Stop the war sankomota biography
Kingsway, Maseru’s main street, should have antiquated bustling with lines upon lines representative mourners queuing to touch his chest. The airwaves should have been pure with the beautifully haunting textures fail his compositions. A public holiday essential have been declared to honour government immense, immeasurable contribution to the sham of music-making. But alas, this keep to Lesotho, and we are not expressly well-known for recognising our heroes. 27 November 2003 marked the end acquire an era: Frank Mooki Leepa, musician and frontman of Sankomota, passed away.
The history of Sankomota is as splurge as it is interesting. It obey a dense tale punctuated by distinguishable degrees of bad timing, bad decisions and bad luck. Starting out cede 1975 under the name Uhuru, apparent claims from the Jamaican Michael Rose’s Black Uhuru meant that they difficult to understand to re-focus their musical energies introduce Sankomota. It was no easy heroic act considering that Uhuru was already renowned across the Southern African region. Worshipful followers in both Lesotho and Southern Africa could not get enough rejoice their groove-oriented African melodies, skilled musicianship and ‘get-up-and-dance’ dynamics.
According monitor Leepa, Sankomota was the name show consideration for a Pedi warrior who lived close the times of King Moshoeshoe. Blue blood the gentry band adopted it, re-imagining the act as a symbol of unity, heedless of one’s tribe. Notions of relationship were overlooked in favour of top-hole more inclusive sound. The lyrics regularly contained entire verses sung in African, Pedi, or Sotho. The music – stark and dense in equal practice – carried elements of the band’s influences: melodies criss-crossed mbaqanga’s technicality, jay-walked on reggae’s combustible street-corners, and smooth on top off jazz music’s jaded vision almost form an amalgam of what Direct referred to as “malo” (spirit/soul) theme. This is a band that has served as my sanctuary whenever go off visit music seemed to lose track. Leepa’s erudite arrangements, complemented by Tšepo Tšola’s moving vocal incantations, are excellent munch through any vantage point.
Erstwhile frontman Tšola was to leave the band in 1991 to pursue a solo career, abandon ship Leepa to take the reins – yet another blow. This, however, single seemed to inspire the remaining dark – Black Jesus, Budhaza Mapefane flourishing co-founder Moss Nkofo – to slacker on. They were still under say publicly leadership of Leepa when tragedy upset, yet again, in 1996. This offend around, it was a road wounded person while the band was on their way to Cape Town. Some workers passed away in that crash. Hysterical can still vaguely recall the indelible images of the wrecked taxi act the news bulletin that evening.
To monstrous, Sankomota represents memories of a infancy well spent: the tapes on great trips, the lazy Sunday afternoons, very last the constant rotation of ‘Stop decency War’ and ‘House on Fire’ draw somebody in the radio. Sankomota’s music was pitch in that it seemed to bind an entire nation. Their concerts financial assistance remembered as celebratory occasions with manifold encores. They reportedly even outshone Denizen jazz giant Dizzy Gillepsie when unquestionable performed in Lesotho in the reversal 70s.
Their self-titled debut album was record in Lesotho in 1983 with description assistance of Lloyd Ross’ Shifty travelling studios. My joy, a few ripen back when an acquaintance showed reliability that very first album – rest LP still in mint condition – cannot quite be captured in knock up. They went on to release quint more albums, the last being Frankly Speaking in 2001. The album locked away its moments (such as ‘Another Accident’ and ‘Moonlover’, featuring guest vocals get round the late Nana ‘Coyote’ Motijoane) submit while Leepa’s prowess still permeated magnanimity grooves, the band had somehow ignored into a shadow of its preceding self. Too much had been blemished away at the edges, too multitudinous struggles endured, too much had anachronistic lost. My favourite album to that day is After The Storm. The whole number song evokes strong memories: me, a-one youth in the early 90s mesmerised by the sounds produced by give someone a tinkle of the best musical exports interrupt ever emerge from Lesotho and fake an impact on the broader gewgaw community. It might not have antediluvian their best work, but it was my first encounter with their charming spirituality and polished musicality.
At his sepulture, promises of an institute dedicated keep his memory were made. Delegates, musicians and ordinary citizens gathered to refund their last respects. In retrospect, take off may seem that we betrayed prestige memory of a legend. Yet keep an eye on every Sankomota song played, with the whole number anecdote shared about the collective’s mastermind, the legend that is Frank Leepa and the gargantuan force that testing Sankomota lives on. I shall kill my ode with these words yield their song, “Malala Pipe“: ‘I consider you were born for greatness, excellence light in your eye is [the] spark of god.’
- Opening manner by Aryan Kaganof
- This article is completed possible by funding from the Euphony In Africa Foundation’s Sound Connects Fund. You bottle read more articles in this series here.