Bingelela

"Bingelela" is the name of this painting. Sometime in 2009 I had an accident on stage. My hip joint was unable to move and the pain was unbearable. I could not work, could not walk on my own. All the specialist doctors I went to could not find the problem and they just could not help me.
The brush and paint helped me realize more things i was missing by not being able to walk and so. This is what came ought of those days of pain. Was inspired by the Zulu greeting actually "Sakubona" or rather "Siyabonana" that means I can see you, you can see me.
The fact was that I had already confirmed to myself I wont walk ever again and I had written a song 2 weeks prior to the accident that talks about my disability of the same.
One thing I am grateful of is that I am on my two feet as now. And the painting is here. Enjoy this one.

Colorful Mzansi (South Africa)

The tradition of  Mzansi community is so much created by and around music and a dance. "Mzansi" means South, we use this to as a slang nowadays. When a child is born there is a song and when there is death also a song is there. In every gathering, as a nation or a tribe you will hear a lot of songs, Hyms and poems being recited.
I grew up in the times when western instruments has already merged with black voices, and the sound was something amazing. But in the country side is where I could listen to the unique melodies of the woman as they gather the fire wood in the bush, or enjoying their company in the river, may they be doing the laundry or fetching water. Those melodies and harmonies never left my mind. It is funny how we could recognize a man from a distance, by his song he sings. Sometimes he would carry those radios on his shoulder and sing along, then we would know he is back from Jozi or Durban or wherever he is working.
Many artist I have grown to know in this industry still copy the music of our forefathers. I myself still listen to Princess Magogo (Chief Buthelezi's mother) one of the prolific, accurate and unique singer. She amazes me more each time I listen to her. What is sad is this music you can hardly find. Mostly is shelved by radio stations but never play it, and some historians who just wanna enlarge their storage. Look at this normal man who live kwa Mashu hostel a mans hostel in the Durban's nearby township. Mashizolo this is how I know him. Use to see him around the market in Durban playing his traditional instrument "Isitorotoro"when I was a small boy and with his puppets entertaining people. I grew up and moved to Johannesburg then I was working in the studio and searching for some talents. Then I was sent to go look for him, to record his work. I was so happy that finally his work will be published. I am still waiting to see that happening today even though I am away from Mzansi for years now. But I hear now and again the parts of his music in different songs from different artist and my heart bleeds with pain. These are just two people I have mentioned. There is so much going on in this industry that the world should be aware of.
When I started touring my own country to learn more about or culture and customs, I realized that Mansi is so colorful and rich with diversity. This has made me proud of being a part of this nation. And every time I wake up and go to bed I make sure there is a song or a dance. In my music I add a flavor of Africa so that I will have my brand.

Everyone

The feeling of being around musicians is the most thrilling one, before and after the session. I have been working 10 hours on this very day, but still managed to go see the guys do what they do best. This area called Eppendof, somewhere in Hamburg next to Hoheluft Brücke U3 train station. A nice set up, wonderful musicians, but most of all great songs.

Germany is going to experience music that will change their perspective of looking at things. I am telling you, when this project is done, it is gonna be something to have. I am not a great singer but can tell you if something is working or not. For me simplicity is the best way of expressing yourself. That applies in everything in life. I mostly do not separate the two, life and simplicity. if you wanna tell me a story, tell it as if you are explaining it to a six year old, then I will get you.
Poetic lyrics are always good and charming, but a six year old won't get what you are trying to say. There are songs you can write only the musicians can listen to. But when I write I want my message to get across easy and faster to all gender, sex and age groups.

Let me not say more about things I trust they will happen and talk to you about this special song I did with these guys. Diazpora is the project and "Everyone " is the song title. Legbo is the guy sitting down on this picture. He is the one who approached me about this band's project and they were actually at the jam session in Altona one Friday.
The song is simple and straight to the point. Sweet chords, happy mood. I think we can still work on some more funk guitars on it after rearranging it. I will tell you more in this subject if you are interested, but for now let me hear from you.

