beat is back
The infectious sound of Eighties township pop will blare out again as some of the top bands of that era reunite for a concert, writes Struan Douglas
Now that the All African Games have come to a calamitous close and the tremendously successful Arts Alive prepares for its finale, another event of importance takes to the stage. The Heritage Day Reunion of South Africa concert pays tribute to some of the great performers of that rich and queer period – the bubblegum era of the late Seventies and early Eighties.
It was a time when apartheid politics was offset by the trivial pop of the West, giving rise to an ether of like- minded musicians who produced a unique sound, a multiplicity of styles that were often frivolous. But they were sounds rooted in Africa, anticipating change.
The music was fun – transcending hardships and frustrations – as much as it was reactionary. It brought with it a voice of courage, comfort and inspiration. Most importantly, it was culturally introspective and expressive. This formula ensured its audience crossed barriers. It was by no means a cultural revolution – as has been touted – but it was an important cog in our evolution.
Friday’s reunion concert is being touted as, “a reunification of our culture as South Africans”, says Malombo percussionist Julian Bahula.
“Whenever I get off the plane when I visit here, I feel as though I’m not arriving in Africa,” Bahula says. “I hear all kinds of strange American sounds as if I’ve just landed in America, or some second-hand American town. Yet when I travel to the other African states, I get off the plane and I’m struck by the heat, the sun and the music I hear just tells me that I’m in Africa, that’s how our country should be.
“The reunion is a good thing for the South African culture, for our people and for our country. We should bring back that old sound. I’m sure our people would like to hear original South African sounds.”
And that’s what we can look forward to – the dynamism, invention and showmanship of some of the most popular players of the period, with some tremendously intriguing sub-plots as most of the outfits have been disbanded for many years and its only through this concert that they re-unite.
Sipho Mabuse and Harari will play that famous funk and rock fusion, with Mabuse returning to the hot-sticks that made him so famous. Stimela promises to fuse their funky pop format with what’s new on the music scene, while the Mahotella Queens will showcase a very jivey and soulful mbaqanga.
With Simon “Mahlatini” Nkabinde having recently passed away, we wait to see how ex-drummer Bongani Walter Zanazo fits into the royal headware of the late mbaqanga legend. Brenda Fassie is as much the afro-pop queen as ever and she is performing a tribute to the Big Dudes – the band she made it with, before her theatrical rise from the grasp of hedonism.
Look forward to more euro-afro fusion from Johnny Clegg and PJ Powers. The Village Pope, Tsepo Tshola will get his gravelled voice mixing up gospel, poetry and township jive with his outfit Sankomoto. And Sakhile and Malopo will provide the thrilling afro-jazz filling to a truly wonderful line-up. All the members of the great jazz outfit Sakhile have been establishing their individual voices successfully in recent times, Sipho Gumede, Khaya Mahlangu and Menyatso Mathole, and the re-grouping is a very exciting prospect of dynamic and progressive reinvention’s.
It’s all wonderfully sentimental as we travel once more down the nostalgic bubblegum brick road, but it’s also the perfect opportunity for celebration and reflection. And perhaps their efforts can strengthen and guide us, celebrating the good in our past and drawing survivalist lessons from its horrors.
“It is not only an encouragement to the youth to support and pursue their own music styles,” point out the publicity people, “but it is an exposing of them to traditional music, to help shape and guide them.”
This is all true, yet I have my reservations. They’ve all been apart for various reasons for so many years, the political times have moved on. Youth music has reinvented itself and jazz has had a resurgence of popularity. And perhaps expecting them to recreate the dynamism and cohesion that took them to the top is a little far-fetched.
Yet Mabuse, who has been rehearsing his heart out at Kippies, told me that the youngsters have been gathering around amazed. “It’s those recorded beats they’re always listening to,” he reckons, “they hadn’t heard drumming that solid before.”