Moses Taiwa Molelekwa

Moses Taiwa Molelekwa (born April 17, 1973 in Tembisa ; † February 3, 2001 in Johannesburg ) was a South African jazz pianist and music producer.

Live and act

Molelekwa grew up in a family of musicians; his father was nicknamed "Monk" within the jazz scene, as he was particularly devoted to Thelonious Monk . As a child, he learned guitar and keyboard at home before taking piano lessons with the Federal Union of Black Arts until 1987 , where he graduated with honors and then worked as a professional musician. At first he played frequently in Kippie's jazz club in Johannesburg, where he accompanied Miriam Makeba and Jonas Gwangwa , among others . In 1988 he became a member of Hugh Masekela's band . He also toured the United States with Dorothy Masuka and Julian Bahula . In the early 1990s he founded his own groups Brotherhood and Umbongo . In 1994 Pops Mohamed produced his first album, Finding One's Self , which won both the South Africa Music Award (SAMA) for traditional and contemporary jazz in 1996 and opened up an international career for him. For his second album, Genes and Spirits (1997), which was also awarded a SAMA, he brought Flora Purim and Chucho Valdés . Performed twice at the North Sea Jazz Festival and at Queen Elizabeth Hall. In 2000 he toured the UK with pianist Joanna MacGregor. He has also been involved in productions by Sipho Gumede and René McLean . As a record producer he worked with Sibongile Khumalo and with members of the Kwaito group TKZee.

Molelekwa was found hanged next to his strangled wife, Florence Flo Mthobo, on February 13, 2001.

Web links

• Portrait (South African Music)
• Portrait (National Geographic World Music)
• Obituary in The Scotsman
• Obituary in The Guardian
• Obituary for the tenth anniversary of death in Tonight (2011)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ MacGregor's album Play contains a duo improvisation by the two pianists.