Gaborone comes alive again
Thalefang Charles | Friday April 24, 2015 14:44
“Gaborone was the hub of live music in the 80s,” he says, adding; “Every Friday there were hardcore revellers who crossed the border from South Africa into Gaborone to party here”.
The narrator, Bonjo Keipedile, actually played at those epic parties in Gaborone. He was a part of the Shakawe band playing with Jonas Gwangwa, Steve Dyer, Dennis Mpale, Tony Cedras, Rampholo Molefhe, Gabriel Selato, Whyte Kgopo, Tsholofelo Giddie and Japie Phiri.
This was when South Africa was in political turmoil. The African National Congress (ANC) had established an Arts Wing based in Gaborone called Medu, which was an organisation for writers, artists, and performers for South African exiles.
Shakawe and Kalahari, comprising of Hugh Masekela, John Selolwane and bassist Aubrey Oaki, were the products of this freedom struggle arts movement.
The liberation message was infused into music and poetry and set Gaborone entertainment alight. It was mostly jazz music inspired by African American jazz. Just as the Mississippi slaves put their hard labour sorrows into their music, the South African exiles sang the Apartheid blues in the city of Gaborone. South African group Future even went on to make a hit song titled, Party Weekend that was about the experience of partying in ‘Gaberones’. Radio Botswana’s Goitseone Moatlhodi and Gong Master at Duma fm often bring back those memories with the song.
The song must have been a big advertisement for the young city because it urged one to visit Gaborone, “for a weekend you will always remember”.
The once famous Woodpecker and Bluenote entertainment centres are history and South Africa is free, but Gaborone is battling a new struggle.
The city’s entertainment life is in ICU because of the tough liquor laws that were introduced.
Nightclubs were shut down, some mysteriously got burnt down while other pub owners just disinvested from the entertainment industry.
But there is a new hope for Gaborone. It looks like jazz has, once again, owned the struggle. There has been a resurgence of shows in the city owing to the genre. In a space of two months Gaborone would have hosted these legendary stars; Hugh Masekela, Don Laka, Stimela, Tsepo Tshola, Jimmy Dludlu, Mango Groove, Lady Smith Black Mambazo, Mahotela Queens, Zonke, Atjazz, Louis Mhlanga, together with local Afro soul artists, Puna Gabasiane, Shanti Lo, Banjo Mosele, Lister Boleseng, Socca Moruakgomo, Nnunu Ramogotsi, Mpho Sebina and Trans Kalahari Jazz Quintet.
We have seen few ambitious jazz festivals that promised to be annual events coming up in Gaborone. There was the second Hamptons Jazz Festival that rocked at Duma FM Grounds followed by the inaugural Gaborone International Jazz Festival (GIJF) at Serokolwane Farms, dubbed ‘Jazz On The Lawn’. This weekend the old Kalahari trumpeter and world-renowned musical icon Bra Hugh Masekala will be blowing his horn at the Botswanacraft with Socca Moruakgomo.
Then there will be I am Legend Concerts at the beautiful Molapo Piazza featuring talented South African pianist Don Laka, and the globetrotting acapella trio, The Soil with Vusi Nova, Lizibo and Mmaphala.
Why this upsurge of jazz in Gaborone?
Oliver Groth, a promoter of the popular Mascom Live Sessions said that it is not even about jazz as a genre but rather about ‘live music’.
“There are promoters out there who have passion for good, mature live music. So they are bringing it back with these festivals,” said Groth.
He gave an example of Gaborone International Jazz Festival organisers, the Rakhudu family, which has a documented deep passion for music. Former cabinet Minister Keletso Rakhudu is a guitarist.
As one of those promoters pushing this passion, Groth shared that these festivals are really expensive and labour intensive to put together. But the passion and love for music has seen them soldiering on. Groth says most of their shows at Mascom Live Sessions are inspired by African heritage.
“This is not just about the money. We are promoting culture and sharing our passion for music. That is why we keep bringing legendary African heritage ambassadors like Hugh Masekela and Oliver Motukuzi,” he says.
Founder of GIJF, Lesedi Rakhudu, also believes the upsurge of jazz in Gaborone is mostly influenced by the musical taste of the current crop of promoters.
She said their company found a niche for live shows in Gaborone and they have just begun a journey to service the city with a premier international jazz festival. “There is a need for entertainment. We found a market for mature jazz shows in Gaborone,” she says.
Rakhudu says that there is a strong following of jazz in Botswana saying these followers have not been given what they want and that is why most of them have been making long trips to Cape Town and Johannesburg in SA. She says that their company envisioned a jazz show as an opportunity to promote entertainment tourism in Botswana.
“This is how we add to the tourism diversification in Botswana. We are trying to do shows that make Botswana not just about wild animals and bush resorts,” she says.
According to Rakhudu, her jazz festival is the beginning of a movement. She gives examples of how Cape Town International Jazz Festival has grown in leaps and bounds contributing hundreds of thousands in revenue to the economy of the city and in extension the country. It is her dream to one day have a bigger and better festival than that of the Cape Town Jazz Festival.
Rakhudu says for a while most promoters were not pushing for live jazz shows because they might have not been personally interested in the genre.
The youthful promoter says the tastes of promoters go a long way in deciding what kind of genre and musicians to feature at a show.
Personally she is an RnB and jazz lover and that is why she is happy to host a ‘mature live music’ show. But Rakhudu also believes it could be a coincidence that there is an upsurge of jazz shows in Gaborone.
Whether it is a coincidence or not, one thing is clear, live music is back in the city. Despite the tough liquor regulations that have stifled entertainment, Gaborone is rediscovering its old self by once again giving music life.