The song was written hot, as the news of the massacre reached the world. Its creators spanned the continent.
- Associate of the Gordon Institute for Business Science, University of Pretoria
His life in music was a struggle against narrow definitions - of ‘race’, instrumental appropriateness and musical genre.
With a story as harrowing as the times he lived in, he was a singular voice in the country’s rich jazz history.
Exiled for much of his career, he was acknowledged universally as a pioneer and a leading light of the international free jazz scene.
Morojele’s creative career was remarkable. He not only played the jazz changes, but lived and wrote the social and political ones.
The true depth of Michael Mosoeu Moerane’s work as a composer and educator is revealed in a stunning new biography called The Times Do Not Permit.
Rashid Vally gave voice to the new Black jazz of the 1970s through his record label As-Shams, named by pianist Abdullah Ibrahim.
The largest South African survey of its kind has found that women in live music are often excluded from decision-making, receive unequal pay and face a range of aggressions.
The report reveals that musicians are earning what mechanics are, but without formal benefits or the security of steady work.
The book tells the inside story of how they changed the sound of urban pop.
A 26-member theatre ensemble aims to bring history to light in a fresh way.
Not just a great jazz singer, Sylvia Mdunyelwa was also an activist, educator, broadcaster and actress.
Philip Miller and Amit Chaudhuri have reworked national anthems to reflect the impact of history on official music.
The legendary As-Shams jazz label has released the first of several compilation albums recovered from its archive.
Composers are keeping bow music alive through electronic music and other experiments.
Her passing shocked the nation and drew praise for her unique vocal powers and musical mentorship.
New survey shows poor earnings from music streaming made worse by the digital divide and a lack of policy.
Zulu spirituality and the legacy of the ancestors, personal and musical, are the concerns of the saxophonist and composer.
Group Theory: Black Music is the name of the new album from the composer, drummer and scholar. On it jazz meets political theory.
‘A camera is more powerful than an AK47,’ said the veteran photojournalist, who was also famous for his jazz photos.
The album Follow the Sun shows how South African jazz draws from diversity to speak fluidly across borders.
Jazz star Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse has turned 70. In 50 years, his music career has come to help define South African politics and popular culture.
For over 50 years Tshola was loved by audiences around the world for his rich baritone voice, which he used to inspire and to speak political truths.
His bass guitar was a shaping sound of South African jazz and of the band Malopoets, whose huge influence has been poorly documented.
The revered trombonist, composer and cultural activist never wished to be ‘the state composer’ but remained political until the end, in service of the people.
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