AFRICA.VISUAL_MEDIA

So where were we? Oh, yeah, looking for and sharing afromedia goodness around the Internets. Now that I am only checking out the Daily Kos, Politico, Fivethirtyeight.com and Huffington Post twice a day instead of twice an hour, I can get parts of my life back.

South African popular music that has long been influenced by American jazz and gospel. In the 40’s and 50’s a jazz/urban sound hybrid flourished in Sophiatown, Jo’burg’s racially integrated (for a while) neighborhood that was immortalized in DRUM the magazine and the movie. Letta Mbulu and Miriam Makeba were part of that scene. The influence of gospel and jazz continues today in the work of female singers like Thandiswa and Simphiwe Dana.

Letta Mbulu: “Mahlalela” (audio only)

Miriam Makeba: “Pata Pata”

Thandiswa: “Zabalaza” (audio only)

Simphiwe Dana: “Ndiredi”