The Southern African country the Republic of South Africa enjoys a stretch of coast facing the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. It is a melting pot of many different cultures, both European and native African, and this can be seen in the music scene there too. The music there is of both folk and popular forms. This article will outline some of the notable musical traditions of South Africa.
Early musical training was first provided in South Africa by Christian missionaries which brought the earliest of the modern countries musicians to international fame. One such example is Enoch Sontonga, who was the mind behind the national anthem 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika' ("God Bless Africa"). Towards the end of the nineteenth century, South Africa, and especially cities like Cape Town, was big enough to bring in musicians from other parts of the world, such as American ragtime musicians.
Jazz plays a big part in South African musical history, with musicians such as Hugh Masekela, Jonathan Butler and Jonas Gwangwa being some of the great musicians produced. The Jazz of the 1960s can be categorised as two kinds. There were the popular dance bands like the Elite Swingsters, and then the more experimental jazz that took people like John Coltrane as influence. John Mehegan, the American pianist organised a session in a recording studio in 1959 with some of the best musicians in South Africa at the time, and what resulted was Africa's first two jazz LPs.
Kwaito is another important part of South Africa's music scene. It was created inthe late 1990s in Johannesburg and is a popular outlet for the young black community. It has been described by the producer Diplo as "slowed-down garage music", and combines elements of house music and hip hop with a uniquely slow tempo.
Afrikaans music has seen a return to popularity in South Africa over the last ten years or so, and it is though that this is due in some way to freedom from Apartheid. There are clearly too many influences in South African music to account for them all, so it will have to do to just say that the music scene there is rich and varied.
Early musical training was first provided in South Africa by Christian missionaries which brought the earliest of the modern countries musicians to international fame. One such example is Enoch Sontonga, who was the mind behind the national anthem 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika' ("God Bless Africa"). Towards the end of the nineteenth century, South Africa, and especially cities like Cape Town, was big enough to bring in musicians from other parts of the world, such as American ragtime musicians.
Jazz plays a big part in South African musical history, with musicians such as Hugh Masekela, Jonathan Butler and Jonas Gwangwa being some of the great musicians produced. The Jazz of the 1960s can be categorised as two kinds. There were the popular dance bands like the Elite Swingsters, and then the more experimental jazz that took people like John Coltrane as influence. John Mehegan, the American pianist organised a session in a recording studio in 1959 with some of the best musicians in South Africa at the time, and what resulted was Africa's first two jazz LPs.
Kwaito is another important part of South Africa's music scene. It was created inthe late 1990s in Johannesburg and is a popular outlet for the young black community. It has been described by the producer Diplo as "slowed-down garage music", and combines elements of house music and hip hop with a uniquely slow tempo.
Afrikaans music has seen a return to popularity in South Africa over the last ten years or so, and it is though that this is due in some way to freedom from Apartheid. There are clearly too many influences in South African music to account for them all, so it will have to do to just say that the music scene there is rich and varied.
