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{{Notability|date=September 2010}} {{Sources exist|date=January 2020}}
{{Primary sources|date=September 2010}}
{{Infobox musical artist {{Infobox musical artist
| name = Sankomota | name = Sankomota
| image = sankom.jpg | image =
⚫ | alias = Uhuru
| background = non_performing_personnel
| origin = ], ]
| Band_name = Sankomota
⚫ | genre = ], ]
| Originally known as = Uhuru
⚫ | years_active = 1976–present
| Formed in = {{Birth date and age | mf=yes | 1976}}
| origin = ], ] | label = ]
| current_members = * Moss Nkofo
⚫ | genre = ]
* Black Jesus
⚫ | years_active = 1976 – present
* Pitso Sera
| label = ]
| past_members = * Tsepo Tshola (deceased)
⚫ | Associated Acts = ], ]
* Frank Leepa (deceased)
⚫ | associated_acts = ], ]
}} }}
'''Sankomota''' is an ]-] ] band formed in 1976 in ]. The band consisted of several members in its earliest years; '''Frank Leepa''' (guitarist, vocalist, arranger, composer), '''Moss Nkofo''' (drummer), '''Black Jesus''' (percussion), '''Moruti Selate''' (bass), ''']''' (lead vocalist and composer), and '''Pitso Sera''' (guitar), among others. Sankomota was managed by Peter B. Scheider until 1979. Later, under the management of Leepa, Sankomota's career spanned out over two decades.<ref>{{Cite web |title=African Music Library {{!}} Band Profile: Sankomota |url=https://africanmusiclibrary.org/band/Sankomota |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=africanmusiclibrary.org}}</ref>

'''Sankomota''' - One of the greatest musical bands to come out of the tiny 'mountain kingdom' of Lesotho, Sankomota (originally ]) was formed around 1976. It consisted of several members in its earliest years, namely - Frank Leepa (guitarist, vocalist, arranger, composer), Moss Nkofo (drummer), Black Jesus (percussion), Moruti Selate, Tšepo Tšola (lead vocalist, composer), Pitso Sera (guitar), among others. managed the band in its early years till 1979.


==History== ==History==
Frank Leepa, also known as the Captain, started the band in school, calling it Anti Antiques. The band later changed its name to Uhuru, meaning 'freedom' in ]. However, due to the popularity of ] from Jamaica, under the advisement of Schneider, the band decided to change their name again in order to avoid confusion. The name 'Sankomota' was chosen due to its symbolism, meaning phantom or poltergeist in the ], as well as it being the name of a warrior from the Basotho and Bapedi people during the reign of King Moshoeshoe. Sankomota was the first band to record an LP in Lesotho. They were recorded by Lloyd Ross and Warrick Sony of ] on November 11, 1983. The album was self-titled, and it had nine tracks that collectively ran under 50 minutes long.


In 1991, Tsepo Tshola, the band's lead singer, left to pursue a solo career. In 1996, on the way to Cape Town, South Africa, the band suffered a road accident that killed unnamed members of the band.
When I arrived in the tiny country of Lesotho in Southern Africa in 1975 I immediately started to look around for a local band. I had been a drummer in rock bands in Switzerland, a DJ at parties, and had a large record collection part of which I brought with me to Africa. There were no bands to talk about. I went to every club in Maseru where there were bands playing (not many!) and soon found the most amazing guitar player. His name was Frank Leepa. I just stood awed in the crowd watching this young genius playing with amazing grace and making it look so easy! At about the same time, and by a miracle I must say, a certain ‘Black Jesus’ had returned to Lesotho after having certain ‘problems’ in Germany where he had been living for many years. Black Jesus was a real character, he spoke fluent German (as I do) and had picked up the European mentality, and so we became very good friends. We both decided that it was time to form a local band and that this band would be the BEST EVER and would be the pride and glory of all the Basotho people. We asked Frank who was the BEST drummer in town and he suggested MOSS NKOFE. Finding a singer was the most difficult part. One night I heard TSHEPO TSHOLA and immediately fell in love with his voice. It had to be him! I remember being worried when I saw him drinking more than he should. The name of our first bass guitarist was MATHABATHA. Besides beging an amazing musician I seem to remember that the was also involved in politics. We also had an amazing Afro – American keyboard player who was stationed in Lesotho with the Peace Corps. This was the first formation of UHURU. Remember that we were in the middle of the apartheid era, things were very rough, and dangerous too as you will see later on in this article.


Frank Leepa died on 27 November 2003<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Monaheng |first=Tseliso |date=2014-11-21 |title=An Ode To Sankomota |url=https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/ode-sankomota |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=Music In Africa |language=en}}</ref> and Tshola died on 15 July 2021.<ref>. Retrieved 15 July 2021</ref>
We as a band were looking for a name that would 1) be easy to remember and 2) carry POWER so that the kids would be able to identify with the band, make them their heroes. The name UHURU meaning FREEDOM in the Swahili language came up and stuck from there on. (Many years later a reggae group from Jamaica called Black Uhuru became famous and we unfortunately had to change the name to SANKOMOTA to avoid confusion between the two bands).

