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Saturday, November 18, 2017

MADALA KUNENE RELEASES 7" SINGLE WITH KHAYA RECORDS



(Madala Kunene)

Legendary Durban musician Madala Kunene, dubbed the “king of Zulu guitar”, has teamed up with local music store Khaya Records for an exclusive 7” single release.

Recorded, produced by and featuring guitar player Guy Buttery, this will be Madala’s first release on the 7” format in his four decades in the industry. This limited-edition release will be launched at Durban’s singular vinyl shop on Florida Road on November 24 with Kunene.

Combining blues and soul with African folk, Kunene has crafted a unique style which is completely his own. Armed with a six-string guitar and a mouth harp, he blurs the lines between jazz, funk, maskandi and East Coast Blues. With hypnotic vocals, he picks and strums his way into a deep meditative state while performing. With over 40 years in the industry Kunene has eight albums under his belt. The first was recorded with bass guitarist Sipho Gumede and vocalist Jabu Khanyile in 1988. The album has since slipped off the radar, presumably lost in the wilderness of the 80’s and was Kunene’s singular release on the vinyl format.

Kunene is one of the top South African folk-guitar marksmen, a true original and one of KwaZulu-Natal’s musical lighthouses. “It’s strange when people are interested in your music, particularly as a guitarist, because there are so many people who play this instrument at one level or another. As far as uniqueness goes, if you want to stand out, playing the guitar is hard because it’s difficult to distinguish yourself,” he says.

Part shop, part venue, part basement from That 70s Show, Khaya Records has existed as a physical store since 2015. In its short life so far, Khaya Records has already set itself up as something of a beacon for up-and-coming artists throughout Durban’s disparate scene. The reason for this lies in the store’s slightly different approach to event nights, which focus on the artist rather than the audience. Anyone with something to perform is welcome to do so at Khaya, and audiences are regularly told to STFU if they speak over the acts. It’s a model that seems to be working.

Together with Kunene, Khaya Records is enriching the Durban music scene one 7” at a time.

Catch Madala Kunene Live at Khaya Records on November 24 at 19h00 at 48 Florida Road, Durban. Entrance R50. Tickets at door. For more information phone 079 343 8634.