Bayete And Jabu Khanyile - Mmalo-We

Jabu Khanyile was born in Soweto, after his mother died he was forced to abandon his studies at the age of fourteen in order to earn a living, his father was a miner and sang traditional a cappella songs, and his brother John played in a reggae and soul band. Jabu followed them into music, and joined a local band called The Daffodils, and in 1974 he decides to join his brother John's band as a drummer, shortly after he became the group's vocalist. In 1977 he moved to the band The Movers, and by 1984 Khanyile had already joined Bayete as a drummer, a band that combined Afro-jazz and reggae.

In 1987 they released the immensely popular 'Mbombela' title taken from a song by Miriam Makeba. "We took Miriam Makeba" Mbombela "and we wanted to show that the same steam train was taking people away from their families to look for work in the cities. And many parents did not make enough money to ever go home, Jabu said" .

Bayete parted ways in 1992, and Khanyile embarked on a solo career with the album Wankolota, although none of Bayete's original members were involved at the time. Khanyile became internationally known in 1996 after an appearance at the Royal Gala in honor of Nelson Mandela.

In 1996 and 2000 he won the Kora award for the best artist in Southern Africa. He has worked internationally with Youssou N'Dour, Angelique Kidjo and Papa Wemba. He was known for his pan-Africanist approach to music, in an attempt to unite different African styles. He was generally dressed in a Masai suit, a symbol of African royalty.

Khanyile performed at the Live8 concert in Johannesburg in July 2005. Her last public appearance was in July 2006 at the "Africa Calling" award ceremony at the end of the World Cup in Berlin.

He died in November 2006 after a battle with diabetes and prostate cancer.

Jabu was one of those truly special South African artists; He first made an impact on the local music scene in the 1980s with the music group Bayete that caught the attention of Chris Blackwell, who released the album 'Mmalo-we on his World Music Mango label.

JabuKhanyile (vocals)

Tom Fox (guitar)

ThapeloKhomo (keyboards, background vocals)

JabuSibumbe, Andre Abrahams (bass)

ThembiKubheka, Khanyo Maphumulo, KhululiweSithole, Tshidi Mannye, BathoMhlongo, FuthiMhlongo, SkumbuzoKubheka, Wendy Mseleku, Baby Cele (background vocals)

Mmalo-We by Bayete and JabuKhanyile on Grooveshark

01. Mmalo-We

02. Thabo

03. Retrenchment

04. Ten Times Love

05. Ubugwala

06. Africa Unite

07. Emandulo

08. Ungayingeni

09. Culture Disgrace

10. Celebrate Life