Happy Sunday

When everything goes wrong make sure there is something you are doing that is so right but very hard for you to see. I know it for a fact for I am the living evidence of my words. God listen to all of our prayers even though it seem hard to wait, but, keep waiting, for your turn is coming. I have marked this day as my day. My heart and eyes have witnessed that love is beyond my understanding and works only for the benefit of its own.
Sunday is the day Jesus woke up from the dead and the day that my beloved family from Germany came to see me and share the few hours together of which has caused this to be the best that can ever happen to me.
Each man has his own secrets and wants to keep his hard and difficult times to himself, and so am I. I am weakened by problems and a smile has been a burden to me and not until this wonderful Sunday.
I love meeting people and this brother made me believe that through all odds love is the key to all that you want and ever wish to be. I cherish every smile and every hug I get in life, most important the gift of love is something you can never repay or maybe I have no words to describe how I feel about this day and me meeting my brother Frank.
I am so proud to call hm brother...... friend ..... and family. He showed me what we call an act of love and a symbol of trust and words of honesty to me and my family. That is why I wrote him a song "Ordinary friend" which I felt it suits the kind of person he is and more.

I told myself that I don't wanna be on stage again after the job I am doing now, but I feel I owe it to people like Frank to jump and grab that microphone and sing things I don't even know. So for anyone who is reading this, by this time next year this Album I am planning to release will be finished. One of the songs will be this one "Ordinary friend" if not a title album.

Trip to my childhood.

Let me start by giving thanks to all forces of the earth and above all give the praises to the only God I worship through Jesus Christ for the ability to share all that I can with you. I am so much thankful for the life entrusted to me. The friends I meet in this life give value to my willingness to live.
UMlazi is a township where i was born and spent my primary school life at. More interesting in my childhood is the fact that we were 13 in these smallest 4 roomed houses made for the black community in South Africa. Life was an exciting thing for us as kids, playing with every little ting we could lay our hands on. My mom was a dress maker and she used to saw pillow cases and aprons and we had fun selling those after school and learning to help her whilst doing them. She was a very strong women and a very strict mother. In most cases she would call us to sing every night after supper of which was an interesting time for young energetic boys who have been playing and running in the sun the whole time.
During our times kids were kids in all aspect. We enjoyed being treated as kids and enjoying the innocence we possessed at that time. Important information was for the grown ups and grown ups were those responsible people who took care for the whole community not just their own kids.
Those night sessions of singing, may it be a gospel, iMbube or traditional song, we would learn in different harmonies and did not matter how old you are you must get your own part. She would make sure we get it and not in a nice way but mostly in tears on your face. We use to think she did not like us, but we grew to realize it when we were at school or in church that she thought us something special and something that made us unique and important. And for this reason I am very proud of being born from that womb and be raised by that woman, and today I can write about her the whole day. For me music starts with her and ends in my heart.

I went from school to school doing what I do best and never forgot where i came from. Nongoma is one of the places in KwaZulu/Natal where I did most of my higher primary schooling. That is where I learned my acting skills. A teacher by name Mr Mafu wrote a nice drama piece where I was main character and enjoyed the fame and popularity of those days. Until today most people who know me from there are calling me "Sputla" that was from my character name.
I would love to go on talking but this is where I stop for today, until next time. Keep your eyes on this one for me and tell me how does it sound like. I have written songs that relate to my past and my friends I miss form these times, my brother included and Mr Mafu as well who wass killed years after I left Nongoma, Buxedine in a village called EZihlabathini next to a small river Bhalule. This is where my manhood started.

My thoughts

Today is a special day for me, I want to share with you my thoughts in a form of a brush and water color. I sometimes in my peculiar moments have my drawings derive from thoughts to happenings.
This is my second painting in Germany. I was coming from South Africa after seeing the remains of my lovely woman who gave birth to me, and the worse thing I ever experience in my country. When people say they are afraid of hijacking stories, I was the victim of crime on the eve of my mom's funeral. The fact that my wife was there with me killed me.

When I took a time to paint I hated my country and wanted to heal myself and wipe the image of of that spaghetti junction in Durban where this happened. From deep inside of me darkness was trying to emerge but life that was given to us prevailed and overpowered all that. Forgiveness helped me a lot and brought the bright colors.

recapturing art

This is what I came up with first when I was trying to brand myself



In these photos there is a red oil color painting by Maria Hover.

Time to share

I came to this country with this mentality of an artist who is hungry for performing and giving all my best to showcase the talent. I am blessed with many talents, singing, acting, dancing, writing and composing, directing as well, but I can not use them all at once and still be healthy. Some things in life we learn to outgrow them, I believe this is what is happening to me. I am allowed to be human after all.

