21 Jan 2016

With renowned artists such as Socca Moruakgomo, Ndingo Johwa and Banjo Mosele having made their mark on the musical landscape in Botswana and beyond, one other artist is emerging and his jazz sound is something to listen out for.

Having started off his musical journey while at high school playing marimba for Molepolole museum in his heyday, Mompoloki Tom Gasethebe feels that this is his big break.

Tom, as he is popularly known, indicated in an interview that he started off by playing marimba and purchased his first keyboard in 2003.

“Playing marimba allowed me to teach myself how to play a keyboard, and in 2011 I started a band for Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU),” he said.

Tom, who is a teacher at Sedibelo Junior Secondary School, said when he started the band for BOSETU, he was the leading vocalist and went on to recruit other members to do the singing and now he only plays the keyboard and manages the band. “I also do backing vocals for the band,” he added.

 He further indicated that in 2014, he started a band with three other people and they called themselves Skeem and went on to release an album titled Ke Wena Fela.

“But in 2015, I felt that I had to do a solo act as it was too hard for us to get together as a band when we had to. 

Our schedules clashed and we did not have the time to be together in one place to move forward,” he said, indicating that last year November was when he released his first solo act.

“My album is titled A re Yeng and it is a 10 track jazz album. 

Having previously released an album with the group I was with, I switched from what we sang then to jazz because I felt it was more appropriate for my age,” he said.

Some of the songs that stand out in the album are Bagaka Ba Mmino, Ian Khama, A re Yeng and Re A Nyelela.

The album is easy on the ear and grows into you as you go further down the track listing.

One thing that also stands out on the album is the sound quality of the instruments being played especially the guitar by one Shabani Yohana “Magitaa” Mwanasande.

The explicit way it is played and how it blends and brings out the rest of the instruments makes the whole song amazing.

Bagaka Mmino is a song that pays tribute to most if not all Botswana music legends and it is the one that stands out.

Speaking on where people can purchase the album, Tom said the album is available at Setlhareng.com at Main Mall, Millennium Jazz Restaurant in Mogoditshane and Mountain Valley in Gabane.

 

“As the demand for the album has grown, I will also approach Choppies to help with distributing it,” he said. Ends