Meet legendary greats in the garden

There is another surprise act featured in the “Sounds of Legends” picnic concert at the Lowveld National Botanical Gardens on March 19.

An event that will take you down memory lane, to that place of intense love and appreciation for ones roots. He is none other than, Caiphus Semenya.
Do not miss out on this incredible combination, as he will be sharing the stage with another legend, Hugh Masekela, whose musical and personal relationship spans over many decades.

Caiphus Semenya is one of South Africa’s foremost musical directors and composers. Recent credits include the music scores for the SABC series Molo Fish, Vicious Circle, and Gaba Mootho, as well as a lifetime of work as a performer and arranger of African music.

Semenya left South Africa in the 1960s, together with his wife, singer Letta Mbulu. While in exile, he worked with compatriots Hugh Masekela, Jonas Gwangwa, Hotep Galeta, and Miriam Makeba along with a great many others.
He subsequently took up residence in Los Angeles, where his talent resulted in work with the top range of American artists and producers, and saw his compositions performed by Cannonball Adderley, Harry Belafonte,

The Crusaders, Lou Rawls, and Nina Simone, and more. He is an arranger, bandleader, and vocalist in the genres of African jazz, jazz, and mbaqanga.
Most notable has been Semenya’s regular collaborations with Quincy Jones. The association has seen Semenya composing all the African music for Alex Hayley’s Roots Pt 1 and Pt 2, and also the African music for the Steven Spielberg-directed Colour Purple which earned him an Oscar Nomination.
Semenya has composition credits for several tracks on Quincy Jones’ album Back on the Block, including the melody for the title track, which received a Grammy Award as album of the year in 1995.
As a performing artist and big band arranger, Semenya toured Africa with the production BUWA during the 1980s. He is probably best known to the home audience through the performances of Caiphus & Letta, and hit songs such as “Angelina” and “Matswale”.
In 1989, he was the musical director for the South African component of the Wembley Stadium “Nelson Mandela Tribute” concert. He returned from exile in 1990, and in 1991 headlined the Unity concert at the FNB Stadium.
The 1990s saw Semenya working both sides of the Atlantic, while he and his family relocated to Johannesburg. Celebrated performances include the Africa Night at Montreux Jazz Festival, a sold-out series at Sun City, and numerous open-air concerts, often together with his wife Letta Mbulu.
Semenya released Woman’s got a right to be in 1995, and collaborated with Jonas Gwangwa to script the music for the launch of the African Union.
In April 2004, together with Hugh Masekela, Jonas Gwangwa, Letta Mbulu and Sibongile Khumalo, he formed the Creative Collective, which co-ordinated the musical and artistic programme for South Africa’s “Ten Years of Freedom” celebrations.