S06E01 – The Lady’s Got Clout!

We’re back for a sixth season of “Tune Me What?” – the show that brings you the very best of South African music! In this season opener we have a very special extended episode in which Leon sits down with the legendary Cindy Alter, solo artist, songwriter, and household name as the lead singer of supergroups Clout and Zia. Cindy opens up frankly about her life as a musician, trying to make it in America, and the health crisis that brought her back home to Johannesburg. We also feature some fantastic music!

In this show we feature

  • Archie Silansky & His Orchestra
  • Jeremy Taylor
  • Clout
  • Zia
  • The Alter-Irving Band
  • Cindy Alter

We really appreciate your feedback. We’re always open to suggestions and even requests! If you’re a South African musician living or touring internationally, do let us know about your concerts, album releases or tours – we’d love to give you a punt on the show.

Our email address is yesno@tunemewhat.com But most importantly, if you enjoy the show, tell your friends about Tune Me What?! You can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TuneMeWhat

Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron.

In this episode we used some free sound effects from http://www.freesfx.co.uk

S05E30 – Party Into 2018!

The ‘Tune Me What?’ team present an hour of uninterrupted party music to help you dance into 2018 as we end off another season. It’s been our pleasure to bring you the best in South African music every week. Happy New Year everyone! See you nest year for a new season of ‘Tune Me What?’.

In this show we feature:

  • Mango Groove
  • The Sighs of Monsters
  • TiMO ODV
  • Mi Casa
  • Goldfish
  • Winston’s Jivemixup
  • Steve Kekana
  • Black Coffee
  • No Method
  • Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse
  • Brenda Fassie
  • DJ Ganyani
  • 7ft Soundsystem

We really appreciate your feedback. We’re always open to suggestions and even requests! If you’re a South African musician living or touring internationally, do let us know about your concerts, album releases or tours – we’d love to give you a punt on the show.

Our email address is yesno@tunemewhat.com But most importantly, if you enjoy the show, tell your friends about Tune Me What?! You can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TuneMeWhat

Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron.

In this episode we used some free sound effects from http://www.freesfx.co.uk

S05E29 – Excited, Delighted, Highlighted!

In this penultimate episode of the fifth season of “Tune Me What?”, your hosts Leon Lazarus and Brett Lock pick out some of the highlights and delights of their adventured through South African music in 2017, with a mixture of older tracks they discovered and new releases that excited them, all f which they hope will delight you.In this episode we feature

  • Black Motion
  • David Kramer
  • Petite Noir 
  • Nakhane
  • Karen Zoid & Francois Van Coke
  • Jonathan Butler & Jonny Lang
  • Radio Kalahari Orkes
  • Pacific Express
  • Lark
  • Smallfunk

We really appreciate your feedback. We’re always open to suggestions and even requests! If you’re a South African musician living or touring internationally, do let us know about your concerts, album releases or tours – we’d love to give you a punt on the show.

But most importantly, if you enjoy the show, tell your friends about Tune Me What?! You can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TuneMeWhat

S05E28 – TMW Talks Turkey

For many of us, music has transformed our lives in many small – and sometimes big – ways, and provided a soundtrack for our joy, our heartache, our successes and failures. In this special extended episode, Leon and Brett talk about how thankful they are for South African music and namecheck some of the artists and songs they are truly thankful for. They sit down to tuck into the metaphorical turkey (or in Brett’s case, the emblematical tofu) , tell their stories, and – most importantly – play some great South African records.

We really appreciate your feedback. We’re always open to suggestions and even requests! If you’re a South African musician living or touring internationally, do let us know about your concerts, album releases or tours – we’d love to give you a punt on the show.

In this episode, we feature

  • Township Soul Inc.
  • Vusi Mahlasela
  • David Kramer
  • The Mahotella Queens
  • Johannes Kerkorel end die Gereformeerde Blues Band
  • Bright Blue
  • The Electric Petals
  • One Large Banana
  • Just Encasement
  • Petit Cheval
  • Nakhane
  • The Sighs of Monsters

And introducing Shonaman and Toby Tobias in our Tune Me Something New slot.

Our email address is yesno@tunemewhat.com But most importantly, if you enjoy the show, tell your friends about Tune Me What?! You can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TuneMeWhat

Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron.

S05E27 – Amber Liadan Live @ Tune Me What?

In another of our Live@TuneMeWhat sessions we’re treated to a half-hour of acoustic music by the charming Amber Liadan – recorded live in our studio. Amber has quite a musical pedigree being the daughter of former Ella Mentals Heather Mac and Tim Parr, but make no mistake, she has forged her own musical path as a fiercely independent artist. Amber chats to us about her musical influences, favourite South African musicians and gives us a preview of her stunning new album, ‘Warrior’ in this special double-length episode.

In this episode, we feature:

  • Amber Liadan
  • Miriam Makeba
  • Tim Parr
  • Heather Mac
  • Benguela
  • The Time Flies
  • Alice Phoebe Lou
  • Phil Moffett
  • Native Young
  • Freshlyground

And introducing, Baushes in our Tune Me Something New’ slot.

For more information about our special guest Amber Liadan, check out her Facebook Page where you can also find details on how to order her new album Warrior. Also check out her videos on Youtube.

We really appreciate your feedback. We’re always open to suggestions and even requests! If you’re a South African musician living or touring internationally, do let us know about your concerts, album releases or tours – we’d love to give you a punt on the show.

Our email address is yesno@tunemewhat.com But most importantly, if you enjoy the show, tell your friends about Tune Me What?! You can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TuneMeWhat

Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron.

