From Paul to Penny: the emergence and development of Tsonga disco 1985-1990s
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21504/amj.v10i1.1230Abstract
In this article I trace the emergence of Tsonga disco, a Tsonga music subgenre which, at its emergence, could be differentiated from the other mentioned township styles such as township soul/jive only by its progenitor, Paul Ndlovu, who was Tsonga and his of predominantly Tsonga lyrics. Further, I discuss the musical techniques employed by producer Peter Moticoce who produced Paul Ndlovu's music and the techniques used by singer, songwriter and producer Joe Shirimani. It is important to point out here that Shirimani not only produces his own music, but he also writes and produces music for other artists such as of singer and songwriter Eric Nkovane, who is known by his stage name Penny Penny.References
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2003a "Commerce, Politics, and Musical Hybridity: Vocalizing Urban Black South African Identity during the 1950s.” Ethnomusicology 47(2): 228-249.
2003b "Representation, Gender and Women in Black South Africa Popular Music, 1948-1960.” PhD Dissertation: University of Cambridge, Cambridge.
Allingham, Rob 1999 "South Africa: Popular Music, the Nation of Voice.” in World Music: The Rough Guide. S. Broughton et al, eds. London: The Rough Guides, 638-657.
1994 "Southern Africa.” In World Music: The Rough Guide. S. Broughton et al, eds. London: The Rough Guides, 371-389.
Anderson, Muff 1981 Music in the Mix: The Story of South African Popular Music. Johannesburg: Ravan Press.
Ansell, Gwen 2004 Soweto Blues: Jazz and Politics in South Africa. New York: Continuum. Ballantine, Christopher 1989 "A Brief History of South African Popular Music.” Popular Music 8(3): 305-310.
Barker, Hugh and Yuval Taylor, eds. 2007 Faking it: The Quest fo r Authenticity in Popular Music. New York: W.W. Norton.
Beard, David, Kenneth Gloag 2005 Musicology: The Key Concepts. London and New York: Routledge.
Bidder, Sean 2001 Pump Up the Volume: A History of House. London: Channel 4 Books.
Borthwick, Stuart, Ron Moy 2004 Popular Music Genres: An Introduction. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Bourdieu, Pierre 1984 Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
1986 "Forms of Capital.” In Handbook of Theory and Research fo r the Sociology of Education. J. Richardson, ed. New York: Greenwood, 241-258.
Brackett, David 2005 "Questions of Genre in Black Popular Music.” Black Music Research Journal 25(1&2): 73-91.
1999 World Music: Volume 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East: The Rough Guide. Broughton, Simon, Mark Ellingham, Richard Trillo, eds. London: Penguin Books.
Burnim, Mellonnee V. and Portia K. Maultsby, eds. 2006 African American Music: An Introduction. New York and London: Routledge.
Coplan, David B 2007 In Township Tonight! Three centuries of South African Black City Music and Theatre, 2nd edition. Auckland Park: Jacana Media.
2005 "God Rock Africa: Thoughts on Politics in Popular Black Performance in South Africa.” African Studies 64(1): 9-27.
1985 In Township Tonight! South Africa's Black City Music and Theatre, 1st edition. New York: Longman Publishers.
Drewett, Michael and Martin Cloonan, eds. 2006 Popular Music and Censorship in Africa. Aldershot: Ashgate.
Dyer, Richard 1979 "In Defence of Disco.” Gay Left: A Gay Socialist Journal 8: 20-23.
Greenfell, Michael 2008 Pierre Bourdieu: The Key Concepts. Stocksfield: Acuman.
Hamm, Charles 1991 "The Constant Companion of Man: Separate Development, Radio Bantu and Music.” Popular Music 10(2): 147-173.
1988 Afro-American Music, South Africa, and Apartheid. New York: Institute for Studies in American Music.
Haupt, Adam 2008 Stealing Empire: P2P, intellectual property and hip-hop subversion. Cape Town: HSRC Press.
Holt, Fabian 2007 Genre in Popular Music. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.
Johnston, F.T. 1974 "The Role of Music in Shangana-Tsonga Social Institutions.” Current Anthropology, 15(1): 73-76. 1973a "The Social Determinants of Tsonga Musical Behaviour” International Review of Aesthetics and Sociology of Music, 4(1): 108-130. 1973b "The Cultural Role of the Tsonga Beer-Drink Music.” Yearbook of the International Folk Music Council 5: 132-155.
Junod, Henry A. 1962 [1912-13] The Life of a South African Tribe. New York: University Books Inc. Madalane, Ignatia 2011 "Ximatsatsa: Exploring Genre in Contemporary Tsonga Popular Music.” Masters in Music Dissertation: University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg.
Meintjes, Louise 2005 "Reaching Overseas: South African Engineers, Technology and Tradition.” In Wired for Sound: Engineering and Technologies in Sonic Culture, Paul D. Green and Thomas Porcello, eds. Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 23-46.
Mhlambi, Thokozani 2004 "Kwaitofabulous: The Study of a South African Urban Genre.” Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa 1: 116-127.
Mojapelo, Max 2008 Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music. Sello Galane, ed. Somerset West: African Minds.
Negus, Keith 1999 Music Genres and Corporate Cultures. London and New York: Routledge.
Shaw, Jonathan 2010 [2007] The South African Music Business. Johannesburg: Ada Enup. Snoman, Rick 2004 The Dance Music Manual. Tools, Toys and Techniques. Oxford: Burlington MA Focal.
Starr, Larry and Christopher Waterman 2006 American Popular Music: The Rock Years. New York: Oxford University Press.
