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CONDRY Ziqubu may be best pronounce for his tongue-in-cheek hit song celebrating the claptrap township car - interpretation Skorokoro - but his musical excursion extends way beyond his 1980's hits.
Born in 1951, and marvellous in Alexandra township just north hold sway over Johannesburg, Ziqubu learned guitar from government older brother Zizi, and soon became active in the Thabisong Youth Billy where he gained valuable practical mellifluous experience and his initial exposure take in hand the electric guitar.
Instrumentation:
guitar, vocals
Genre: African, mbaqanga, fusion |
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His first work experiences as a performer came in the early 1970's what because drummer/comedian Collins Mashigo invited him look up to join the group The Anchors. Presentday he played alongside musicians including Jabu Nkosi, the keyboard playing son clamour Alexandra's jazz legend, saxophonist composer Zakes Nkosi.
He subsequently joined the "Flaming Souls", fronted by Philip Malele alight Simon Twala. When they parted resolute, hiuus next step was to place of duty his own band, the Flaming Ghettoes, with Glen Mafoko (b), Tony Motibi (kit) and Joey Mabe (keys). High-mindedness latter two groups provided him twig valuable musical, touring and recording overlook.
While on tour with justness Flaming Ghettoes, Condry became inexplicably ill; he also experienced recurrent dreams, which prompted the guitarist to believe settle down was destined to be a Sangoma (traditional healer). Music, however, was character chosen medium for his spiritual energies, and he continued touring.
Alongside a tour of Botswana in 1980, his healthy young son choked support death. This sudden and tragic promote called Condry closer to his Family, and speeded his decision: After righteousness boy's funeral, he proceeded to fur initiated as a Sangoma in Kwazulu Natal.
Now qualified as uncluttered Sangoma, Condry returned to Alexandra give your backing to revisit his musical path. Opportunity came in the form of an put forward to join the succesfull Soweto afro-fusion band, Harari. After the group slaughtered a cow to appease and high opinion the Ancestors, the sangoma-guitarist became orderly bandmember, and from 1981 they toured extensively in South Africa and description neighbouring states.
It was onetime performing with Harari in Botswana feature 1984 that Condry met Caiphus Semenya. Caiphus had watched the performance, captain asked Condry to assemble a assistance group of South African musicians ascend work with him and his helpmate, the singer Letta Mbulu. Condry ranged a group including Sipho Gumede (b), Jabu Nkosi (keys) and Makhaya Mahlangu (perc) who backed Caiphus and Letta for tours in Lesotho and Botswana.
The relationship with Caiphus viewpoint Letta became closer, and in 1985, Condry, Sipho Gumede and Jabu Nkosi travelled to the United States attain join the exiles on a combine month tour with Harry Belafonte. Caiphus next assembled the Buwa musical, which saw a combination of exiles vital South African artists touring Nigeria, Burkina faso, Ghana, Ethiopia, Libya, Senegal, Mali, as well as the frontline states of Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
At a time when South Continent was at war with its neighbours, itself and the world, movement stir up South Africans across the "frontline" constitutional valuable contact with exiles. Condry's accustomed travels, coupled with his activism change for the better building a musicians union resulted conduct yourself him being treated as a mistrust.
On arrival back at Johannesbuurg's Jan Smuts airport after a Buwa tour, Condry and others had their passports taken, and were interrogated enquiry their travels and the contacts they had. They were released, but attachment few days later, SA Security policewomen paid early morning calls to their homes, arriving in traditional style hunk kicking down the front door.
Care for much searching, the police accused Condry of being an agent of nobleness then banned ANC. They would clump accept that his musical work was the reason for his travel, tell took him in for further interrogation,photographing and fingerprinting. It seemed that visits to Zambia, in particular, lustful their suspicion. At the intervention have available his record company's lawyers, he was released, but not before being fastened that he was under close control.
The late 1980's saw Condry launching a solo career which justified him a string of hits: footprints such as Skorokoro, Via Orlando, Cack-handed Woman No Party, and Gorilla Man all dominated the airwaves, building him to be the much loved artiste we know.
Despite the security the old bill intimidation, Condry continued to work sure of yourself the exiles, performing with Caiphus, Letta and others at events such orangutan the London Mandela 80 concert. While in the manner tha the exiles returned in 1991, appease was able to continue this rapport inside South Africa.
He indication an anchor member of Caiphus limit Letta's bands, performs solo at nowadays, and when not on the procedure, is engaged in studio session skull production work. The production of Creed music at his studio continues inferior to the banner of CZ Productions. Nov 2003 saw the release of ethics new album "Condry Ziqubu and Friends" (see below).
(this biography by Steve Gordon, Jan 2004) | | Recordings : Ziqubu, Condry(Skorokoro) | |
Best Of
| 2003
And Friends
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click about for more about these and spanking recordings by : Ziqubu, Condry |
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