Mahotella Queens

  • Rupert Bopape
  • Hilda Tloubatla
  • Nobesuthu Mbadu
  • Mildred Mangxola
  • Emily Zwane
  • Caroline Kapentar
  • Nunu Maseko
  • Ethel Mngomezulu
  • Francesca Mngomezulu
  • Thandi Ngcobo
  • Thandi Nkosi
  • Mary Rabotapi
  • Thandi Radebe

The Mahotella Queens are a three-to five-member vocal group for more than 40 years, the most famous representatives of the Mbaqanga, a popular South African musical style, they enrich with polyphonic harmony vocals and a fast dance.

Band History

The Mahotella Queens was initially just a name, were published under the recordings for the Gallo Record Company with various studio singers. Five of these singers were regularly responsible for the melody. Most members of the Mahotella Queens, including Hilda Tloubatla were therefore active even before 1963 as studio singers while recording backing tracks for artists of the Gallo label.

For the actual foundation as a group, there was about 1963/1964, when Rupert Bopape, a songwriter and talent scout at Gallo first Tloubatla that he had heard singing at the South African Broadcast Corporation, invited her to work with him. A little later, the then 19 -year-old Mildred Mangxola. After the group was completed - usually also Nunu Maseko, Ethel and Francesca Mngomezulu and Nobesuthu Mbadu be called as singers in the early phase of the Mahotella Queens - brought Bopape the singers with the "King of groaners ," Simon Mahlathini Nkabinde and a fully " electrified " instrumental group under the name Makgona Tsohle band together. Together they developed a style of music put together from township jazz, Mbube a cappella singing and a little soul and was named Mbaqanga.

Hilda Tloubatla remained in the 1960s and early 1970s, head of the group that achieved in 1964 with Thoko Ujola Nobani a first hit (new recording in 1994 under the title Thoko ) in cooperation with the bass voice of Mahlathini. In this composition had the group under different names., Including Soweto Stars, Izintombi Zomgqashiyo or just Mahotella Queens over the whole 1960 years more hits, mostly on Gallos Motella label, including Sengikhala Ngiyabaleka, Sikhululekele, Uyavuth Umlilo and Umcolo Kawupheli Many of these songs were re-recorded again in 1988 for the internationally released album Thokozile.

In 1971 the group split up temporarily, as the members had to take care of family and children. In the meantime, played the Makgona Tsohle band with a male singing group, Abafana Baseqhudeni, and Mahlathini changed the record company (EMI ) to continue to make two new groups recordings, the Mahlathini Girls, his own backing singers as well as with Ndlondlo Bashise (The Mahlathini Guitar Band). West Nkosi, the saxophonist and penny whistle player of Makgona Tsohle band was a producer at Gallo, where he in 1972 a then unknown named choir Ladysmith Black Mambazo brought to the label.

The Mahotella Queens were back together in 1975, initially only in order to make an advertising photography. Material from this period appeared on VHS and DVD under the title Mahlathini, Mahotella Queens and Makgona Tsohle Band: Mbaqanga at its Best! ( GMPV 9). The group then released their first album without Mahlathini, Marriage is a problem ( re-release in 1990).

The record company Gallo produced Meanwhile, with five of the less prominent singers from the environment of Queens recordings under the name Mahotella Queens, then from Emily Zwame ( Brakpan ), Beatrice Ngcobe (Durban ), Thandi Radebe ( Dube / Soweto ), Thandi Nkosi ( Emdeni / Soweto ) and Caroline Kapentar (Bloemfontein ) passed. The male partner in this occupation were Robert Mbazo Mkhize, Potatoes Mazambane and Joseph Mthimkhulu, who later formed the group Abafana Baseqhueni. The music was provided by the Makhona Zonke band. This occupation recorded two albums, Izibani Zomgquashiyo (1977) and Tsamaya Moratuoa (1980). The fans were not happy about it and the so-called "B Queens" broke away a little later on.

After this experience, all female Mqashiyo groups of the Gallo label took on under the name Mahotella Queens. This handling of the name did not end until around 1983.

