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| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| 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. | |||
| {{Empty section|date=September 2010}} | |||
| 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== | ==Music career== | ||
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| Sankomota | |
|---|---|
| File:Sankom.jpg | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Maseru, Lesotho |
| Genres | Jazz | Afro-Jazz-Rock-fusion | Malo-music |
| Years active | 1976 – present |
| Labels | Shifty Records |
Sankomota - One of the greatest musical bands to come out of the tiny 'mountain kingdom' of Lesotho, Sankomota (originally Uhuru) 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. Peter Schneider managed the band in its early years till 1979.
History
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.
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
 | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2010) |
Discography
Main article: Sankomota discography- 1983: Sankomota
- 1989: Writing's On The Wall
- 1991: Exploration - A New Phase
- 1991: Dreams Do Come True (Re-release)
- 1993: After The Storm
- 2001: Frankly Speaking
- Best Of Sankomota 1981-1991
- Greatest Hits
- The Best Of Tsepo Tshola & Sankomota
References
| This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2010) |