S05E26 – The Power of PJ

The indomitable PJ Powers – known affectionately to many of her fans as Thandeka – is in the UK as part of her current tour and took time out of her frantic schedule to sit down with Tune Me What?. She tells us about her book, her charity work and of course her music. As a special treat, we also get to hear a preview of her brand new single, as well as some of her personal favourite South African tunes.

In this episode we feature:

  • PJ Powers
  • Hotline
  • Steve Kekana
  • Miriam Makeba
  • Brenda Fassie
  • Bright Blue
  • Johnny Clegg

Be sure to check out Khulisa Social Solutions (Khulisa), the charity PJ supports and see how you can help them out with their excellent work.

For information about PJ’s concerts, click here.

We really appreciate your feedback. We’re always open to suggestions and even requests! If you’re a South African musician living or touring internationally, do let us know about your concerts, album releases or tours – we’d love to give you a punt on the show.

Our email address is yesno@tunemewhat.com But most importantly, if you enjoy the show, tell your friends about Tune Me What?! You can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TuneMeWhat

Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron.

S05E25 – Cleggmania in the USA

Cleggmania has reached the USA as JC concludes his farewell tour of North America. Leon interviews a genuine American Johnny Clegg fan and digs deep to find out what makes an American South African music fan in the second special episode this series devoted to the music of Johnny Clegg and the music around him.

This episode features:

  • Johnny Clegg
  • Jesse Clegg
  • Juluka
  • Savuka
  • Bakithi Kumalo
  • Stimela
  • TKZee

We really appreciate your feedback. We’re always open to suggestions and even requests! If you’re a South African musician living or touring internationally, do let us know about your concerts, album releases or tours – we’d love to give you a punt on the show.

Our email address is yesno@tunemewhat.com But most importantly, if you enjoy the show, tell your friends about Tune Me What?! You can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TuneMeWhat

Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron.

S05E24 – Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Did you know that hit records by Elton John, Malcolm McLaren, PM Dawn, Bow Wow Wow and even Serge Gainsbourg ‘borrowed’ rhythms, riffs and melodies from South African artists? In some cases, full credit was given to the original South African composers, but in other cases they had to fight legal battles to be recognised! In this episode we devote most of the show to playing these inspirational – in the true sense of the word – ‘borrowed’ records – and also throw in something old, new, and blue to keep things interesting.

In this episode, we feature

  • Solomon Linda’s Original Evening Birds
  • Mig21
  • Phineas Mkhize
  • The Boyoyo Boys
  • The Mahotella Queens
  • Miriam Makeba
  • Hugh Masekela
  • Juluka
  • Springbok Nude Girls
  • Johannes Kerkorrel
  • Abdullah Ibrahim

Here is a video playlist – stating with Wimoweh – of the songs by International artists who have ‘borrowed’ from the songs featured in this episode:


 

We really appreciate your feedback. We’re always open to suggestions and even requests! If you’re a South African musician living or touring internationally, do let us know about your concerts, album releases or tours – we’d love to give you a punt on the show.

Our email address is yesno@tunemewhat.com But most importantly, if you enjoy the show, tell your friends about Tune Me What?! You can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TuneMeWhat

Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron.

S05E23 – The Mine Dump Show

South Africa was largely built on the mining industry and while it is obvious that this cast its shadow on politics and economics in the metaphorical sense and quite literally in cities where its great pits and dumps became part of the landscape it also had a huge impact on the music of South Africa. In this episode Leon and Brett explore some of the music that was born on the mines or inspired by the mines in another hour of some great South African music.

In this episode we feature:

  • Hugh Masekela
  • Nibs van der Spuy
  • Busi Mhlongo
  • The Manhattan Brothers
  • The Jazz Dazzlers
  • Miriam Makeba
  • Spokes Mashiyane
  • Ladysmith Black Mambazo
  • Juluka
  • David Kramer
  • Virginia Gold Mine Compound  

We really appreciate your feedback. We’re always open to suggestions and even requests! If you’re a South African musician living or touring internationally, do let us know about your concerts, album releases or tours – we’d love to give you a punt on the show.

Our email address is yesno@tunemewhat.com But most importantly, if you enjoy the show, tell your friends about Tune Me What?! You can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TuneMeWhat

Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron.

Photo credit: Laura SA, Wikipedia.

S05E22 – The Iced Zoo Biscuit Hour

This week Leon & Brett tuck into a packet of Iced Zoo biscuits (or ‘cookies’ to our American friends) and play some great South African music suggested by the animals on this quintessential South African confectionary. Of course, they can’t resist injecting some interesting wildlife trivia into their (usual barely-sane) banter and commentary. Join them for an hour of South African music and chit-chat – including topical debates of the day like “how to best eat an Iced Zoo” and “what’s really in a bunny chow?”.

In this show we feature:

  • Dear Reader
  • Amerhsam
  • Ethel My Love
  • The Blues Broers
  • Des & Dawn Lindberg
  • Bill Knight
  • Springbok Nude Girls
  • Rabbitt
  • Qadasi
  • Bye Beneco
  • Darius Brubeck Quartet

Here’s that old Occam’s Razor clip we promised:

Oh, and if icing-animals don’t do it for you, for some very good depictions of South African wildlife, check out artist Bowen Boshier’s magnificent work.

We really appreciate your feedback. We’re always open to suggestions and even requests! If you’re a South African musician living or touring internationally, do let us know about your concerts, album releases or tours – we’d love to give you a punt on the show.

Our email address is yesno@tunemewhat.com But most importantly, if you enjoy the show, tell your friends about Tune Me What?! You can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TuneMeWhat

Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron.