Julian Bahula (

Order of Ikhamanga The Order of Ikhamanga is a South African honour. It was instituted on 30 November 2003 and is granted by the President of South Africa for achievements in arts, culture, literature, music, journalism, and sports (which were initially recognised b ...

) (born 13 March 1938) is a South African drummer, composer and bandleader, based in Britain."13 March — Julian Bahula"
, All Jazz Radio.

Biography

Sebothane Julian Bahula was born in

Eersterust Eersterust or "First Rest", often incorrectly spelled "Eersterus", is a formal South African township within the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality and is located just about 15 km east of the Pretoria city centre. It is also referred t ...

Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends ...

. He first gained a reputation as a drummer in the band Malombo.Eugene Chadbourne
Julian Bahula biography
Music. He migrated to England in 1973 and subsequently formed the group Jabula, which in 1977 combined with the group of saxophonist

Dudu Pukwana Mthutuzeli Dudu Pukwana (18 July 1938 – 30 June 1990) was a South African saxophonist, composer and pianist (although not known for his piano playing). Early years in South Africa Dudu Pukwana was born in Walmer Township, Port Elizabeth, S ...

to form Jabula Spear. Another later project for Bahula was the band Jazz Afrika. In the 1980s he played with

Dick Heckstall-Smith Richard Malden Heckstall-Smith (26 September 1934 – 17 December 2004) was an English jazz and blues saxophonist. He played with some of the most influential English blues rock and jazz fusion bands of the 1960s and 1970s. He is known for pri ...

’s Electric Dream ensemble. As

Eugene Chadbourne Eugene Chadbourne (born January 4, 1954) is an American banjoist, guitarist and music critic. Life and career Chadbourne was born in Mount Vernon, New York, but grew up in Boulder, Colorado. He started playing guitar when he was eleven or twel ...

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

has written: "Bahula has been as tireless a promoter of the music of his homeland in his adopted country as he is an on-stage rhythm activator. One of his most important moves was establishing a regular Friday night featuring authentic African bands at the London venue

The 100 Club The 100 Club is a music venue located at 100 Oxford Street, London, England, where it has been hosting live music since 24 October 1942. It was originally called the Feldman Swing Club, but changed its name when the father of the current owner ...

.Clyde Macfarlane
"Jabula Happiness: Julian Bahula Interviewed"
''The Quietus'', 21 January 2015. He booked a lot of musicians who were also political refugees; his series began to symbolize a movement for change. Players such as

Fela Kuti Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997), also known as Abami Eda, was a Nigerian musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He is regarded as the p ...

Miriam Makeba Zenzile Miriam Makeba (4 March 1932 – 9 November 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including African popular music, Afropop, jazz, a ...

, and

Hugh Masekela Hugh Ramapolo Masekela (4 April 1939 – 23 January 2018) was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer who was described as "the father of South African jazz". Masekela was known for his jazz compositions and for ...

were among the performers whose early British appearances were organized by Bahula." With the

Anti-Apartheid Movement The Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM), was a British organisation that was at the centre of the international movement opposing the South African apartheid system and supporting South Africa's non-White population who were persecuted by the policie ...

, Bahula organised in 1983 African Sounds, a concert at

Alexandra Palace Alexandra Palace is a Grade II listed entertainment and sports venue in London, situated between Wood Green and Muswell Hill in the London Borough of Haringey. It is built on the site of Tottenham Wood and the later Tottenham Wood Farm. Origi ...

to mark the 65th birthday of

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

, drawing a 3,000-strong audience and raising the international profile of Mandela and other political prisoners. In 2012, President

Jacob Zuma Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan name Msholozi, and was a former anti-aparth ...

presented Bahula with the

(Gold).Ntando Makhubu and Mogomotsi Magome
"Jazz legend no longer an unsung hero"
''Pretoria News'', 4 May 2012.

References

External links

Jabula Music

Flatint, 2 November 2011 * Eugene Chadbourne
"Julian Bahula"
Allmusic
"Julian Bahula"
at Discogs * Clyde Macfarlaene
"Jabula Happiness: Julian Bahula Interviewed"
''The Quietus'', 21 January 2015. 1938 births Living people South African jazz musicians South African jazz drummers 20th-century jazz composers People from Pretoria Recipients of the Order of Ikhamanga 20th-century South African musicians 21st-century South African musicians South African expatriates in the United Kingdom {{SouthAfrica-musician-stub