I just heard Kwela a few days ago. I really like ! I am a struggling whistler. I have stopped & started a few times in frustration at my progress at ITM. The talented folks who play it well sound wonderful. I doubt I will ever get there though. I have learned to get most of the sqeaks & squalks out , unless I go too high in 2nd. octave. But hearing the Kwela , I thought “I can play that!” Not like the big guys , but enough to make me happy. I will still practice my ITM tunes, but some of them are HARD , most of them actually.
This is not meant to say Kwela is a kids game. Just more reachable to me.
Could any fellow fans of Kwela chime in here & give me advice? As I say , I never heard it before ,“that I remember” before a couple of days ago. But I recorded the YT of Andy Rigby workshop, took it home and dang I could play it!!
I am ordering a Jerry tweaked Ge. Bb soon . It seems that would be the best bet , without spending a bunch of cash.
I believe the old Hohner whistle was the instrument of choice for Kwela, traditionally.
And check out this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkAA5ZTwooM Look for Big Voice Jack playing two whistles simultaneously while marching. There’s a trick for you.
The kwela.co.uk link’s very helpful; also check out The Positively Testcard. Though they’re not what you’d call “original” Kwela musicians, they do the Kwela in a very refreshing way - great music, and as you indicated, some of their stuff is easy to do (not as easy to do well, though - it’s different from ITM, but equally demanding in speed and coordination, and tonguing enters the equation in a big way, as does bending and similar stuff).
Closer to the roots are Kwela Tebza; the guys are Big Voice Jack Lerole’s nephews - but they’re adding quite some african pop flavour to some of their tunes. This is not necessarily a bad thing - it’s just not what used to be Kwela. But they sure know how to do that, too.
It’s actually quite difficult to get original recordings by Big Voice Jack Lerole or Spokes Mashiyane on CD - if anyone knows of a reliable source that’s not overly expensive, I’d be grateful for a pointer. I know some stuff is available as a download, but that’s just not the same (not for HiFi-ists, that is).
Kwela, love it. I haven’t gone into it that much but played lots of township swing, highlife stuff, Dudu Pakwana, Miriam Mkeba, Mongezi Feza, etc. (…in another life, with world music big band on saxes and guitar). Depending on what you’re used to playing on that baritone sax a lot of it will sound familiar, straight scales and pentatonics, African and jazz basically. Using the Bb whistle also puts it all in familiar sounding sax/brass keys. For starters you could try ‘Dolos’ (by Spokes Mashiyane, I think). Enjoy!
I have the Spokes Mashiyane LP, King Kwela or King of Kwela. It’s out of print, so maybe I’ll haul out the turntable and do a rip.
As for ‘not the same’, I’d point out that kwela is music the very epitome of lo fi. The source recordings were 78s, and while they usually had ‘real’ instruments for recording sessions, a kwela band might have consisted of a whistle, a ‘tea chest’ (washtub) bass and a cigar box guitar.
You’re right, of course - about the older recordings, surely. But I’ve given up trying to find those around here; my information about what was available when is too sketchy anyhow. If it’s authentic, I don’t mind so-called “minor” sound quality. In fact, The Positively Testcard sometimes add in some noise on their CDs (at the beginning of tracks mostly) to revive the feeling of those old records. I don’t have to point out around here that simple’s not the same as primitive, anyway! I’ve seen and heard those improvised instruments played expertly (the last time in Vannes/France - during a folk and jazz festival last summer; they didn’t play Kwela, but it was a great experience nonetheless).
The newer recorings (like said “King Kwela” by Big Voice Jack, as far as I can judge from the snippets I’ve heard) are maybe a little less authentic, but much better in terms of sound quality, and his playing is great. I’m sure the LP is nice to listen to; if the rip is worth it depends on your possibilities to convert A/D…
“King Kwela” is available on CD, but one has to order directly from South Africa, and that makes it very expensive (about 45$ for a single CD - ouch).
Miriam Makeba recorded a Kwela track called “Phatha Phatha” (not the famous “Pata Pata” everyone knows - same basic rhythm, though) together with Spokes Mashiyane - the recording quality is decent, and Spokes’ playing is really impressive. I stumbled upon this by pure chance (I was hunting for “Pata Pata”).
Indeed instrument of availability, but also what the local players now seek - they have become rare and costly if you can find them. I was offered a set of 7 hohners for $2000 - they are still available if anyone is interested…
Thanks M for posting the Kwela Tebza link. They are great guys and where kwela music is not what it used to be in SA, they are keeping the traditions and interest alive and training up others too.
Ian