Moses Taiwa Molelekwa

b. 17 Apr 1973, Tembia, Johannesburg, South Africa, d. 13 Feb 2001, Johannesburg, South Africa. Molelekwa’s dad and grandfather had been music artists and he was raised towards the documented jazz noises of John Coltrane, Kilometers Davis and Thelonious Monk. His 1st musical ventures had been on guitar, after that keyboards, before formal, but always part-time research on piano in the Federated Union of Dark Arts Academy. By enough time of his graduation, in 1987, he previously established an area status as an accompanist for going to performers who included Miriam Makeba. The next year, he joined up with Hugh Masekela’s music group. The past due 80s and early 90s discovered him touring internationally, occasionally as sideman and additional times as innovator from the award-winning rings, Brotherhood and Umbongo. Furthermore to carrying out music in night clubs and concerts, he also performed in theater orchestras and on film soundtracks. His 1995 debut record won two honours and was received in European countries with vital acclaim. His follow-up record highlighted guests including Flora Purim and Chucho Valdés and he once again won honours and favourable reactions. Molelekwa toured the united kingdom and Europe, showing up at prestigious locations and events like the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Britain, as well as the North Ocean Jazz Celebration in holland. Genes And Spirits, in both Compact disc and video type, begun to make a tag in america and Molelekwa was extremely active not merely using a third record, Wa Mpona, but also being a manufacturer of artists like the vocalist Sibongile Khumalo as well as the commercially well-known kwaito group, TKZee. Hailed being a successor towards the music and heart of South African jazz superstars such as for example Masekela and Abdullah Ibrahim, his upcoming looked guaranteed. He was, nevertheless, beset by personal complications. He and his wife, Florence, who was simply also his supervisor, were apparently at chances with each other, and even though they had a little son, their relationship in disarray. In Feb 2001, their physiques were discovered within their workplace; he was dangling from a beam next to his wife’s body who was simply believed to have already been strangled. Molelekwa’s music shown his all-embracing likes, including hard bop, funk, R&B, hip-hop, direct ahead jazz, as well as the music of his homeland. To everything, he brought his very own creative sensibilities and an astute knowing of the industrial needs from the jazz marketplace.