SA Music and Jazz

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Mbube

* 1950
* Soloman Linda and the evening birds (Lion sleeps tonight)
* male a capella (migrant workers)
* less organized compared to Isicathamiya
* in Zulu

Isicathamiya

• 1960s late

• Ladysmith black mambazo

• a capella

• 4 part harmony

• men formed groups to compete = competitions close to cities in CPT and Durban

• call and response

• deep, rich harmonies

• in Zulu (some Englisn) with 7-13 voices

• gloves and suits

Marabi

• 1930 (1920s + 30s)

• basis of everything

• I IV I6/4 V = cyclical OR I IV V I

• working class music in illegal drinking places (shebeens)

• unformal and spontaneous

• Pata pata, Christophers Ballantine's Marabi Night

• keyboard style (honky tonks) and home made drums

• few recordings exist as it is an aural tradition

• ragtime influence

• lively and upbeat, melodic phrases

• lilting melodies and catchy rhythms

Mbaqanga

* 1960s
* African/Township Jazz
* studio produced
* Sarafina by Miriam Makeba
* Hugh Masikela
* listened to on the radios
* electric intruments
* electric bass and sound Manhatten Borthers group

Sophiatown Jazz

- 1940s and 1950s
- live music for Sophiatown developed in the town
- forced removals
- influenced by American swing (big bangs and swing rhythm
- male and female singers

Kwela

* 1940s and 1950s
* pennywhistle
* Penny whistle jive
* popular amongst white and black people
* mango groove
* upbeat, danceable,
* instrumental
* small school boys with cheap pennywhistle
* later became the saxophone jive and mbaqanga
* Spokes Mashiane

Meadowlands

• Group Areas Act of 1950, forced removals from sophiatown to meadowlands happened from 1953 - anti-apartheid music

• Strike Vilakazi - record producer at True Tone Records

• White NP government thought Meadowlands was supportive of forced removals because of

  Major key, upbeat rhythm and inability to understand because it was not in

  English/Afrikaans

• INSTRUMENTATION

Female Lead = Nancy Jacobs

Backing vocals = Tilly Jacobs and Pamela Clarens

Piano = Todd Matshikiza

Guitar, Bass, Drums

• E.O.M

Melody: syncopated, simple, repetition, limited range

Harmony: 4/4, swung notes, based on Marabi’s I IV V I

Tonality: No modulation, major

Texture: homophonic, with piano solo becomes polyphonic

Languages: Zulu, Sesotho and Tsotitaal

• STRUCTURE

intro, piano guitar and drums, 4 bars

VERSE 1: zulu, solo female vocals, backing, 8 bars

CHORUS: repetative, harmonized, walking bass as link, 8 bars

VERSE 2: Otla Utlwa, similar as 1 but with piano improv, 8 bars

CHORUS: More piano improve, 8 bars

VERSE 3: “Ons dak nie, ons pola hier.” 8 bars

CHORUS: “Pola hier” different words, 8 bars

VERSE 4: Same words as 3, 8 bars

CHORUS: ends on high notes

American Jazz influence on SA Jazz

* instrumentation = sax, trumpet, clarinet
* syncopation and swinging (Sophiatown Jazz)
* some performers went to America (Hugh Masikela and Miriam Makeba)
* King Kong - Boxer movie
* The media, heard jazz on radio
* link to oppression