By Neo Kolane
Twenty-two-year-old Rethabile Nthoele is following a path that keeps him so busy that he is staying away from clouding his mind with any criminal activities.
The youngster has got a ‘friend’, a saxophone, an instrument which he plays as his trade mark.
Nthoele said that it all started in the year 2009 when he joined church after he had seen the instrument on television a couple of times.
The gentleman who resides in Semphethenyane in Maseru said that going to church and learning the instrument had made him not to indulge in any bad activities.
A saxophone is a type of a single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass.
Nthoele grew fond of it when he saw people playing it and that made him a better person.
The lover of jazz is known for fixing cars and working on temporary domestic jobs like working in people’s gardens.
He revealed that he also diverged into playing house music using the instrument and not only the jazz music he is known for.
Nthoele who has a deep love of music said that playing the instrument brings joy and satisfaction to him.
He is proud to have worked with jazz legendary Sipho Lukhele.
Nthoele has performed in clubs like Monate Cafe and Kasi Kota and he revealed that he is usually asked to play some already composed famous songs by other artists.
For him people who are glued to the instrument eventually fall in love with music, although it is hard to earn a living with music for some up-coming talented breed.
“I am still in the learning curve and I am still pushing; to rich high grade. I took three months to practice in a church at Ha Abia. People who play saxophone are not many and what is nice about saxophonists that is that we encourage each other and correct each other’s mistakes,” he revealed.
Nthoele looks up to prominent Gerald Albright who is based in America.
“Support is lacking amongst my family members because they say it’s noisy and they demand me to leave it,” he added.
However, in the coming months, Nthoele plans to own his own Saxophone. He hopes to source sponsorship to buy this equipment which costs about M5 000.
