Kaya 959 Reporter
Don Laka, a South African musician and legend, was interviewed on Point of View with Phemelo Motene.
Laka shared some wonderful stories about his journey in music, relationships and his passion for making music people love.
Laka was born in Mamelodi, near Pretoria, in 1958, the first of five children.
In 1969, he created his first band, and in 1972, he released his first album, which featured Ray Phiri on guitar.
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LISTEN TO THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE:
3 Things we learned from the conversation
He loves music
In the conversation, he was speaking about his love for music and how in his career he chose to take unconventional routes when it came to people he worked with.
“I love music, with the jazz background that I have, I was not a jazz snob and I refuse to be a jazz snob.”
His music idols are Quincy Jones, Miles Davis and Hugh Masekela
Laka shared how he has idols that have shaped his relationship with music and noted these icons as those who taught him that music is music and it is meant to be enjoyed by the people.
“One thing that I like about Quincy Jones is how he use to say there are two types of music good music and bad music. People that I admire most that have shaped myself around in music where Quincy Jones, Miles Davis and Bra Hugh Masekela. Those are the guys for me that mean so much, even though my style is different from theirs.”
His big meeting with Oskido
Laka also spoke about his first meeting with Oskido and how that meeting birthed a relationship that would see the establishment of Kalawa Jazzme Records.
Laka was part of the early stages of Kwaito music in South Africa and provided their production a unique hybrid sound that separated them apart from the competition.
“I met up with Oscar and we began chatting we didn’t know each other we were in the same flat where he was with his cousins I didn’t know they were actually coming to my flat, my wife’s friend was at my place and gave them my flat number at that point. We meet up in the lift and start chatting and all of a sudden we are going in the same direction.”
Laka also shared how the Kalawa Jazzme started in his bedroom and how they would make music that changed South Africa forever.
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