Kings Of Tsonga Disco

Later in the week we will reach the 45th stop in our African odyssey and it is a big one. I probably have more music from South Africa that from anywhere else other than the UK and US and we will not have the time to travel down many of the byways and even some of the highways. 

Long-standing readers may recall that one of the reasons I started this blog way back in the mists of time was to promote one particular style of South African music, Tsonga Disco. So I thought I should do a separate post dedicated to the stars of that scene rather than risk missing them en route. I will leave it to CC to decide whether this forms part of the official canon or not.

The Tsonga or Shangaan ethnic group are found mostly in the Limpopo province in north-east South Africa and southern Mozambique, although as with the other ethnic groups in South Africa many in the current and earlier generations moved to Johannesburg in search of work.

It is generally agreed that the founding father of modern Tsonga music is the late General M.D. Shirinda, who was the first to merge traditional Tsonga call and response singing and rhythms with modern instruments in the 1970s and who together with his backing singers the Gaza Sisters can be heard on Paul Simon's "Graceland".

Two camps then developed, the traditionalists who more or less stuck with the General's formula and those who headed in more of a poppier direction (Tsonga Disco). The undisputed king of the traditional wing is Thomas Chauke who is still going strong at 72 with roughly 40 albums under his belt.

On the Tsonga Disco side the official lineage is: Paul Ndlovu, who shone brightly but briefly in the mid 1980s before he died in a car crash in 1986; Peta Teanet (1988-96), who also died prematurely when he was shot by a policeman; Penny Penny (1994 to date) and General Muzka (2007 to date). 

Papa Penny and General M has both dodged the curse of the disco kings to date, and Muzka has stayed active. Penny had more or less taken up politics full time until the 2013 reissue of his debut album "Shaka Bundu" on Awesome Tapes From Africa led to a revival of interest in his music. He is now dabbling and occasionally performing again.  

But perhaps the most important figure in the development of Tsonga Disco in the last 30 years is Joe Shirimani, who is to Tsonga Disco what Giorgio Moroder is to disco. 

As well as making great records in his own right Mr Shirimani discovered Penny Penny and co-wrote and produced most of his early records, then did the same for General Muzka and other major artists such as Esta M and Benny Mayengani (who arguably has a claim to be the current king but whose tendency to fall out with and bad mouth everyone he works with including Mr Shirimani makes him hard to praise).

"Pfuka N'wavolo" - General M.D. Shirinda & Gaza Sisters

"Nyoresh" - Thomas Chauke & Shinyori Sisters

"Zantinti" - Paul Ndlovu

"Matswele" - Peta Teanet

"Juri Juri" - Penny Penny

"Vhumandikuteka" - General Muzka

"Limpopo" - Joe Shirimani 

Here is a video from each of them apart from General Shirinda. Astute viewers may spot a passing resemblance between Penny Penny and my own handsome profile in the top corner. Its a coincidence.