Maskandi musician Siyabonga Bashe will be launching his second album at Seven Fountains this weekend.
Maskandi musician Siyabonga Bashe will be launching his second album at Seven Fountains this weekend.
Bashe, whose stage name is Ntomb'OmXhosa, has done exceptionally well in the past four years. In 2008, his debut album Ntomb'OmXhosa received the Achievers Award in Indigenous Music in the Cacadu District. The album was also nominated in the South African Music Awards (Sama) in the Best isiXhosa Album category, and has sold 32 000 copies since 2008.
The 29-year-old Bashe started singing at the age of 13, when he got involved with choral music at school in his home town, Seven Fountains. After matric, he went to Port Elizabeth to further his studies and joined groups performing traditional dance and music.
In 1995 he moved to Johannesburg to look for a job. Instead, he met other musicians and pursued his career in music, Bashe said. He has played with heavyweights in the industry such as Lahlulumlenze (Sipho Nxumalo), who plays concertina for maskandi giants Phuzekhemisi, Mfazomnyama and Nkunzemdaka.
His beautiful second album, 1819, is rich with original maskandi sounds. The CD showcases Bashe's passion for maskandi.
Like all maskandi musicians, he sings about everything from politics to social issues to love. 1819 is about the Egazini battle. Isililo is about the cry of musicians about music piracy, Bashe said.
He said people in this region were not familiar with this kind of music. Maskandi, as a genre of Zulu folk music, still has strong roots in the former Transkei and KwaZulu-Natal.
“People take maskandi as music of the old people, Bashe said. When those people die, who is going to teach them about maskandi music?” he asked. He said there are few people who sing maskandi in isiXhosa. He wants to promote Xhosa music to be as prominent as isiZulu and Setswana.
The launch will coincide with the annual soccer tournament at Seven Fountains.
“The soccer tournament is part of the launch. There are many soccer clubs in Seven Fountains but they get to meet only during Easter weekend. People love soccer. Even if you entertain them in any way, they will not be satisfied without soccer,” Bashe said.