Worldwide success

This year, West Nkosi brought together three members of the original cast with Mahlathini to work in solid cast and form of the name of a recognizable group: Hilda Tloubatla, Nobesuthu Shawe Mbadu and Mildred Mangxola. The Makgona Tsohle band, extended by two musicians who also belonged to this fixed circle of musicians, and sat stylistically on to the point at which the work was discontinued in the 1970s, now supplemented by a stronger emphasis on the drums and the inclusion of the synthesizer in the sound. After another split in the group managed with the 1987 published worldwide album Thokozile the breakthrough. Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens were in the nascent market for world music for a term, not least conveyed by the interest in South African music, which was then developed by two events: the CD and world tour Graceland by Paul Simon in 1986, and the Free Nelson Mandela concert 1988, which also Mahlathini and The Mahotella Queens occurred.

In the following years the awareness of the group grew up with CD releases such as Paris - Soweto, Mbaqanga, Rhythm and Art, Stoki Stoki and Umuntu.

Losses

The mid-1990s, it became clear that Mahlathinis health no longer allowed for a further work in the usual way. With the Mahotella Queens 1997 he gave his last concert. As 1998 West Nkosi, died suddenly in a car accident and a little later the guitarist of her band, Marks Mankwane, who had a special significance for the sound, this led to a longer time out, especially in June 1999 also Mahlatini died of diabetes. The retreat from the music business seemed marked out as the only option.

Four months after the death of Mahlatini but returned the Mahotella Queens as a solo artist on stage back. With Sebai Bay in 2001 they took a successful CD, with which they paid tribute to the lost companions tribute and wanted to give a perspective on the independent further work.

Appeared in 2005 with Reign & Shine 's third album after Mahlathinis death; a significantly reduced band accompaniment and the focus on a cappella singing showed the strengths of the three singers, and underlined their concern to convey with the songs small messages.

Discography (selection)

  • The Mahotella Queens: Meet the Mahotella Queens (1964, LP: Gallo ), publication in South Africa
  • The Mahotella Queens: Thoko Ujola Nobani (1964, LP: Motella / Gallo ), publication in South Africa
  • The Mahotella Queens: Marriage Is A Problem (1975, LP: Gumba Gumba / Gallo ), publication in South Africa
  • The Mahotella Queens: Izibani Zomgqashiyo (1977, LP: Gumba Gumba / Gallo ), publication in South Africa; (1986, LP / CD: Shanachie Records ) Re-release in Europe)
  • The Mahotella Queens: Best OF Mahotella Queens (1977, LP: Gumba Gumba / Gallo ), publication in South Africa
  • Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens: Amaqhawe Omgqashiyo (1983, LP: Gallo ), publication in South Africa; (1984, LP / CD: Celluloid ), re-release in Europe and South Africa)
  • Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens: Pheletsong Ya Lerato (1984, LP: Gallo ), publication in South Africa; (1991, LP / CD: Celluloid ), re-release in Europe and South Africa, The Lion Roars )
  • Mahotella Queens feat. Mahlathini: Thokozile (1986, LP: Gallo ), publication in South Africa; (1988, LP / CD: Earthworks, LP: Gallo ), re-release in Europe and South Africa)
  • Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens: Paris - Soweto ( 1988 LP / CD: Celluloid / Mélodie France)
  • Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens: Rhythm & child (1990, LP / CD: Gallo, 1991, Shanachie )
  • The Mahotella Queens: Women of The World ( 1993 LP / CD: Shanachie )
  • Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens: The Best of Mahotella Queens and The Mahlathini (1993: LP / CD: Gallo )
  • Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens: Stoki Stoki (1994, CD: Gallo, 1996: CD: Shanachie )
  • Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens: Umuntu (1999, CD: Gallo )
  • The Mahotella Queens: Sebai bay (2001, CD: Label Bleu )
  • The Mahotella Queens: The Best of The Mahotella Queens: Township Idols The (2003, CD: Wrasse )
  • The Mahotella Queens Reign and Shine (2005, CD: African Cream Music, CD: Wrasse )
  • The Mahotella Queens: Kazet (2006, CD: Marabi Productions )
  • The Mahotella Queens: Siyadumisa - Songs of Praise (2007, CD Bula Music)
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