Kwela – The Ulwazi Programme

Lemme Special Mabaso: 4th April 1946-8th April 2018

Last month South Africa lost another one of its musical giants with the passing of Lemme Special Mabaso. Described as one of the pioneers of kwela music, Mabaso was a master pennywhistler, starting his first band at the age of just ten. The Alexandra Junior Bright Boys was comprised of Mabaso, his two brothers, and three … Read more

Kwela!

Despite making use of exactly the same instrument, Irish and African ‘whistle’ songs have a very different sound to them. In Ireland people talk about the ‘tin whistle’, but in South Africa we call it the ‘pennywhistle’, or iMpempe. Supposedly the difference in the sound can be attributed to the way in which the whistle … Read more