Comments for The Kwela Project

Comment on Big Voice Jack Lerole on YouTube by Donald Jeffrey

Donald Jeffrey — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:14:47 +0000

Hi Chris,

I am a (currently lapsed) uilleann piper & whistle player living in
Melbourne, Australia. I came across your site about 18 months ago,
after meeting an English expat. on a tram, after just buying a new
whistle. He saw the top of the whistle protruding from the top of a brown paper bag and asked me if I had heard any South African penny-whistle. He urged me to seek some out as he had heard some excellent music there in the 1960s & ’70s.

To cut a long story short I found this site and have used the links & materials here to some benefit.

I would like to add some info that you may find useful.

I have found videos that feature Spokes Mashiyane (both sax & whistle)& Big Voice Jack soundtracks on youtube.

tom hark – elias & his zig zag jive flutes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKz5kpqctV0

ry ry – B side of above:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4xkfoIEHbw

here is a transcription I did of Ry Ry from the above source:

X:1
T:Ry Ry
S:Elias & his Zig Zag Jive Flutes
Z:donpiper
L:1/8
M:12/8
K:D
z2A d2f a3-a2z | gzA c2e a3-a2z |
fzA d2f a3-a2z | gzA c2e a3-a2z |
fzA d2f a2b a2z | gzA c2e a2b a2z |
fzA d2f a2b a2z | gzA c2e a2b a2z ||
dzA d2e =f2e dz2 | B2z ez2 c2z EzA |
dzA d2e =f2e dz2 | B2z ez2 c2z EzA |
dzA d2e =f2e dz2 | B2z ez2 c2z EzA |
dzA d2e =f2e dz2 | B2z ez2 c2z EzA ||

If you have trouble with the abc format there is info here:

http://www.lesession.co.uk/abc/abc_notation.htm

and a converter here:

http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html

I have found vinyl rips of two Big Voice Jack LPs here:

http://electricjive.blogspot.com/2009/09/township-mshovo-and-groovin-one-two.html

and a compilation with a lovely Spokes Mashiyane 12 bar Boogie entitled ‘Kalla’s Special’ here:

http://electricjive.blogspot.com/2009/10/pre-bop-fifties-joburg-jazz-jukebox.html

Hope you find this stuff useful,
cheers,
Don.

Comment on Shisa Phata Phata by pops ismail

pops ismail — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:45:07 +0000

Kwela shoud be be given more exposure in modern South Africa, rather than confined to special inetrest groups. It is virgin music of our african soil to be enduref or posterity.

Comment on Uile Ngoan’a Batho by Paddy Lowry

Paddy Lowry — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:24:19 +0000

I have tried to find KWELA sheet music with little luck. Is there anything out there? I found your posting of Little Lemmy but is there any of Spokes Mashiyane.
Thanks,
Paddy

Comment on Little Lemmy by Sule Greg C. Wilson

Sule Greg C. Wilson — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:54:05 +0000

Hey; I know the tune from the Gallo vinyl, “Kwela with Lemmy.”. Can you pass me the chords/key?

Comment on Little Lemmy by Joel

Joel — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:48:24 +0000

Lovely transcription of this little song, which I found on a compilation CD labeled “Jive & Kwela”, sold at the Hector Pietersen Museum. I’d love to see you have a go at the second whistle solo!

Comment on Pennywhistle Boogie by uosuaq

uosuaq — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:53:01 +0000

Thanks for posting this! I’m glad I stumbled upon this blog…there’s not much out there about kwela, and ever since I found out you can do *that* with a pennywhistle, I’ve wanted to know more.
The one low pennywhistle I have happens to be in F. This tune is definitely in the key of G, as you say, but the F whistle really seems to harmonize well with it. If I’m not wrong, the basic notes of the F whistle are:

F G A Bb C D E F

…while a G pentatonic (minor/blues) scale is:

G Bb C D F

So every G pentatonic note is a cinch on the F whistle. (And the “blue note”, C#, is easy too.) I’m guessing the amazing Mr. Cele was using a low F whistle…what do you think?

Comment on Rare Willard Cele Recordings by Kwela « Geneology of Kwaito

Kwela « Geneology of Kwaito — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:46:20 +0000

[...] Kwela, which evolved from repetitive South African Jazz known as Marabi, developed as a part of township and shebeen culture in the 1950s. It later evolved into the sound of Mbaqanga. The joyful, syrupy music was based around pennywhistle leads and featured guitar, bass and drums as well. Important artists include Spokes Mashiyane, Lemmy Mabaso and Willard Celes. [...]

Comment on Little Lemmy by Kwela « Geneology of Kwaito

Kwela « Geneology of Kwaito — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:44:22 +0000

[...] leads and featured guitar, bass and drums as well. Important artists include Spokes Mashiyane, Lemmy Mabaso and Willard [...]

Comment on Little Lemmy by Micah Salkind

Micah Salkind — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:38:03 +0000

Thanks for the resources on Mr. Maboso. There’s not much out there so this is very helpful.

Comment on Shisa Phata Phata by David Lewin

David Lewin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:15:47 +0000

“Shisa” is a Zulu stem meaning “hot” and is also a “Hlonipha” ( Zulu term of respect) for the sun.
(taken from the website of a guest farm in Tulbach Western Cape of the same name)

Glad to find other people with a love of this music.

Stumbled across a recent CD by Positively Test Card: ‘Kwela’ is definately woth a listen if you can get a copy. Google them on the net and their website gives a very good history and analysis of the style. From what I can gather they are all (white ) Brits but their music is absolutely true to the sprit… Wonderfully joyous!!