ethel Mngomezulu, and Juliet Mazamisa) with Mahlathini. This reunion resulted in the Mahlathini-Queens-Makgona Tsohle comeback album Amaqhawe Omgqashiyo , which sold highly. Paul Simon 's collaborations with South African artists in 1986 for his Graceland album led to

646-403: 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." Mbaqanga musicians received little money. For example, Simon "Mahlathini" Nkabinde , one of the most well-known mbaqanga singers (and arguably the most famous mbaqanga "groaner", nicknamed the "lion of Soweto"), died

680-499: The early 1960s), as was Monama, with Makwela on guitar. The Tower Boys sometimes encountered another pennywhistle group, led by talented guitarist Marks Mankwane , who hailed from the Warmbaths area. Nkosi said to his band members to look out for Mankwane, who was a very polished musician, having played guitar since he was 12 years old. Eventually, Nkosi travelled to Johannesburg in 1962 with Monama and Makwela, all of them hoping to join

714-483: The five musicians (Mankwane, Nkosi, Makwela, Monama, and Ngubane) ended up forming a brand new style of music – a style that combined marabi with kwela, and the modern (electric instruments) with the old (traditional Zulu , Sotho , and Xhosa sounds). Bopape, having witnessed this, decided to reorganise the division and group the five men together into what he called the Makgona Tsohle Band . The year of formation

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748-484: The life of the village as almost every occasion of life including play songs for children, the girls' and boys' umtshotsho song as they grow, the intlombe dance parties, songs and dances of initiation practices, ancestor songs and beer songs. In order to share in the rites and ceremonies, it is necessary to learn the songs. The learning of music happens through observation, attention, developing music memory, practicing and learning rhythms from others. Xhosa overtone singing

782-482: The massively successful EMI South Africa producer/talent scout Rupert Bopape to take over Msomi's role. Bopape, who had successes with the high-selling acts the Dark City Sisters and Alexandra Black Mambazo in the 1950s, set up a new Gallo subsidiary devoted to black music – Mavuthela Music Company , in early 1964. When the Jazz Band returned, they found that Bopape had recruited two new migrant musicians – one of them

816-464: The project came to fruition: Mathaka , a brand-new soap opera/musical comedy featuring the members playing characters who worked in a garage, playing their music during breaks. The series was massively popular with black audiences, who tuned in by the dozens. Nkosi organised the release of two LPs to coincide with the series, Mathaka Vol 1 and Kotopo Vol 2 . Despite the Mathaka series' popularity,

850-474: The rapidly developing black musical culture. But when Sophiatown's residents were forcibly removed to newly formed townships such as Soweto , outside Johannesburg, this era came to an end. One of the earliest innovators of mbaqanga was the Makgona Tsohle Band , a group comprising five domestic workers from Pretoria – Marks Mankwane (lead guitar), Joseph Makwela (bass guitar), Vivian Ngubane (rhythm guitar), Lucky Monama (drums) and West Nkosi (saxophone). Mbaqanga,

884-524: The recording industry. They ended up as session musicians for Gallo Record Company , playing in producer Reggie Msomi 's line-up the Hollywood Jazz Band (Nkosi was now on saxophone, Monama was now on drums, whilst Makwela had made history by becoming the first black electric bassist in South Africa). In mid-1963, Msomi took them on a tour of Northern Rhodesia , which was to become Zambia ; however,

918-833: The spotlight. Additionally, audiences sought more urbanised language, vocal, and instrumental styles. However, it was revived between 1983 and 1986. The reversal of fortunes was in part due to Paul Simon's incorporation of South African music into his Graceland album (1986) and subsequent tour. Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens' appearances at festivals in France and at Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday concert in Wembley Stadium, London in 1988 (featuring "white Zulu" Johnny Clegg ) signalled its return. White South African musicians influenced by this style include singer songwriter Robin Auld . Veteran Afrikaans piano accordion player Nico Carstens produced

952-447: The streets, in awe of his idol Spokes Mashiyane , who at that time was a great kwela star. Two fellow domestic workers, Joseph Makwela and Lucky Monama , happened to see Nkosi playing. In awe of his music, Makwela and Monama persuaded Nkosi to teach them how to play rhythmic music. Not long afterwards, they formed their own group The Pretoria Tower Boys, with three more members. Nkosi was on pennywhistle (though he changed to saxophone in

986-557: The successful Gallo Record Company to be their African production manager, brought together the musicians of the Makgona Tsohle Band with Mahlathini and a new female chorus, the Mahotella Queens . This was when mbaqanga really took off – or more specifically, "vocal mbaqanga" (later nicknamed simanje-manje or mgqashiyo ). In addition to Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens , singing stars such as Miriam Makeba , Dolly Rathebe and Letta Mbulu (who had all begun as marabi stars during

1020-571: The tour ended up being a disaster, as political turmoil prevented the group's audiences attending their concerts. As a result they were stranded there for six months. When they returned to Gallo in Johannesburg, they found that it had been severely reorganised. Whilst Msomi and the Jazz Band had been in Zambia, Gallo management took it as an opportunity to replace him and bring sales in (what was then called) their 'black music' production higher. They enticed

1054-483: Was 1963. Their new music was named mbaqanga , after a traditional snack made in the rural areas (this term was originally a derogatory name; it eventually became the genre's main name). To promote them, he formed a new group of female vocalists and paired them with Makgona Tsohle. To front the act, he brought in a young, shy, deep-voiced, "groaner" called Simon Mahlathini Nkabinde . This pairing of mbaqanga with vocals became known as "mgqashiyo", meaning "to bounce", after

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1088-418: Was Vivian Ngubane, a rhythm guitarist, and the other was none other than Marks Mankwane, their old acquaintance from Pretoria, who was now forging a completely new type of up-tempo electric guitar playing highly different from the old kwela and marabi jazz stylings. Makwela, Nkosi, and Monama all auditioned for Mavuthela, and entered the studio in mid-1964. During a "jam" after a rigorous jazz recording session,

1122-983: Was caught in a large car accident whilst driving home from the studios. He was left paralysed in hospital before dying in October that year. On the very day of his funeral, Marks Mankwane died due to complications from diabetes. The following year, groaner Mahlathini also died, thus ending the Makgona Tsohle Band's existence. The Mahotella Queens were left in mourning following the deaths of their close friends and bandmates. However, they decided to relaunch their act with newer backing musicians, hoping to keep Nkosi, Mankwane, and Mahlathini's spirits alive. They have been praised for their albums post-Mahlathini, which include Sebai Bai (2000), Bazobuya (2004), Kazet (2006), and Siyadumisa (2007). The Queens' backing now includes Victor Mkize (lead guitar), James Nkosi (drums), and Arnold Jackie Mokoatlo (keyboards). Mbaqanga Mbaqanga ( Zulu pronunciation: [mɓaˈǃáːŋga] )

1156-549: Was more urban than traditional, the Bubblegum genre had many successful musicians, including Chico Twala, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Brenda Fassie . The derivation of mbaqanga into bubblegum contributed enormously towards the development of kwaito . Several mbaqanga acts are still recording and performing today, including the Mahotella Queens and the Soul Brothers. Mbaqanga also continues to influence musicians worldwide. For example,

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