Woki warns of money effects
Chippa Legodimo | Wednesday April 23, 2014 14:25
Aubrei Woki, a London-based veteran jazz musician echoes the same sentiments in his title track Money.
The man, who hails from Selolwane in the North East district, notes in his song that it can make people appear like ‘real friends’ when the whole thing is an illusion.
Money is only Woki’s second album despite his over 30-year career span strumming his guitar, pumping culturally inspired lyrics into the microphone.
His debut album called Gaborone was released two years ago.
The experience comes out clearly in his music as demonstrated by his ability to try different sounds. From mbaqanga, pop and other urban sounds Woki managed to produce a unique type of jazz.
One of the tracks that would get fans up to take note is Mmamane. Here he uses his simple lyrics with fast paced African drums, a snare drum in the background and an imposing trumpet.
A good linguist, Woki utilises that attribute very well in his music, delivering songs in English, Ndebele, Kalanga and Setswana.
“In fact I can speak quite a number of African languages including Shona. I occasionally work as an interpreter in England. There was no way this would not come out in my music because I am comfortable expressing myself in all these different languages,” he told Showbiz.
The nine-track album closes with a fun-filled song called Gae in which the elderly musician pokes fun at a man with a long beard who “reminds him of his Boerbok billy goat back home”.
Through the song he opens up a passage into the past reminiscent of children’s ditties and how they would play various traditional games in open spaces.