USipho Gumede wazalwa zingu-17 Aphreli 1952. Wazalelwa endaweni yase Cator Manor kusayindawo yamaNdiya kuphela eThekwini. Waba nothando lomculo esangumfanyana edlala isiginci sokuzakhela kanye nomtshingo (penny whistle) nabangani bakhe. Basuswa endaweni yase Cator Manor nguhulumeni wobadlululo, eseminyaka engu-12 wayesehlala endaweni eyamakhaya ngaphandle kwaseMlazi. Ngesikhathi ehlala kulendawo wafunda okuningi ngomculo nangokwehlukana kwawo efunda emishandweni nasemingcwabeni. Wayechitha iskhathi ngokudlala isiginci sokwebolekwa uma elusa izinkomo.
Eseneminyaka engu-16 wabuyela eMlazi lapho ahlangana khona no Cyril Mangubane owayengudlali wesiginci wamfundisa kabanzi ngomculo we Jazz. Wathola umsebenzi wakhe wokuqala eyilunga leJazz Reveller iqembu lomculo weJazz wangemumva kokuhlangana noDick Khoza. UGumede washintsha ukudlala isiginci ngokwayekujwayele wasidla ngobhasi (bass guitar).
Ngo-1970 wabhekisa amabombo eGoli lapho ahlangana khona nabaculi abahlukahlukene. UGudeme wasebenza noGibson Kente bahamba izwe lonke eMzansi. Washiya uGibson efuna ukuziqeqesha ikhono lakhe ngemuva ngokuzwa umculo kaStanley Clarke, Flora Purim, Airto Moreira no Chick Corea. Wahlanganyela ngabanye abaculi babumba iqembu iRoots engahlalanga kangako laphela. Ube esehlangana no Bheki Mseleku ezibiza nge Spirit Rejoice bedlala iJazz exubile.
Ngo-1982 ngokuhlanganyela noKhaya Mahlangu babheka indlela yokuxuba iJazz nomculo/imisindo yasekhaya (African sound) okwaholela ekubumbeni iqembu iSakhile noMabi Gabriel Thobejane. Leliqembu laba yimpumelelo ekuhlanganiseni imisindo baze bakhipha iculo elisihloko esithi Mantombi elaba nesasa elikhulu. Leliculo lagqugquzelwa uthando lwendodakazi yakhe yokuqala uGumede.
Ngonyaka ka-1985 uPhakathwayo wakhipha i-album yakhe yedwa esihloko Faces and Places. Wasebenza nezinkakha zomculo ezihlukene zaseNingizimu Afrika nasemazweni angaphandle esingabala kuzo Hugh Masikela, Brenda Fassie, Stimela, Margaret Singane, Abdullah Ibrahim, Letta Mbulu no Caiphus Semenya, Timmy Thomas, Mango Groove, Dollar Brand nabanye abaningi. Umculo kaGumede umholele emazweni ahlukene e-Afrika njengeZimbabwe naphesheya kwezilwandle.
Ngo-1992 uGumede wathola indondo ye-OKTV nge- alibhamu yakhe ethi Thank you for Listening. Ngo-1995 wathola indondo yabakwa Johnny Walker ukuqhakambisa iqhaza abanalo embonini yomculo waseNingizimu Afrika. UGumede wakhipha esihloko esithi 20 years of My Life ngo-1996 waphinda ngo-1998 wakhipha i-alibhamu ethi Blues for My Mother eyaba imphumelelo eyayiqukethe izingoma ezinjengethi When days are dark -Friends are few eyaba nesasa elikhulu. Lengoma ngendlela eyathandwa ngayo uDudu Khoza wayeyisebenzisa njengebika lohlelo lwakho emsakazweni. Ngo-1999, uGumede waba ingxenye yababedlala no Joe McBride waseMelika ngesikhathi evakashele eNingizimu Afrika.

UGumede waphinda wasebenza noMcBride kanye nabaculi obanjengo Andy Narell, Wayne DeLano kanye no Manny Rodriquez ku- alibhali ethi New Era. Ngo-2000 uGumede wabuyela KwaZulu Natali lapho eyefundisa khona umculo aphinde awudlalele intsha emalokishini. Akazange ayeke kumkhakha wezomculo nobuncwedi wayeqopha nasekhaya lakhe. Wakhipha i-alibhamu yokugcina ethi From me to You waphinda wakhipha neqembu lakhe iSakhile ethi Togetherness ngo-2004.
Walilandela igama lakhe waba iSipho esihle kubathandi bomculo weJazz. UGumede washona ngoJulayi 2004 ngemuva kokugxinwa isifo somdlavuza wamaphaphu. Washiya unkosikazi wakhe nezingane zakhe ezine.
Article Summary
This article is a overview biography of the Legendary Sipho Gumede. He’s music and talent was phenomenal. Gumede who played bass guitar was able to fuse Jazz and African sound and come out with amazing sound. He’s love for music started at a young age, playing a homemade guitar out of a 5 gallon tin, fish gut and wood. Gumede worked with many great artists from South Africa and overseas, working as a band mate in group called Sakhile and also as a solo artist.
Umthombo: https://www.sahistory.org.za/people/sipho-gumede; http://www.smooth-jazz.de/Artists4/Gumede.htm.