The Melody Web what each genre heard, and what it passed on

heard passed on Click or tap a node to recenter. Use a connecting line, or Influence, for the story.

Heard

Kwela genre · 1950–1965

Mbaqanga takes kwela’s township bounce — dance-number pulse, riff hook, street/studio jive — and recodes the lead as electric guitar and sax chorus.

Influence
Marabi genre · 1920–1950

Mbaqanga takes marabi’s cyclic I–IV–V dance bed and recodes it as an electric township band with guitar bounce and chorus.

Influence

Mbaqanga

genre · 1960–

Also called township jive

1960s Johannesburg township jive: electric guitar bounce, close female chorus, and a dance-band pulse (Mahotella Queens, later Mahlathini). It hears Marabi for the shebeen I–IV–V cycle and Kwela for the pennywhistle township bounce recoded as an electric band. It already gives Worldbeat the township groove Simon’s Graceland recodes as a North Atlantic studio product, Kwaito the township vocal-and-bounce job recoded on a house machine, and South African bubblegum that bounce recoded as 1980s synth-pop. Maskanda leftover as a Zulu guitar neighbor. Isicathamiya leftover as a Zulu choral neighbor. South African folk leftover as a refused catch-all. Empty extra Received is historically checked.

Listen

  1. Pata Pata Miriam Makeba (1967) YouTube · Spotify · Amazon
  2. The Lion Sleeps Tonight Solomon Linda / township repertory (1961) YouTube
  3. Stimela Hugh Masekela (1974) YouTube
  4. Mbaqanga Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens (1960s–80s) YouTube · Spotify · Amazon
  5. Township Jive Soweto string-band / vocal tradition (1960s) YouTube

Passed on

Kwaito genre · 1993–

Kwaito takes mbaqanga’s township vocal-and-bounce job and recodes it on a slowed house machine: chanted hooks, dance floor, Johannesburg after 1994.

Influence
South African bubblegum genre · 1980–1994

South African bubblegum takes mbaqanga’s township vocal-and-bounce job and recodes it as sung synth-pop singles for radio.

Influence
Worldbeat genre · 1980–2000

Worldbeat takes mbaqanga’s township guitar bounce and chorus and recodes them as a North Atlantic studio product.

Influence

Kwela → Mbaqanga

meter and grooveinstrumentationfunction and contextstrength: highscholarly consensus1960–1968recordingdance

Mechanism

Mbaqanga takes kwela’s township bounce — dance-number pulse, riff hook, street/studio jive — and recodes the lead as electric guitar and sax chorus. Strength high. Marabi leftover as the older harmonic bed (other edge).

Evidence

Late-1950s pennywhistle hits into 1960s electric township sides (Grove); Mashiyane-era studio as the hinge.

Debate

Whether 1960s jive is still kwela. The whistle-lead dance side is kwela’s; the named electric township band is mbaqanga’s.

Mediators

artist: Spokes Mashiyane; community: Johannesburg studio bands

Marabi → Mbaqanga

meter and grooveharmonyfunction and contextstrength: highscholarly consensus1960–1970oralrecordingdance

Mechanism

Mbaqanga takes marabi’s cyclic I–IV–V dance bed and recodes it as an electric township band with guitar bounce and chorus. Strength high. Kwela leftover as a pennywhistle sibling hop, not this piano-cycle parent.

Evidence

Grove on mbaqanga’s marabi parent; 1960s Johannesburg studio jive keeping the shebeen cycle under electric guitar.

Debate

Whether mbaqanga simply is amplified marabi. The shebeen piano job is marabi’s; the named 1960s township jive band is the recoding.

Mediators

community: Johannesburg township bands; artist: Mahotella Queens

Mbaqanga → Kwaito

meter and grooveperformance practicefunction and contextstrength: mediumscholarly consensus1993–2000recordingdance

Mechanism

Kwaito takes mbaqanga’s township vocal-and-bounce job and recodes it on a slowed house machine: chanted hooks, dance floor, Johannesburg after 1994. Strength medium. House leftover as a neighboring club parent not drawn on this edge. Worldbeat leftover as an export hearing of mbaqanga, not a parent of kwaito.

Evidence

Early-1990s Johannesburg kwaito (Boom Shaka, Mafokate) keeping township language and bounce under house tempo (Grove).

Debate

Whether kwaito is already house. The machine pulse is house’s; the named township vocal job is the recoding that still hears mbaqanga.

Mediators

artist: Boom Shaka; artist: Arthur Mafokate

Mbaqanga → South African bubblegum

meter and groovefunction and contextmelodystrength: mediumscholarly consensus1980–1990recordingradiodance

Mechanism

South African bubblegum takes mbaqanga’s township vocal-and-bounce job and recodes it as sung synth-pop singles for radio. Strength medium. Disco leftover as the other dance-floor parent (other edge). Maskanda leftover as a Zulu guitar neighbor, not this hop.

Evidence

1980s Johannesburg radio pop (Fassie, Chaka Chaka) keeping township language and bounce under drum-machine disco (Grove).

Debate

Whether bubblegum simply is mbaqanga with synths. The named electric township jive band is mbaqanga’s; the named 1980s township pop single is the recoding.

Mediators

artist: Brenda Fassie; community: Johannesburg township pop studios

Mbaqanga → Worldbeat

meter and grooveinstrumentationfunction and contextstrength: highscholarly consensus1986–1990recordingpatronage

Mechanism

Worldbeat takes mbaqanga’s township guitar bounce and chorus and recodes them as a North Atlantic studio product. Strength high. afrobeat worldbeat is the West African ostinato hop; this edge is the South African township-jive hop. Kwela leftover as a pennywhistle sibling hop, not this piano-cycle parent.

Evidence

Simon’s Graceland sessions with Ray Phiri and township players; Taylor and Erlmann on the Graceland model.

Debate

Whether Graceland simply is mbaqanga. Township jive remains mbaqanga’s; the named hybrid album product is worldbeat’s.

Mediators

artist: Paul Simon; artist: Ray Phiri