New Duncan Senyatso songs to mark golden jubilee
Staff Writer | Friday September 23, 2016 16:58
Duncan Senyatso, who passed away in 2006, (vocally) returns on a new limited edition CD to coincide with Botswana’s 50th anniversary of independence celebrations.
‘Five songs’, recorded in Scotland during his last visit to the UK in 2005, revisits his roots and teams him up with Simon Jaquet, the co-founder of the Kgwanyape band in the 1980s.
“We recorded these five songs on a battered old Yamaha four track cassette recorder in 2005. I remember it felt like the old days in Jwaneng - just the two of us sitting down and playing together. When I rediscovered the tracks recently, I thought it was worth putting them out. We cleaned them up, put down some percussion, bass and organ. It is great to hear Duncan’s voice again after all these years,” Jaquet said.
Senyatso, one of the greatest musicians, left his mark in albums such as Mephato Ya Maloba, Kgeleke Tsa Pina, and Whither Africa, for which he was nominated for a Kora award. He toured Botswana and South Africa in the 1990s and 2000s, and also played at festivals in France and the UK.
“Duncan had a unique ability to mine a rich vein of Botswana’s traditional stories, poetry, and songs, while infusing them with a contemporary sensibility that was all his. As a musician, he was a genius. He had that rare talent - the ability to capture moments of everyday life in a three-minute song that stayed with you for ever.”
“I first met Duncan on Independence Day 1984 in Jwaneng, when he asked me if I was interested in playing music with him. It feels special to be returning with some of his songs on another Independence Day 32 years later,” Jaquet said.
Duncan, one of Botswana’s most renowned musicians, wrote, performed, and recorded in Botswana and Southern Africa from the early 1980’s until his death in 2006. Initially with the Blues Breakers, he formed the Kgwanyape Band with Simon Jaquet in 1986, championing Setswana music to local audiences. Going solo in 1991, Duncan supported Eric Clapton, UB40, Miriam Makeba, and Paul Simon.
He also performed as part of the ‘African Axemen’ with Louis Mhlanga (Zimbabwe), Simi Zecko (Zambia), Temba Khumalo (South Africa). His album Kgeleke Tsa Pina, recorded in Scotland, was the third of three groundbreaking albums. The first, Mephato Ya Maloba, was voted seventh best world music album in 1989. His follow-up, Whither Africa, led to a Kora nomination in 2000 for Best Southern African Artist.