When I first heard the current hit South African song “Caracara” I knew I wanted to meet this crew. If there’s a winning recipe for feeling good, at least for 3:52 seconds, “Caracara” is it. The lazy, urban tempo, the sexy flow, and simple catchy hook is infectious. One listen drove me straight to Youtube […]
Jazz in Johannesburg
Posted October 5th, 2014 at 4:03 pm (UTC-5)
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I arrived in Jozi late Tuesday afternoon September 30th, stiff and exhausted from the fifteen-hour flight. But after a good night’s sleep and fresh morning coffee, I was ready to discover the music of the city and, oh how I did. By around 9:00 p.m. that evening I was watching these cats pictured above, mesmerized […]
An interview with “The White Zulu”
Posted April 14th, 2014 at 6:28 pm (UTC-5)
Johnny Clegg and son Jesse, who is his opening act, are touring North America for three months of non-stop shows from New York to California. My next question was, “What can I ask this icon that the world over doesn’t know already?” When I told a West African friend of mine that Clegg was coming […]
Interview with D.C. Diaspora’s Finest Duo: Mongezi Ntaka and Kuku
Posted May 15th, 2013 at 5:24 pm (UTC-5)
I got a call from a friend recently who said she had a couple of musicians she wanted me to meet. Their names are Mongezi Ntaka and Kuku. I hear boisterous background chatter and laughter. She tells me she’s with them rightnow and do I want to talk to them? My mind is making […]
Interview with Lira
Posted February 11th, 2013 at 5:28 pm (UTC-5)
On Monday January 21st, our nation’s capital celebrated the inauguration of our President, Barack Obama, for a second term. Our Voice of America headquarters is located just a few blocks away from the Capitol Building where the swearing in ceremonies and ensuing parades took place. American celebrity singers, 2013 Grammy Award winners Kelly Clarkson, Beyoncé, […]
Sipho’s Newest Big Hit
Posted August 6th, 2012 at 6:34 pm (UTC-5)
A few days ago I caught wind of some music news in South Africa. The legendary musician Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse just “dropped” a new hit; but the “hit” wasn’t music, and the verb wasn’t “drop”–it was “pass”. At age 61, Sipho had just passed the matric, the equivalent to the US high school diploma. Sipho […]
