Klaasen revives old SA favourites on new album
Collaboration with ace guitarist Ntaka recalls vibe of township jazz
Lorraine Klaasen, who has lived in Canada for years selling SA music and culture to audiences overseas, has resumed her international mission with a new album.
Klaasen was born and raised in Soweto in a family of musicians, including her mother – the late jazz legend Thandi Klaasen – and an aunt who was part of female trio the Dark City Sisters.
Her latest album Ukubonga (Gratitude), a collaboration with guitarist Mongezi Ntaka, hit the shelves on November 11. With it, Klaasen goes back to her childhood memories as she revisits the SA songbook by re-recording sounds she grew up listening to and that shaped her music career.
Some of the songs on her album were made famous by the likes of Miriam Makeba, Dorothy Masuku and Busi Mhlongo, who have since died. The songs include mainstays Fiela, Sekusile, Meet Me at the River, Jikele Maweni, Kilimanjaro and Ilanga Selishonile.
With her beautiful mellow voice, Klaasen gave the classic songs a decent interpretation likely to catch the attention of a new, younger audience, more so with the update given by Ntaka’s guitar.
Washington DCbased Ntaka worked for many years with late reggae legend Lucky Dube as a member of his band.
“As an artist, I realised the importance to do things differently. Covid-19 has given us time to relook at ourselves because we are always in a hurry. I wanted to do something about the SA songbook just to remember those songs that were popular in the township.
“I am happy about the final product because it is very organic and acoustic. You know with SA music, it is not only about singing but about the message and storytelling.
“In Africa, we don’t romanticise about things, we tell stories. I worked with Mongezi because I knew that he understands the SA sound and the direction I wanted to take. “…sis Busi Mhlongo was my all-time favourite singer. I just wish my mother was alive to listen to this album. The music takes me back to my childhood where I listened to the music of artists like Sophie Mgcina, Mahotella Queens and Margaret Mcingana. I also listened to the music of Dark City Sisters because my aunt was a member of the group. It is more about the songs that inspired me and shaped my music career when I was young.” Klaasen will also be honoured at the SA Music Week, which has been taking place at the Soweto Theatre in Jabulani since Wednesday and ends today. She will be acknowledged alongside other musos such as DJ Black Coffee, Trompies, Master KG, Makhadzi, Jonathan Butler, Jimmy Dludlu, Zola 7 and Yvonne Chaka Chaka.
“I saw that I will be honoured among SA stars and I am proud that I single-handedly promoted SA music in Canada and abroad. It is something that never left me. It is a wonderful gift that I inherited from my late mother.
“I have been recording SA music of the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s and I will continue doing that. I have received many awards but this one is important…”
She is set to perform at Niki’s Jazz and Restaurant in Newtown, Johannesburg, on January 14.
Klaasen has released a string of albums, with some winning her international accolades. A Tribute to Miriam Makeba won Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year in 2013.
She was awarded the Hagood Hardy prize for winning in the World Music category, received the Singer-Songwriter of the Year award, given to singer-songwriters having accumulated the most success in radio play in Canada in 2014.
In 2007, she won the Prix Image Award and Planet of Africa award in 2008. In 2020, she received the Forest City London Music Award.