Legendary Bheki Khoza and Madala Kunene show off guitar skills in solo concert.

iSupport Creative Business, in collaboration with KZNSA Gallery and supported by Concerts SA presents legendary guitarists Bheki Khoza and Madala Kunene in concert. The concert will take place at KZNSA Gallery in Glenwood, Durban on Saturday 4 December, doors open at 6 pm and tickets are available on Webtickets for R60. BUZZART21 will be open for extended shopping and the Arts Cafe will serve a special menu.

Bhekisisa Khoza is a well-known left-handed guitarist from Umlazi and guitarist Madala Kunene, known as the King of Zulu Guitar, was born in Cato Manor. Both having extensive careers in music, organiser Marlyn Ntsele from iSupport Creative Business, thought it would be great to feature both guitarists in an intimate, semi-acoustic concert.

“Musicians like Khoza and Kunene are largely underrated in the industry, yet have contributed immensely to the South African guitar sounds. At iSupport we feel this should be celebrated, and doing this at our first live concert since the start of the pandemic would be no better time,” says Ntsele. iSupport wants to invite audiences to enjoy and also show their support to these musicians, who have not been able to perform during these difficult times of a pandemic.

About Bheki Khoza

In 1991 he received a Talent Award and scholarship to study music in America. He returned in 1995 from studying at the University of Hartford, Connecticut, with the great Jackie McClean, one of the few living legends.

Some of the musicians he had the opportunity to play with included Kenny Barron, Hilton Ruiz, Kirk Lightsey, Cecil McBee, Virgil Jones, Charles Davis and Steve Davis, who now runs Anarchy, a jam club for African music, in particular. Gigs stemming from the African connection included backing vocalist Floxy Bee from Nigeria and Thuli Dumakude, a singer from South Africa, of Mabatha Fame.

Prior to studying in America, Bheki played with the African Jazz Pioneers, Abie Cindi, Sipho Gumede, Winston Mankunku Ngozi, Rene McClean, Victor Ntoni, Mike Makhalemala, George Lee, and Berry Rachabane, among others. He also backed South Africa’s famous songbirds, Sibongile Khumalo, Sophic Mgina, Dolly Rathebe, Abigail Kubheka, and Themi Mtshani.

Bheki recorded an album entitled “Asambe” in 1995. The album is comprised of original compositions, some of which used to be Shonilanga. Bheki also composed the African Jazz Pioneers hit “Sgaxa Mabhande”.

Bheki is musical director for the South African film production of “Drum”, a fictional account of the razing of Sophiatown. The film features a high profile international cast, a wide variety of new musical production selections which defined the Sophiatown sound, and many of the surviving musicians who played in the bands of the time.

About Madala Khoza

Madala Kunene was born in 1951 in Cato Manor, Durban, South Africa. He started busking on Durban’s beachfront at the age of 7, making his first guitar out of a cooking oil tin and fish gut for the strings. It was friends such as the great Sandile Shange, who encouraged him to take his guitar playing much more seriously.

In very little time he had become the hottest guitar player and was discovered by Sipho Gumede and started to share the stage with such luminaries as Doc Mthalane, Songamasu, Shor Philips, Mankunku Ngozi and Busi Mhlongo. 

Made in 1995 and produced by Pops Mohamed and Airto Moreira, this supreme album features many of his old friends, including Londoner Zena Edwards, Sipho Gumede, Mabi Thobejane, Busi Mhlongo, Mandla Mgabhi and Mandla Masuku, Jose Neto and Flora Purim, to mention but a few. Following this debut solo album, he collaborated with numerous artists including Swiss guitarist Max Laesser. Bafo, as he is known by his friends and fans, released a number of albums and remains one of the few remaining legends of true South African music.

This concert is made possible by The SAMRO Foundation/Concerts SA. Concerts SA  is a joint South African/Norwegian live music development project housed under the auspices of SAMRO and managed by IKS Cultural Consulting. Concerts SA receives financial, administrative and technical support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SAMRO and the SAMRO Foundation. Working with musicians, promoters, venue owners and audiences, and providing support to the sector through research and skills development for music professionals, the project aims to build a vibrant and viable live music circuit in southern Africa. It also aims to develop an interest in and appreciation of live music by showcasing music performances and conducting workshops at schools.

For more information, please visit our website http://concertssa.co.za, follow @ConcertsSA on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ConcertsSA or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ConcertsSA.

Event listing:

Bheki Khoza and Madala Kunene

KZNSA Gallery, 166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, Durban

Saturday 4 December

Doors: 6 pm | Show: 6.30pm

Tickets: R60 on Webtickets – click here to book