How Masekela inspired Woki to international stages
Chippa Legodimo | Thursday April 17, 2014 14:55
The group led by Aubrei Woki had just formed a jazz band called Kalahari and were blessed to attract one of the genre’s most respected players to join them.
Masekela had just returned from exile in the United States of America in the early 80s and sought temporary residence in Botswana. The saxophonist was in South African apartheid regime’s “wanted” list.
Kalahari comprised of Lekofi Sejeso, Banjo Mosele, Buli Tsienyane as well as Woki.
Another renowned jazz artist John Selolwane had just returned from a long stint in Malawi and Kalahari became attractive to him hence he immediately joined.
After many years of rubbing shoulders with the best in the business, Woki is a solo performer based in the United Kingdom.
Although not well known on home soil, Woki has a wealth of experience behind him. He was once a bassist for pop icon Peter Gabriel among others.
Other prolific performers that have utilised Woki’s talents include Dudu Phukwana and Wingston Mankuku.
Recalling the early days of his career Woki’s face lights up with excitement and he recalls both the positive and negative moments of those years. He remembers how another South African jazz great Jonas Gwangwa belittled them only to try and join them after Masekela’s arrival.
Recalling it as if it happened yesterday, Woki recalled a bitter exchange between Masekela and Gwangwa in Broadhurst.
“We had a meeting at the late George Phatle’s place where Masekela was staying. Hugh told Gwangwa off.
One could sense that they had long running battles from years back. The joining of Kalahari by Selolwane had an interesting story behind it.
Ricky Molefhe had wanted to join us, but we felt he would not be of the same value we would get from a well-traveled artist like Selolwane. Then he tried to make us take off Banjo, but Banjo was like a younger brother to me and it was never going to happen,” Woki explained.
The influx of big stars continued when Tshepo Tshola was lured to the then young band by Masekela following the two’s joint performance in Lesotho.
Later in their life Kalahari recruited the late journalist-cum-pianist Rampholo Molefhe, but the lanky pianist was later replaced with the more experienced Bheki Mseleku from South Africa.
“Rampholo was a good friend of mine and a good artis,t but he was unreliable. He was running a butchery in Broadhurst and we needed someone who could always be there. But it was a blessing in disguise, I mean having a slot for someone like Mseleku was just fantastic,” he said.
The decision nearly ended their dream when Ricky, who played a big role in organizing instruments for the jazz band decided to deprive them of the same when he got frustrated.
Ricky, as Woki explained, then influenced a guy called Alfy to confiscate the instruments as the band had not settled the payment balance.
It was during those years when local bands heavily relied on live shows for their earnings, recording music was still a dream for most if not all. So Kalahari would be as good as dead without instruments.
As fate would have it, the University of Botswana organised a cultural symposium at the Gaborone Civic Hall where Kalahari would perform using instruments from the MEDU centre.
“Funny enough, we kept them after that show and surprisingly no one came to demand them,” he said.
When Kalahari disbanded in the 90s, Woki went solo and decided to move to the UK when he realised life as a musician in Botswana was an uphill battle.
There he met with Richard Bailey, Bob Marley’s former band mate and drummer, piano man Roland Perrin and guitarist Alfred Bannerman to form a jazz band.
Woki is modest about his status as a performer and indicates that while he often gets booked to entertain in clubs around London and other major cities around Europe, he does not consider himself, as one of the biggest UK based musicians.
Interestingly Woki sings mostly in setswana and kalanga languages while playing in Europe, but notes that his fans just love it.
“The people there just love it. It gives them something different and their comments reflect that,” Woki said.
As one of the pioneer musicians from Botswana, Woki had wanted to remain and help build the industry but says he had to leave as the local front offered very little rewards.
“I had to be honest with myself because I could not sustain myself had I stayed. I tried some few years back.
I started a freight business and when it failed I was left desperate because music was not offering much option,” he said.
Despite many years of activity in the music scene Woki has only released two albums, the first, being Gaborone, released in 2009, which he did with his singer wife, Masego Woki.
It was only recently that he put a new one on the shelves called Money. The album will be launched at Millennium Restaurant in Mogoditshane on April 22.
He will feature his old friend Selolwane as well as his wife. Dikakapa will also perform at the event.