The 10th anniversary of the Moshito Music Conference & Exhibition is gearing up to be a gathering of the music industry’s finest as more respected industry players confirm that they will be participating in the annual event.
The legendary Ray Phiri of Stimela; Free Kiba musicologist, Dr Sello Galane; singer-songwriter, Ringo Madlingozi; composer and performing artist Zwai Bala, prolific house DJ and producer, Black Coffee, pop singer and performing artist, Danny K and hip hop star, AKA have will all be at the conference, sharing their insights and experiences on issues, developments, challenges and opportunities within the music industry.
Phiri’s contribution to South Africa’s musical landscape spans over three decades with highlights including the formation of the fusion band, Stimela and working on the critically acclaimed Graceland album of 1986 with Paul Simon. He will impart his wisdom on two discussions: one looking at how music has changed in the last ten years and the other on performance and going on tour.
“Do we need a new cultural resolution? I want to evoke a conversation with this question, which will help us address a few issues that may come up from both the older and the younger generations,” says Phiri.
Dr Sello Galane’s Free Kiba concept which expands on the Bapedi culture has made him a favourite with those who are followers of African folklore sounds. Together with Ringo Madlingozi, he will lend his voice on the observations of the last 10 years of music.
Dr Galane says, “I think we as a country need to stop and take stock of the direction our music is going. That this year’s Sama awards were dominated by hip hop and house music says something about this direction. We need to investigate what has happened to the stalwarts of the afrocentric sound and where we have dropped the baton. There is no way a nation can develop on a basis of a foreign culture.”
Hip hop superstar AKA, will be on opening plenary representing a younger artist’s perspective on the landscape of music in the last ten years. He says, “The biggest change is that the artist has to get more involved in the business of the brand that he and his/her team is creating. The world is more connected and everything we do is instantly consumed.”
DJ Black Coffee revolutionized the local house music scene when he started reworking music by legends such as Hugh Masekela and Busi Mhlongo in his productions. Adding to his growing repertoire as a sought after international DJ and producer, he introduced a live orchestral element to his music with the Africa Rising DVD recording. He speaks on the economics of music and issues relating to revenue streams and monetization of a musical product. This topic also touches on the importance of viewing your copyright as an asset to the value of music catalogues.
Weighing in on the same subject is Danny K, who says, “There is a great deal of empowerment that comes with owning your work. And this is something South Africa needs to look at in more detail when it comes to the business of music.”
Zwai Bala is concerned about the growth of the industry and is excited to be part of this developmental platform. “I’m always interested in programmes that seek to uplift and develop the music in this country, because I believe we have a lot to offer” he says.
With this cross generational discourse and the high calibre of artists involved, this year’s 10th anniversary of the Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition promises to be an exchange of wisdom and forward thinking ideas.
Registration for the conference is now open, and can be accessed at the conferences official website, www.Moshito.co.za .
Note for editors:
•The Moshito Music Conference & Exhibition will take place on 21-22 September 2013 at the Sandton Convention Centre.
•Registration fee for the full conference (2days) R200.00 . Registration fee’s for 1 Day without concert tickets is R150. Free entry for students, and special discount rates for groups are available.
•Tickets are available at www.computicket.co.za
Issued on behalf of the Moshito Music Conference & Exhibition by Dreamcatcher.
