Radio Bantu Native marks the trail of one of the most forgotten historical eras in our South African music journey to date. Radio Bantu Native is thus an endeavour which seeks to revisit our musical treasures and the lifestyle thereof in South Africa. Our initiatives contribute to our continual music culture with the intention to share and re-educate our fellow citizens glocally. It is a celebration of Mzantsi’s vast, dynamic and enchanting groovy sounds rooted in indigenous acoustics that define the social fabric of township and urban lifestyle. We take pride in our heritage and present to you:
EARLY NATIVE (HOMELANDS) MUSIC; SCATHAMIYA; KWELA; MARABI; MGQASHIYO; MASKANDI; SAKKIE SAKKIE; EARLY CHORAL MUSIC; SOUTH AFRICAN MUSICALS; FOLK TRADITIONAL MUSIC; SOUTH AFRICAN JAZZ; AND SOUTH AFRICAN MODERN EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC
This is a platform to encourage and an open invitation for glocal citizens who are eager to share, learn and research about our cherished music that lies in the backdrop of the city of Johannesburg blended with the township flavour of Soweto. This is in an effort to preserve our art culture and heritage in its fullness - preserving the craft of Mzantsi music and sound with pride.
Radio Bantu Native takes its inspiration from Bantu Radio - a station established by the South African government in the 1960s as a pillar of its separate development programme, but hijacked to become the musical voice of South Africa. Today we celebrate this critical era in African music.
“We pay homage to the past in order to celebrate the present. If you know your sound you’ll know your worth. Music defines us as South Africans, Africans and global citizens.” - Lerato Lichaba
Corners of Forgotten Theories
Lerato Lichaba is a self-taught guitarist, composer, arranger and all-round conceptualist. He is the founder of the prolific Soweto ensemble, Urban Village. His music style is inspired by his life experiences and how different cultures and traditions blend in the language of his music. Lerato’s music project, Corners of Forgotten Theories (COFT), aims to create a new music language that will take listeners to a forgotten yet familiar place. He released his single, Corners of Forgotten Theories, available on all digital music stores.
Corners of Forgotten Theories was inspired by the scarcity of knowledge that defines us as an African people beyond our modern lifestyle. We are increasingly moving away from our identity and cultural dominion and thus not putting into place structures and platforms that complement our traditions and heritage. COFT is thus a soundscape of musical freedom that aims to channel Africans as spiritual and emotional beings first.
Parallel to COFT, is Lerato’s brainchild band, Urban Village, which won the 2016/17 Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation Puisano Jazz competition and the Back to the City Freedom Day Festival Battle of the Bands 2017. The band is currently recording their album under French record label, No Format, and independently released its sought after six-track EP, Bantu Art, in April 2016 which features the people’s favourite Ubaba and Makolo.
Historical Background
Born in Mzimhlope, Orlando West Soweto, Lerato Lichaba began his journey with the guitar at the age of 16 years at the historical Uncle Tom’s Hall in Orlando West. Upon completion of his matric he went on to pursue his love for music by becoming a Disc Jockey (DJ). In 2006, he was involved in studio production and worked at Soul Candi Records as a Session Artist while studying Studio and Software Management at the Soul Candi Academy. It was during this year that he began to take playing the guitar seriously. His distinct and unique style of playing has presented him with amazing opportunities both locally and internationally playing across a variety of genres.
Lerato is inspired by life and how people relate, moreover, how different cultures and traditions blend in the language of his music. In music, there is no colour or creed; it is a place where all people can connect with each other.
Lerato is also a member of Forest Jam Southern Africa together with South African veterans, Madala Kunene and Mabi Thobejane as well as Swiss, Senegales, Madagasy and Mozambican artists. The intercultural band which seeks to encourage social cohesion toured South Africa and Mozambique in 2016 under the name Forest Jam Groove Orchestra. Since then, Lerato has been performing with King of Zulu Guitar, Madala Kunene and recently celebrated his 50th anniversary tour in 2018 with Mabi Thobejane, P**i Peloeole, Matthias Abächerli, Ngoako Manamela and Themba Mokoena .
Lerato has performed with various acts at Sakifo Musik Festival (Reunion Islands), Oppikoppi (Northam), Afropunk (Johannesburg), Zakifo Musik Festival (Durban), Drum Beat (Soweto), Festival Mundial (Amsterdam), Into the Great Wide Open (Holland), Poetry Addiction (Tanzania), Genste Festival (Belgium), Lake of Stars (Malawi), Etnosur Festival (Spain), Pirineous Sur (Spain), Grahamstown Arts Festival (Eastern Cape), Gauteng Government Youth Day 2016 Commemoration at Orlando Stadium (Soweto), Fete De La Musique Joburg, Moretele Park Jazz Festival (Pretoria), Hugh Masekela Heritage Festival, Open Letter to Freedom at Soweto Theatre, North West University Art Gallery, Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival, Mieliepop Festival (Mpumalanga), His and Hers Jams, Puncture Points Exhibition (Cape Town), Yebo Mzala Yebo Gogo Festival (Swaziland), Park Acoustics, Dundee Battle Fields Carnival (KZN), The Chairman (Durban), Huawei 94.7 Joburg Day, and corporate events.