Steingo, Gavin 2005 "South African Music After Apartheid: Kwaito, the "Party Politic,” and the Appropriation of Gold as a sign of Success.” Popular Music and Society 28(3): 333-357.
2003a "Commerce, Politics, and Musical Hybridity: Vocalizing Urban Black South African Identity during the 1950s.” Ethnomusicology 47(2): 228-249.
2003b "Representation, Gender and Women in Black South Africa Popular Music, 1948-1960.” PhD Dissertation: University of Cambridge, Cambridge.
Allingham, Rob 1999 "South Africa: Popular Music, the Nation of Voice.” in World Music: The Rough Guide. S. Broughton et al, eds. London: The Rough Guides, 638-657.
1994 "Southern Africa.” In World Music: The Rough Guide. S. Broughton et al, eds. London: The Rough Guides, 371-389.
Anderson, Muff 1981 Music in the Mix: The Story of South African Popular Music. Johannesburg: Ravan Press.
Ansell, Gwen 2004 Soweto Blues: Jazz and Politics in South Africa. New York: Continuum. Ballantine, Christopher 1989 "A Brief History of South African Popular Music.” Popular Music 8(3): 305-310.
Barker, Hugh and Yuval Taylor, eds. 2007 Faking it: The Quest fo r Authenticity in Popular Music. New York: W.W. Norton.
Beard, David, Kenneth Gloag 2005 Musicology: The Key Concepts. London and New York: Routledge.
Bidder, Sean 2001 Pump Up the Volume: A History of House. London: Channel 4 Books.
Borthwick, Stuart, Ron Moy 2004 Popular Music Genres: An Introduction. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Bourdieu, Pierre 1984 Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
1986 "Forms of Capital.” In Handbook of Theory and Research fo r the Sociology of Education. J. Richardson, ed. New York: Greenwood, 241-258.
Brackett, David 2005 "Questions of Genre in Black Popular Music.” Black Music Research Journal 25(1&2): 73-91.
1999 World Music: Volume 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East: The Rough Guide. Broughton, Simon, Mark Ellingham, Richard Trillo, eds. London: Penguin Books.
Burnim, Mellonnee V. and Portia K. Maultsby, eds. 2006 African American Music: An Introduction. New York and London: Routledge.
Coplan, David B 2007 In Township Tonight! Three centuries of South African Black City Music and Theatre, 2nd edition. Auckland Park: Jacana Media.
2005 "God Rock Africa: Thoughts on Politics in Popular Black Performance in South Africa.” African Studies 64(1): 9-27.
1985 In Township Tonight! South Africa's Black City Music and Theatre, 1st edition. New York: Longman Publishers.
Drewett, Michael and Martin Cloonan, eds. 2006 Popular Music and Censorship in Africa. Aldershot: Ashgate.
Dyer, Richard 1979 "In Defence of Disco.” Gay Left: A Gay Socialist Journal 8: 20-23.
Greenfell, Michael 2008 Pierre Bourdieu: The Key Concepts. Stocksfield: Acuman.
Hamm, Charles 1991 "The Constant Companion of Man: Separate Development, Radio Bantu and Music.” Popular Music 10(2): 147-173.
1988 Afro-American Music, South Africa, and Apartheid. New York: Institute for Studies in American Music.
Haupt, Adam 2008 Stealing Empire: P2P, intellectual property and hip-hop subversion. Cape Town: HSRC Press.
Holt, Fabian 2007 Genre in Popular Music. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.
Johnston, F.T. 1974 "The Role of Music in Shangana-Tsonga Social Institutions.” Current Anthropology, 15(1): 73-76. 1973a "The Social Determinants of Tsonga Musical Behaviour” International Review of Aesthetics and Sociology of Music, 4(1): 108-130. 1973b "The Cultural Role of the Tsonga Beer-Drink Music.” Yearbook of the International Folk Music Council 5: 132-155.
Junod, Henry A. 1962 [1912-13] The Life of a South African Tribe. New York: University Books Inc. Madalane, Ignatia 2011 "Ximatsatsa: Exploring Genre in Contemporary Tsonga Popular Music.” Masters in Music Dissertation: University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg.
Meintjes, Louise 2005 "Reaching Overseas: South African Engineers, Technology and Tradition.” In Wired for Sound: Engineering and Technologies in Sonic Culture, Paul D. Green and Thomas Porcello, eds. Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 23-46.
Mhlambi, Thokozani 2004 "Kwaitofabulous: The Study of a South African Urban Genre.” Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa 1: 116-127.
Mojapelo, Max 2008 Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music. Sello Galane, ed. Somerset West: African Minds.
Negus, Keith 1999 Music Genres and Corporate Cultures. London and New York: Routledge.
Shaw, Jonathan 2010 [2007] The South African Music Business. Johannesburg: Ada Enup. Snoman, Rick 2004 The Dance Music Manual. Tools, Toys and Techniques. Oxford: Burlington MA Focal.
Starr, Larry and Christopher Waterman 2006 American Popular Music: The Rock Years. New York: Oxford University Press.
Steingo, Gavin 2005 "South African Music After Apartheid: Kwaito, the "Party Politic,” and the Appropriation of Gold as a sign of Success.” Popular Music and Society 28(3): 333-357.
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Published
2015-11-01
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Articles
How to Cite
“From Paul to Penny: The Emergence and Development of Tsonga Disco 1985-1990s”. 2015. African Music : Journal of the International Library of African Music 10 (1): 150-79. https://doi.org/10.21504/amj.v10i1.1230.
