From Kippie to ‘Kippies’ and Beyond by Sam Mathe

Very rarely does a book on music come with its own rhythm as it tantalisingly maps out the schemata of influences, icons and cultural movements of South African popular culture in so deft a fashion - Mathe’s book incapsulates a century of South African jazz and popular music, through the dark but heroic days of apartheid and in the years since 1994, with portraits of over 300 artists, their achievements, the impact of their music. A brilliant, masterful and meticulously researched tribute to South Africa’s musicians.<!--more--> South African music is known throughout Africa and the world. This magnificent book, “From Kippie to Kippies and Beyond” by Sam Mathe, is a tribute to his people’s achievement. It is a tour de force, a colossal achievement. Mathe has, with great dedication and respect as well as awe-inspiring and meticulous research produced a study and a tribute to those not often remembered and honoured, which covers at least four generations of musicians from the nineteen twenties to the contemporary era. The oldest, Peter Rezant, was born in the early 1900s while the youngest, Zoe Modiga, came into this world in 1994. Kippie “Morolong” Moeketsi, the man who inspired the title of this work, was born in the roaring twenties - – the Jazz Age in the United States and a decade that witnessed the birth of <em>marabi</em>, the music of the black working class in the slum yards of Johannesburg. It features the lives and works of over three hundred musicians. Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masikela, Lucky Dube, Brenda Fassie, Dollar Brand [Abdullah Ibrahim], Dorothy Masuku, Letta Mbuli, Caiphas Semenya, Todd Matshikiza and Chris McGregor are just a few of eminent examples. From yesteryears’ kings of kwela, sultans of sax jive and illustrious sultry queens of torch songs, to the stars of contemporary jazz, they all inhabit the pages of this book. The book is timely and affirming addition to the evolving contemporary archives of a people on the rise after a history of pain and discrimination – casting light on so much musical creativity that until now remained in the shadows of history. The title refers to one of South Africa’s greatest musicians, the saxophonist, Kippie ‘Morolong’ Moeketsi. After his death, Market Theatre in Johannesburg had a jazz venue, Kippies, named after him. [penci_button link="https://www.amazon.com/Kippie-Kippies-Beyond-Sam-Mathe/dp/B09F166VHM#:~:text=South%20African%20music%20is%20known,de%20force%2C%20a%20colossal%20achievement." icon="fa fa-address-book" icon_position="left"]Buy Now[/penci_button]