The enduring community-based gospel choral music genre known as "clap-and-tap" has a new crusader to help it leap out of the shadows.
He is youthful, colourful and charismatic Tebogo Quest Chauke, the music director and producer of the hugely popular Lejwe La Motheo group from Tembisa in the East Rand.
At just 28, Chauke's work belies his age, given the huge task of managing a choir with up to 130 members, with some members old enough to be his aunts or uncles.
Judging by the reaction he gets from his huge fan base on social media, Chauke is really going places - though he is modest about his prospects as an entertainer.
"I don't know if I have ambitions to go solo because Lejwe La Motheo is what I care for. I am humbled by suggestions that I am taking our kind of music somewhere. But the truth is that I am fully aware of the work I am doing in clap-and-tap because I also help produce other choirs, groups some would see as rivals to Lejwe La Motheo," he says.
The self-assured Chauke is a former pantsula dancer.
He cites his recent studio work with Sedi La Dichaba from Carletonville - when lightning struck and damaged the Randburg studio, plunging the house into darkness - as a wake up call.
"Even more miraculous was seeing the green tree next door on fire from the lightning. I don't know if there was a spiritual message in that incident but it was a stark reminder that life is too short and that I need to double my efforts to uplift our music," he says.
Judging by the frenzied YouTube hits for Lejwe La Motheo's videos for latest hits Tse Patilweng and Buka, and gospel music show Ezomoya making a business decision to leave SowetoTV for StarSat (ex-TopTV), Chauke believes clap-and-tap is nudging closer to commercial success.
Ezomoya is the largest platform for clap-and-tap, and the show attracted a massive viewership for SowetoTV. StarSat probably paid a decent sum to secure the show.
"Business interest in clap-and-tap is growing, and so is the respect. We were featured in Gospel Gold (SABC1) recently and also performed at the Crown Gospel Awards in Durban. We are handling a flood of requests for bookings from SA and neighbouring countries. We can't always be on the road, but we always try our best to oblige our fans," he says.
Today the large group travels to Botswana for a gala dinner performance in Gaborone tomorrow. On their return on Sunday, they will perform in Ventersdorp (at 1pm).
"After that it's Brits (March 13), Rustenburg (March 19) and Louis Trichardt (March 30). Hopefully all these endeavours will eventually lead to rewards for us. Though money was not an issue when people joined the choirs, the reality of life today is different as we're all under pressure to make a living out of something we spend time and energy on."
Lejwe La Motheo fast-tracked Chauke's maturity when at just 16 he took over the baton after the death of his uncle, David Chauke, the group's founder. It did not happen immediately as Tebogo was busy with his pantsula dance crew, the famous Tembisa Revolution.
"After my uncle there were other conductors but they came and went, and the group was not in good shape until I took the bold decision to take over. I had been with the choir since I was nine so I thought I knew what to do.
"I rely on prayer and spiritual signs revealed to me about what to do next. I can't claim to be better than others but I work very hard for our group to flourish. I have not received the sign that I should also cultivate a solo career on the side, but when that time comes I will know."
Suprisingly, Chauke does not have music training and he learns everything by ear, and shares his ideas with the choir through physical demonstrations without reading music. Chauke's post-matric qualifications are business diplomas.
"I wish to change that soon and get myself registered for a music course. It will help a lot."
mokonetu@sowetan.co.za
Keeper of the choral gospel
The enduring community-based gospel choral music genre known as "clap-and-tap" has a new crusader to help it leap out of the shadows.
He is youthful, colourful and charismatic Tebogo Quest Chauke, the music director and producer of the hugely popular Lejwe La Motheo group from Tembisa in the East Rand.
At just 28, Chauke's work belies his age, given the huge task of managing a choir with up to 130 members, with some members old enough to be his aunts or uncles.
Judging by the reaction he gets from his huge fan base on social media, Chauke is really going places - though he is modest about his prospects as an entertainer.
"I don't know if I have ambitions to go solo because Lejwe La Motheo is what I care for. I am humbled by suggestions that I am taking our kind of music somewhere. But the truth is that I am fully aware of the work I am doing in clap-and-tap because I also help produce other choirs, groups some would see as rivals to Lejwe La Motheo," he says.
The self-assured Chauke is a former pantsula dancer.
He cites his recent studio work with Sedi La Dichaba from Carletonville - when lightning struck and damaged the Randburg studio, plunging the house into darkness - as a wake up call.
"Even more miraculous was seeing the green tree next door on fire from the lightning. I don't know if there was a spiritual message in that incident but it was a stark reminder that life is too short and that I need to double my efforts to uplift our music," he says.
Judging by the frenzied YouTube hits for Lejwe La Motheo's videos for latest hits Tse Patilweng and Buka, and gospel music show Ezomoya making a business decision to leave SowetoTV for StarSat (ex-TopTV), Chauke believes clap-and-tap is nudging closer to commercial success.
Ezomoya is the largest platform for clap-and-tap, and the show attracted a massive viewership for SowetoTV. StarSat probably paid a decent sum to secure the show.
"Business interest in clap-and-tap is growing, and so is the respect. We were featured in Gospel Gold (SABC1) recently and also performed at the Crown Gospel Awards in Durban. We are handling a flood of requests for bookings from SA and neighbouring countries. We can't always be on the road, but we always try our best to oblige our fans," he says.
Today the large group travels to Botswana for a gala dinner performance in Gaborone tomorrow. On their return on Sunday, they will perform in Ventersdorp (at 1pm).
"After that it's Brits (March 13), Rustenburg (March 19) and Louis Trichardt (March 30). Hopefully all these endeavours will eventually lead to rewards for us. Though money was not an issue when people joined the choirs, the reality of life today is different as we're all under pressure to make a living out of something we spend time and energy on."
Lejwe La Motheo fast-tracked Chauke's maturity when at just 16 he took over the baton after the death of his uncle, David Chauke, the group's founder. It did not happen immediately as Tebogo was busy with his pantsula dance crew, the famous Tembisa Revolution.
"After my uncle there were other conductors but they came and went, and the group was not in good shape until I took the bold decision to take over. I had been with the choir since I was nine so I thought I knew what to do.
"I rely on prayer and spiritual signs revealed to me about what to do next. I can't claim to be better than others but I work very hard for our group to flourish. I have not received the sign that I should also cultivate a solo career on the side, but when that time comes I will know."
Suprisingly, Chauke does not have music training and he learns everything by ear, and shares his ideas with the choir through physical demonstrations without reading music. Chauke's post-matric qualifications are business diplomas.
"I wish to change that soon and get myself registered for a music course. It will help a lot."
mokonetu@sowetan.co.za
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