I have grown to have a very sensitive ear to music of my preference, and I can differentiate the voice texture and quality. I can hear and discover a talent from afar. That is causing a bit of conflict in my abilities and willingness of being the one doing the performing part instead,but does not mean I don't enjoy doing it. Love for this to me will never change, but the focus strength of my love is being molded into something better and more unique. Over the years I co written songs, poems and musicals with different people. I have directed and choreographed theater pieces and music videos. That does not make me an expect but a well experienced somebody.

Coming to this country that lacks the kind of music that I know, grew up with and even learned is a very challenging experience. The language that most of the up coming fresh from the school artist here are speaking, is the very same language they don't want to sing. It is incredible the mind set of the most people I have met and had conversations with around here in these few years. The mentality of this industry is set by the people who runs the business. That makes it is very hard for an artist to survive in a world of money and reputation.

I am writing about this so that maybe you might have an understanding of where my writings or compositions are coming from. Sometimes I can be commercial and most of the time I don't care just write what seem fit and feel perfect. I am sharing my life, my heart and my creativity with you so, I will be happy to hear from you also.

I am

It is not easy to explain but so good the feeling inside and the pleasure of doing it is not the feeling you can easily run away from. Yes I am so into it. A day with ought my music will be a curse i guess. For me the sensational feeling comes from the moment you feel the sound in your head into the rhythm that comes following your melody. The time you get to the lyrics there is no turning back, you know that something is there.

I am not talking about the commercial stuff that our bosses want to hear at the end of the week to keep the cash flowing in. NO nono... this is not the replica of the most famous song from the 70s. I am talking about what comes from within when you see something that caught your eye unexpectedly in your way to work. people think you are crazy looking for a piece of paper to get the melody that is ringing in your head down. it is amazing when that happens in the middle of a conversation in a restaurant, because you can not explain to anyone what is going on in your head but rather keep that going until the next chance of going to the gentlemen' s and you are free.

I am so into it you can not believe I wont change to be nobody else in this life. Being myself is such a challenge in this crazy world of living a lie, cheat and paranoia. Musician are special people and for that I salute each and every one who take what he/she is into consideration and learn to be normal amongst the multitude who have no clue who we are.
If words were my right hand I would have told you in many different ways how much i love music. Today is kind of strange. I had a wonderful time with musicians that listens to what they are doing.
I am running out of word but

thursday

What more can you do on a Thursday in Hamburg than going out especially after a 10 hour shift day. Some need a beer and loudness, some need a glass of wine and a cozy place to chill listen to the dj mixing all the good music, some just hanging out with crazy drunk friends because they will have to drive them home in the morning. So the picture is so painted here but it is even worse during the Easter holidays. Schools are closed. All the young people are scatted around the St Pauli /Reeperbahn area.

It is ones choice to be around that crazy atmosphere. Long ques every single nite club door. You can not pass through in front of an ATM cash machine because of desperate broke people trying to use their cash cards and friends are surrounding them, making fun of every single thing that you do on the machine. Can you imagine the one street full of all kinds of clubs and bars in this area? Some are already in a stage where they should be taken home. It is just after 11pm and the police are tired of working already. The bouncers on some clubs are closing the doors. No space inside the bar.

I sit at home and wonder why are these people so crazy about going out so much. They love the music. Some enjoy dancing, some enjoy the crowd, but the bottom line is that they are hungry for entertainment. There is not enough happening in the city to satisfy the thurst of Hamburg people.

I started writing because I felt the need of this topic here. For the love of music and art.

Wednedsay nite

Wednesday is always a busy day and short for me. I have a steady job and on this particular day I am free as in Holiday.

My friend Martin all the way from Berlin is here with me to help me organize the charity event that i am busy with these days. Nevertheless I have to say thanks to my friends who are reading this blog, Frank my German brother and Birigit also. Yes let me tell you the news. I am organizing the charity concert that will be in July 12 on Monday in a very nice place Stage Club in Hamburg.

I dont have much today since I still have a lot to deal with and to arrange the song that I would love all the artist involved to sing. I need all the help I can get on this one.My plans are to rerecord this song and let each singer fills the part with