Two big problems at the start: Where to practice and where to get instruments and equipment? Fortunately I had rented a large old house with a big patio in the valley below the Holiday Inn in Maseru. It was far away from other buildings so that the noise of our practicing wouldn’t disturb the neighbors. My parents Ernst and Edith Schneider very kindly brought my drum set all the way from Switzerland by plane to Lesotho, and we purchased and ‘borrowed’ the rest of the equipment. UHURU was born! It was 1976. Frank was very strict at the practice sessions and from the very beginning was the leader of the group. We decided to create a new sound an AFRO – ROCK sound. The only band from Africa who was known in Europe at that time was Osibisa. In long talking and thinking sessions in Black Jesus’ house we planned our future. The GUITAR would be the main focus of the band, as in other rock bands from Europe and North America, together with the powerful voice of Tshepo we had a winning formula (Frank also had a great voice and sang on many of the songs). I remember playing Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Purple Haze’ on the record player, and Frank playing all the guitar licks just like Jimi after only one listen!! At the start the band played several of my songs from albums that I brought with me, but with an African touch. I always encouraged the boys to create their own music, and it wasn´t long before they were writing their own songs (which later appeared on the Sankomota albums).

==Music career==
Under the leadership of Frank Leepa, Sankomota's career spanned a duration of more than two decades.

==Last Projects==

{{Empty section|date=September 2010}}


==Discography== ==Discography==
{{Main| Sankomota discography}} * ''Sankomota'' (1983)
* ''Madhouse'' (1984)
⚫ * 1983:
* ''Dreams Do Come True'' (1987)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wiser |first=Danny |date=17 November 2020 |title=LESOTHO: Dreams Do Come True - Sankomota |url=https://www.200worldalbums.com/post/lesotho-dreams-do-come-true-sankomota |access-date=3 September 2023 |website=200worldalbums.com |language=en}}</ref>
* 1989: Writing's On The Wall * ''The Writing on the Wall'' (1989)
* 1991: Exploration - A New Phase * ''Exploration a New Phase'' (1991)
* 1991: Dreams Do Come True (Re-release)
* ''The Best of 1981-1991'' (1995)
* 1993: After The Storm
* 2001: Frankly Speaking * ''Frankly Speaking'' (2001)<ref name=":0" />
* ''After the Storm'' (2001)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sankomota Albums and Discography |url=https://genius.com/artists/Sankomota/albums |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=Genius}}</ref>
* Best Of Sankomota 1981-1991
⚫ * ''Ngwana Moshangane'' (2021)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.shifty.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=35|title=Shifty – since '84}}</ref>
* Greatest Hits
* ''Piano For Kings'' (2022)
* The Best Of Tsepo Tshola & Sankomota
* ''Disatlo Bowa'' (2022)
* ''Change Marobalo'' ''Ep'' (2023)
* ''Pelo Yaka'' (2023)


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Empty section|date=September 2010}}
* Born For Greatness, Biography of Frank Leepa


==External links== ==External links==
* *
* {{Discogs artist|Sankomota}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see ]. -->
⚫ | NAME = Sankomota
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH =1976
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
⚫ ]
]


] {{DEFAULTSORT:Sankomota}}
⚫ ]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 07:44, 20 December 2024

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Sankomota
Also known asUhuru
OriginMaseru, Lesotho
GenresAfro-Jazz, Rock fusion
Years active1976–present
LabelsShifty Records
Members
  • Moss Nkofo
  • Black Jesus
  • Pitso Sera
Past members
  • Tsepo Tshola (deceased)
  • Frank Leepa (deceased)

Sankomota is an Afro-jazz fusion band formed in 1976 in Lesotho. The band consisted of several members in its earliest years; Frank Leepa (guitarist, vocalist, arranger, composer), Moss Nkofo (drummer), Black Jesus (percussion), Moruti Selate (bass), Tsepo Tshola (lead vocalist and composer), and Pitso Sera (guitar), among others. Sankomota was managed by Peter B. Scheider until 1979. Later, under the management of Leepa, Sankomota's career spanned out over two decades.

History

Frank Leepa, also known as the Captain, started the band in school, calling it Anti Antiques. The band later changed its name to Uhuru, meaning 'freedom' in Swahili. However, due to the popularity of Black Uhuru from Jamaica, under the advisement of Schneider, the band decided to change their name again in order to avoid confusion. The name 'Sankomota' was chosen due to its symbolism, meaning phantom or poltergeist in the Sesotho language, as well as it being the name of a warrior from the Basotho and Bapedi people during the reign of King Moshoeshoe. Sankomota was the first band to record an LP in Lesotho. They were recorded by Lloyd Ross and Warrick Sony of Shifty Records on November 11, 1983. The album was self-titled, and it had nine tracks that collectively ran under 50 minutes long.

In 1991, Tsepo Tshola, the band's lead singer, left to pursue a solo career. In 1996, on the way to Cape Town, South Africa, the band suffered a road accident that killed unnamed members of the band.

Frank Leepa died on 27 November 2003 and Tshola died on 15 July 2021.

Discography

  • Sankomota (1983)
  • Madhouse (1984)
  • Dreams Do Come True (1987)
  • The Writing on the Wall (1989)
  • Exploration a New Phase (1991)
  • The Best of 1981-1991 (1995)
  • Frankly Speaking (2001)
  • After the Storm (2001)
  • Ngwana Moshangane (2021)
  • Piano For Kings (2022)
  • Disatlo Bowa (2022)
  • Change Marobalo Ep (2023)
  • Pelo Yaka (2023)

References

  1. "African Music Library | Band Profile: Sankomota". africanmusiclibrary.org. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  2. ^ Monaheng, Tseliso (2014-11-21). "An Ode To Sankomota". Music In Africa. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  3. "Legendary jazz musician Tsepo Tshola has died", Channel24.com, 15 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021
  4. Wiser, Danny (17 November 2020). "LESOTHO: Dreams Do Come True - Sankomota". 200worldalbums.com. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  5. "Sankomota Albums and Discography". Genius. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  6. "Shifty – since '84".
  • Born For Greatness, Biography of Frank Leepa

External links

Categories: