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Soweto Gospel choir needs to jazz up its act somewhat

Soweto Gospel Choir. Pic. Siphiwe Malaza. 20/09/07. © Sowetan.
Soweto Gospel Choir. Pic. Siphiwe Malaza. 20/09/07. © Sowetan.

Patience Bambalele

Patience Bambalele

If you have been in a coma for the past two years and have not seen or heard the Soweto Gospel Choir, chances are you did not miss much.

It's still the same old choir except that it bagged a few awards. Having performed internationally for a while, the choir presented Gauteng audiences with an energetic, powerful performance on Thursday.

The choir sang for a big audience at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

After winning a Grammy, I went along to the Civic, hoping to see a different show from what I have seen before.

Though the group comprises talented and versatile musicians who make the show exciting, its music needs serious attention.

They performed old traditional and church hymns that have just been reworked.

For an hour and a half, we were subjected to songs such as Woza Moya, Tshepa Thapelo and Seteng Sediba that the choir has been singing since its inception. Now that they've shown the world that they have it, there's no need to fake it.

The fact that the choir has wooed global audiences cannot be taken away from the group, but it needs to give us some original music.

However, the choir needs to be commended for maturing since the era when they sang songs such as Thula Bhabha.

Catch the Soweto Gospel Choir in Durban at the Durban Playhouse Theatre on Friday and Saturday.

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