A Platform for Ethnically and Culturally Inspired Music
Kenny Mathaba
Artist
South Africa
Play all tracks
Watch all videos
IN THE CHARTS
 
January 2024 #26 - Top 40 for African Influence Khorapshin (track)
April 2023 #23 - Top 40 for African Influence Khorapshin (track)
March 2023 #15 - Top 40 for African Influence Khorapshin (track)
TRACKS
 
VIDEOS
 
ABOUT
Kenny Mathaba is a solo music artist from South Africa, performing as a guitarist, singer, and playing two other instruments that are scarce in South Africa, i.e., chromatic harmonica, blues harmonicas, and the Hawaiian steel guitar.

Current music releases, the first one is titled "Sisonke," an Afro Fusion instrumental song played on the classical acoustic guitar; the second one is titled "Khoraphshin," a vocal song addressing corruption where he also plays chromatic harmonica. Both songs are available for streaming and download on most digital platforms.

Previous background: Kenny Mathaba has an extensive career as a member of different SA music bands such as The Mad Dogs, The Black Hawks, Tulips, The Twi-Lights, Ozila, Malopoets, Ray Phiri, Jonas Gwangwa, Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Babsy Malingeni & The All Rounders, Mpharanyana and The Afro Peddlers, Patience Africa, Blondie and Spank, Anton Goosen, Richard John Smith, Lionel Petersen, Letta Mbulu, and Caiphus Semenya.

In the early years, he worked as a cabaret backing musician to artists such as Mara Louw, the late Ben "Satch" Masinga, Retsi Pule, Taliep Petersen, Loli Peterson, Sophie Mgcina, Sofia Foster, Terry Fortune, Joy, Abigail Kubeka, Lebo M, Papa and Blondie, Pam Mashinini.

Overseas artists he worked with are Shirley Brown, Clarence Carter, Beth Nielsen Chapman, and Timmy Thomas.

Major Recordings credited on:
1. "Life Saver (I'm Suffering)" - Ozila
2. "Wola Wola" - Ozila
3. "Shayela Phansi" - Ozila
4. "Too Late for Mama" and "Black President" - Brenda Fassie
5. "Black to the Future" and "Sixty" - Hugh Masekela
6. "Morwa" - Jonas Gwangwa
7. "Ingoma" - Thandiswa Mazwai
8. "Mkhaya Lo" - Jabu Khanyile
9. "Into Yami" - Ringo Madlingozi
10. "Mapantsula" (the movie)
11. Clarence Carter - Live in Johannesburg

Awards:
2023 BVSM Lifetime Achievement Award
2003 SAMA Awards Best Adult Contemporary Nominee
2003 SONY SA Gold Discs for co-producing Jonas Gwangwa - "A Temporary Inconvenience" and "Sounds from Exile"
2003 NBI Best Promising Business Idea Phase One Winner
OTHER LINKS
Buy artist music