Madala Kunene & Baba Mokoene Serakoeng Downloads

Baba Mokoena Seakoeng was one of the finest Mbaqanga guitar, and a well known collaborator with Madala Kunene. Simon Baba Mokoena was born at Umkumbane in Durban in the late 40's. He started making music at the age of 12, playing a home-made guitar made from a five-litre oil container. At 17, he... Learn More »

Baba Mokoena Seakoeng was one of the finest Mbaqanga guitar, and a well known collaborator with Madala Kunene.

Simon Baba Mokoena was born at Umkumbane in Durban in the late 40's. He started making music at the age of 12, playing a home-made guitar made from a five-litre oil container. At 17, he picked up his brother's acoustic guitar and has never looked back. Baba's first gig was with a group called Mhlathi and His Comets, whom he stayed with for four years. Next he met Dick Khoza, a jazz drummer. They formed a small jazz group with Pat Matshikiza on piano and Victor Gaba on bass, playing gigs around Durban.

After two years Baba left the group and went to Johannesburg to play Mbaqanga, because he had always wanted to play African music. He played for a group called Izintombi Zamangwane. This was followed by guitar work on Gibson Kente's musicals Sikhalo and How Long.

Baba joined the resident band at the Pelican Night Club, playing with Winston 'Mankunku' Ngozi and Khaya Mahlangu, to name but a few. This stint at the Pelican was a chance to explore different kinds of music - Mbaqanga, Jazz and Rhythm and Blues - and to meet names like American jazz organ player Jimmy Smith and US group The Realistic.

Baba then moved back to Durban, gigging in clubs playing 'Top 40' hits until he met 'Sarafina' playwright Mbongeni Ngema. He was impressed and asked Baba to join the band for his musical 'Township Fever', which opened at Johannesburg's Market Theatre in 1991. The show went on to tour America, opening in New York. After the 'Township Fever' tour, Baba worked with Letta Mbuli and Caiphus Semenya in shows around South Africa. Baba returned to Mbongeni Ngema's company, touring Europe with 'Sarafina', 'Magic at 4am' and 'Mama'.

On his return from Europe in 1993 Baba added his artful guitar playing to Sipho Gumede's Melt 2000 release, Down Freedom Avenue (BW051) with Madala Kunene. During the 1994 Outernational Meltdown recordings with MELT 2000 in Johannesburg Baba met and recorded with Airto Moreira and Jose Neto. In 1999, Baba teamed up with Madala Kunene to prepare the recording of a collaborative album for Melt. The album Madala Kunene & Baba Mokoena Serakoeng, entitled First Double 1&2, released in 2002, was nominated for the 2003 SAMA awards.

Baba appeared at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Cape Town in 2002 with PedXulu – a 12 piece orchestra gathering on one stage the finest Pedi, Xhosa and Zulu players.

Baba and Madala launched their album last August at the Arts Alive Festival uniting the 4 top Maskandi guitarist (Shiyani Ncgobo and Mkhalelwa 'Spector' Ngwazi ) on one stage for a unique performance.

He was a very sought after session musician and his guitar playing earned him a lot praise from all age groups – he recently toured frequently with Mafikizolo.

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