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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZKWELAAfrican pop style emerging in South Africa c'40, spreading to Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe '50s. Term may have been used in connection with a new Zulu vocal style called 'bombing', but by the early '50s was closely associated with penny-whistle street music, a simulated mixture of marabi and jazz. One source says it was named after police vans that looked for street gamblers; the penny-whistle players were used as covers for small gatherings where gambling was going on. Following mbaqanga and other styles its free exuberance won converts to jive, the term for easy fusions of Western and African pop in Johannesburg, popularized by Lemmy 'Special' Mabaso, who performed on streets and at local functions (discovered by promoters at age ten). The standard lineup was two penny-whistles, a home-made guitar and tea-chest bass. After 'Tom Hark' was written by Aaron Lerole, the term was used indiscriminately to describe any black township music; another leading exponent was saxist Spokes Mashiyane. Early examples can be heard in the soundtrack of the film Come Back Africa '58. It was soon exploited commercially but the music heard on records often bore little resemblance to the home-grown variety. |