The music unit of Medu Arts Ensemble consisted of two bands, Shakawe and Kalahari, both offshoots of the legendary “Union of South Africa” co-founded by Jonas Gwangwa, Hugh Masekela and Caiphus Semenya in the US in 1971. In Gaborone, the Medu unit trained and incorporated Botswana-based musicians with exiled or visitors from South Africa. Led by Gwangwa, Shakawe included a core of South African jazz musicians such as Dennis Mpale (trumpet), Tony Cedras (keyboards), Steve Dyer (saxophone). Kalahari was established by Hugh Masekela after his relocation to Gaborone in early 1980s.
Pianist Bokani Dyer is an inheritor of the spirit of these music units and Radio Sechaba continues the search for a southern African sound, and updates Medu’s anthemic music into a soundtrack for the nation.
Catch a rare Cape Town performance of Bokani Dyer’s Radio Sechaba:
Saturday, 30 September 2023 from 7pm
Chimurenga Factory (157 Victoria Road, Woodstock, Cape Town)
R200 online here.
R250 at the door.