Solly Letwaba

Beginnings with Savuka

Solly Tshidiso Letwaba (1965-2001) is undoubtedly not unknown amateurs of the rythmée and melody music, with the so European inspirations initially Zulu but, of Johnny Clegg, called the " Blanc" Zulu;. Indeed, he was the bass player of the South-African singer of 1988 to 2001.

At the end of the Eighties, Solly Letwaba takes part thus in the fulgurating success of the group Savuka taken along by Johnny Clegg, after this last gave up its musical collaboration with Sipho Mchunu, its accomplice guitarist of their group fetish Juluka, having marked the spirits as much by its denunciation of the authoritarian regime and racist practiced then in South Africa that by its music with the consonances sometimes rock'n'roll, sometimes reggae, sometimes tribal, in short, a truth mix of the cultures which had great difficulty to pass near the government of the time.

With titles such as Scatterlings off Africa, Asimbonanga - the well-known anthem with Nelson Mandela which gave its noble letters to Johnny Clegg and its group -, Great Heart or Are You Ready?, Savuka attracts crowd in masses, that it is in its native land, but more especially in certain countries of Europe where this musical mouthful of fresh air in the middle of the melody stagnation of this end of the year 80 constitutes a true feat of ingenuity. In France, in England or Germany, Savuka makes a tobacco, and the power, the precision, the brilliant judiciosity of the base lines of Solly Letwaba, arrived in 1988 at Savuka instead of Jabu Mabuso, unquestionably makes wonder and exalte this very new sound, before hardly revealed with Juluka.

A musician virtuoso

Playing with an accuracy, a talent and a power of improvisation seldom reached by its pars, Solly Letwaba levels the public of the " Blanc" Zulu; , and besides this last is not easily deceived, it holds there a rare pearl, a " wonder of the monde" musical. Modestly, the bass player begins with côtoyer the summits of the génialissime while taking care of not " écraser" by its immense talent respective productions of his/her colleagues. Humble, hard-working, almost unobtrusive sometimes even by concern never of highlighting itself more than another within the group, it proves nevertheless thundering in Shadow Man, second album of Savuka, left to France in 1988. It has just arrived, and it marks already its print the album making following the blockbuster Third World Child. The pieces I Cal Your Name or Human Rainbow show it: the musician who officiates with low is phenomenal, and the word is weak. This man, it is of course Solly Letwaba.

A man in the shade

Shadow Man like first album with Johnny Clegg & Savuka… Irony of fate? Perhaps. Extremely of its success, obviously, the group connects with one 3rd album, one of the showpieces of Savuka: Cruel, Crazy, Beautiful World. And Solly continues to show, if it of it were still need, that it is one of most gifted with low rhythmic. Its compositions in Of the, One (Hu) “Man, One Votes, Moliva or Warsaw 1943 are amazing of sensitivity, accuracy, rigor and genius. And that to say 4th and last album of Savuka, Heat, Dust and Dreams: the base lines perhaps never were also inspired. It is at the time of its listening which one realizes at which point this musician played service of the music more than to furnish an agreement or a song. The continuation of its career will have been at the sides of not less brilliant the Johnny Clegg, dissolving once again its group, and starting a career solo while thus keeping with him époustouflant Solly Letwaba but also its " voix" fetish, the voice of Asimbonanga, that of Mandisa Dlanga.

Against any waiting, Johnny Clegg reforms Juluka and is found, we are in 1997, again with Sipho Mchunu. Solly Letwaba is, this time, of the part, and again puts its instrument to the test to offer to the public a composition to low incredible of depth and a frightening effectiveness in Umuzi Wami, chief of work among the chiefs of work.

Remained faithful to Johnny Clegg since 1988, Solly Letwaba dies out in 2001, at the 36 years age, of the continuations of a tuberculosis. Always remained in the shade, never exhubérant, but often brilliant, it can be prided to have offered to the music its more beautiful moments of low guitar, testifies to it its unutterable solo played on Siyayilanda at the time of the world tour of Juluka in 1997. The guide of luxury of Johnny Clegg, to some extent.

See too

Johnny Clegg, Savuka, Juluka.

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