Don Laka

Don Laka was born in 1958 near Pretoria in Mamelodi. He was the first child in a family of five. In 1969, he formed his first band and made his first recording in 1972, which featured Ray Phiri who’s Played a major role on Paul Simon’s Graceland as a co-composer and guitarist.

As one of South Africa’s most innovative contemporary artists and producers, it’s hard to believe Don Laka's career began back in the politically volatile days of 1976. In that year, Don was playing bass and singing backing vocals for a group called The Flood, which enjoyed a huge hit with "Let Me Into Your Life", selling a staggering 320 000 units.

Don’s prodigious talent for everything ,turned his hand to see him enroll in the Royal School of Music, ultimately earning his Grade 8 on the classical guitar and obtaining his licentiate in high school music teaching in 1979. He would have pursued music further, but apartheid laws prevented him from enrolling at the Pretoria Conservatoire. Not to be defeated, Don continued to pursue music whilst working as a clerk in a grocery store. From 1980 to 1981, he joined the Afro fusion group, Sakhile that was formed by Sipho Gumede and Khaya Mahlangu. The group revolutionized South African music, and set a trend for groups like Bayete.

He played with many South African notables such as Joy, Brenda Fassie, Sipho Mabuse and Sankomota.

Don recorded his first big hit with a group called "Umoja" before moving on to form his own British-rock influenced band, "Ymage". The group performed together for ten (10) years and recorded no less than 12 Albums. In that decade, Don had an album produced by Tony Visconti (Bowie, T Rex) who passed on much of his knowledge to Don, allowing him to explore new territory as a producer and arranger.

In the 90s, after a stint living in Germany and playing in a South African Jazz/mbhaqanga band, Don formed an independent record label, Kalawa Jazzmee and was the production and arranging force behind the likes of Brothers of Peace and Boom Shaka. Don soon began recording solo projects and producing other artists. His songs and piano playing proved to be popular with other musicians, who asked him to write, produce or perform on their records.

In 1990, Don began writing big orchestral arrangements for Sibongile Khumalo. She performed his songs at notable venues such as the National Symphony Orchestra of South Africa. In 1991, he also collaborated with Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Rebecca Malope. In the late nineties, Don’s solo career was given a substantial boost with the release of Destiny, a fusion of hip-hop, traditional African rhythms, classical music and pop that saw Don playing drums, bass, guitar, piano and soprano Sax.

Two more equally acclaimed albums, “Supernova” and “Pyramid” followed the successful album.

His career blossomed further by producing and performing with artists such as Ray Phiri, Brenda Fassie, Sipho Mabuse, Mango Groove, Johnny Clegg and Mafikizolo amongst others. He is now regarded as one of South Africa’s Premier producers.

Laka attests that the highlight of his producing career was producing Hugh Masekela’s recent albums “Black to the Future” and “Sixty” where he combined the latest rhythms without neglecting the music that created Masekela’s endless pool of loyal fans. He’s latest production of Hugh Masekela’s ‘Jabulani’,has earned them a Grammy 2013 nomination for the best world music CD. Indeed, his participation in the album earned him FNB South African Music Award nomination as Best Producer.

Don started a Record Company together with Oscar Mdlongwa. The company is called Kalawa Jazzmee Records and is the first successful black record company in South Africa to produce record and market their own product without help from any major label. Kalawa Jazzmee’s artists dominate the South African music landscape and are responsible for much of the new music that has changed the country’s youth today.

Don has often spoken at music seminars and panels on the issue of quality and Standards of South African Music. He has also toured internationally.

Awards

In 2013, Don Laka received a Grammy nomination for Best World Music CD for producing Hugh Masekela's Jabulani in 2013