By Neo Kolane
Thumane Afro-jazz Band has released the last song in their album ‘Sekoele’, before the entire actual album is later this month.
The 12-member Jazz band comprises vocalists, some of whom play African instruments ranging from lesiba, sekhankula, bongo drums, piano, acoustics, and drums. The band was formed in 2017.
One of the leading artists of the band Mohlahli Mahloane told theReporter that ‘Ka hlakana hlooho’ is a love song that comes when there is a feeling of mutuality. It comes when someone gets into contact with someone they love for the first time.
The 40-year old Afro-jazz musician described it as the kind of love that drives one insane, that love-at- first-sight feeling.
Mahloane explained that the song describes the way love was portrayed back then in the 1970’s and 1970’s.
He was, at some time in his youth, also a member of Lesotho’s Taekwondo team, but switched to art and writing songs as well as supporting football songs.
“I grew up writing for artists, I always had a love for art,” he stated
Born and bred at Mikaeleng in Maseru, Mohlahli said he is in the process of learning to play a saxophone; he has always wanted to learn to play musical instruments but because of the country where there isn’t enough exposure, he only started learning now.
He has received acclaim from a few legends because of the way he creates music.
Thumane Afro Jazz Band is known to have performed in and outside the country, at places like Café What?, Maputsoe and Victoria Poolside to name a few.
“Hali palangoe lipere reeng Matsieng’ was the first song released off the album,” he stated
“People are commending us, saying we have come up with something fresh, something that is not recyclable,” he said, adding that it has become fashionable for artists nowadays to recycle songs, and change songs from Sesotho to Afro-jazz just to make hits.
