Abraxas Band now resident at Satchmos

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Friday March 23, 2007 00:00

Abraxas  staged their first show at Satchmos last Thursday and managed to animate the joint, which has had  no live music at the club for quite some time.

Satchmo's has become renowned for staging live shows, and  some of the local acts that used to perform there, include the late Duncan Senyatso, Shanti-Lo, Punah Gabasiane and Lister Boleseng, as well as Banjo Mosele.  Some of the foreign artistes hosted by the club include Louis Mhlanga, Sipho 'Hot Stix' Mabuse and Gloria Bosman.

Abraxas is now the latest group to take over the famous jazz joint.

It was established in 1997 and Gwaze is a member from the original line up which included the likes of Basi Kumbewu and Dave Munemo. 

In December, one of the leading members of the band, Eric Juba, who played the sax and vocals, passed away.

Gwaze recalled that after the group was formed, they became the resident band at a Mogoditshane club, Take Five, which was run by Soares Katumbela.  Katumbela is still the manager of the band.

From Take Five, the group moved to the Shebeen and, later, to Oodi Lodge, which was also managed by Katumbela.

Gwaze said they used to jam with Boleseng when they were based at the Shebeen.
He said Boleseng still assists the band regularly.

Although it consists of seasoned musicians, Abraxas is still to release an album. 

However, Gwaze said plans are in the pipeline to record their debut album.  He said Katumbela is negotiating with South Africa artiste, Steve Dyer, to assist them to record. 

Gwaze said they had collaborated with Dyer before and this is why they want him to assist them on their project.

He said they have not been able to record in the past due to lack of funds.  But he pointed out they have already composed most of the songs. Gwaze himself has close to 50 years in the music industry.

The young Gwaze started with a Bulawayo band, which was called Golden Rhythm Crooners.  He noted that they toured Zimbabwe, which was then known as Southern Rhodesia, specialising in township jazz. Gwaze said later they undertook a tour of Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania with the Crooners.  He said during that time, they heard that South African songbird Dorothy Masuku was in Dar es Salaam and they went there too. When they were in Tanzania, they raised funds for Julius Nyerere's party and undertook a tour of the country.

He said when Uganda attained independence, they were also invited to perform for President Milton Obote.

They crossed to Nairobi, Kenya, where they played in a nightclub for quite sometime. From Kenya, the band moved back to Tanzania and later to Zambia.

In Zambia, Gwaze said they also helped to raise funds for Kenneth Kaunda's party, which took over power at independence.

After Zambia attained independence, Gwaze left the Crooners and joined another Rhodesian group, Broadways.

He recalled that they were based at a nightclub, which was known as the Woodpecker Inn in Lusaka.  When they were in Lusaka, they met with legendary South Africa muso Hugh Masekela, who used to play with their group.

The Broadways spent sometime in Zambia before they moved to Botswana.
But this was before they recorded their album, 'Malume'.

The Broadways arrived in Botswana in 1988.  During the initial days, they used to stage shows at the Cameo and later they became the resident band at the Sheraton Hotel, which is now known as Grand Palm.

The group later moved to Gaborone Sun.

Gwaze said one of the musicians they used to play with is local journalist, Rampholo 'Chamza' Molefhe.  Gwaze himself has also played with other local groups and is currently backing Boleseng.

A respected guitarist, Gwaze has been imparting his skills to local artistes.  Organisations, like the Botswana Defence Force (BDF), have been engaging him to teach guitar lessons.
The veteran guitarist's services are still in high demand.  Despite spending 50 years in the music industry, he still seems to have more to offer.