Spokes Mashiyane

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Spokes Mashiyane (born January 20, 1933 in Vlakfontein , Transvaal , † February 9, 1972 in Soweto , Johannesburg ; actually Johannes Mashiyane ) was a South African penny whistle player and saxophonist . He is considered one of the most important kwela musicians. Its nickname refers to the spokes of a bicycle.

Life

Mashiyane was born in the former Transvaal Province in what is now Gauteng Province . As a shepherd boy he learned to play a three-hole reed flute . He moved to Johannesburg and bought a penny whistle. He appeared as a street musician and was discovered with his guitarist Allen Kwela by talent scouts of the Trutone Records label . In the 1950s he was one of the most famous musicians in South Africa. He played kwela music, which was the most popular form of street music in the townships at the time . He made numerous records in this genre. He was the front man for the Solven Whistlers and the All-Star Flutes. Occasionally he played with the Skylarks , whose best-known member was Miriam Makeba . In 1958 he moved to the Gallo label , where he was the first black South African to receive royalties . In the same year he switched to the saxophone and had a hit with Big Joe Special. Kwela music began to decline in popularity in 1962. Mashiyane married in 1964. He became impoverished and died of cirrhosis of the liver in 1972 at Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto . Mashiyane left behind his wife and two sons.

Discography

Albums

  • 1958: King Kwela! (Rave)
  • circa 1960: Spokes of Africa (Gallotone)
  • 1990: King of Kwela (Trojan World)
  • 1991: King Kwela! (Gallo)

Singles

  • 1954: Kwela Speaks ( EP , Rave)
  • 1954: Ace Blues (Rave)
  • 1961: Se Hong-Hong (New Sound, Gallo)
  • Spokes' Big Four (EP, New Sound, Gallo)
  • Banana ba Rustenburg (EP, Gallotone)
  • with The Romantic Boys : Spokes Mashoyane and His Big Five (EP, Gallotone)
  • with Jack Lerole: How to dance in Africa (Bertelsmann Schallplattenring)

Pieces on compilations

  • 1991: Banana ba Rustenburg on drum - South African Jazz and Jive 1954–1960 (Monsun)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Siemon Allen: Spokes Mashiyane - Discography . on www.flatint.blogspot.de (English)
  2. ↑ a b Portrait of National Geographic ( Memento of December 7, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) (English), accessed on June 20, 2011
  3. ↑ Portrait with images of a record cover , accessed on June 19, 2011
personal data
SURNAME Mashiyane, Spokes
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Mashiyane, Johannes (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION South African jazz musician
DATE OF BIRTH January 20, 1933
PLACE OF BIRTH Vlakfontein , Transvaal
DATE OF DEATH February 9, 1972
Place of death Soweto , Johannesburg