SOUTH Africa's top jazz musician, Don Laka creates music with one foot in the past and the other in the future, creating a synergistic realm of music that speaks to young and old alike.

His ability to create a smorgasbord of music explains why he is a well-respected recording artist who reaches out to all classes and races of people, at home and abroad.

Resistant to all attempts to be pigeonholed, Laka has become known as an innovator. He combines his creative multiplicity into a powerful stew of music seasoned with jazz, swing, pop, kwaito, African traditional, funk and rock n' roll with a dash of the life experiences of his community.

Laka and his new breed of jazz, called Kwaijazz, reflects the new South Africa. Kwaijazz is an up-and-coming genre of music, accessible and with no boundaries or limitations to one's creativity. It is uniquely South African and is anticipated to become popular across the globe.

A mature musician who has successfully married technique and emotion to create something with a universal appeal, Laka is probably one of the few South African musicians to combine the roles of musician and credible businessman. He is also a producer, engineer, and record label director.

Peers in the entertainment industry credit him as the father of one of the first and most successful, independent kwaito labels, Kalawa Records, which was
instrumental in introducing a fresh approach to South Africa's weathered music industry.

Background
Laka, who was born in Mamelodi in 1958, formed his first band in 1969, making his first recording in 1972. This recording featured Ray Phiri on guitar.

In the politically volatile days of 1976, Laka played bass and sang backing vocals for a group called The Flood, which enjoyed a huge hit with "Let Me Into Your Life", selling a staggering 320 000 units.

After matric, Laka enrolled at the Royal School of Music, earning a Grade 8 in classical guitar and obtaining his licentiate in high school music teaching in 1979.

He would have pursued music further, but apartheid laws prevented him from enrolling at the Pretoria Conservatoire. Determined not to be defeated, Laka continued to pursue music while working as a clerk in a grocery store.

From 1980 to 1981, he joined the Afro fusion group, Sakhile that was formed by Sipho Gumede and Khaya Mahlangu. The group revolutionised South African music and set a trend for groups like Bayete.

He played with many South African notables such as Joy, Brenda Fassie, Sipho Mabuse and Sankomota.

Laka recorded his first big hit with a group called Oneness before moving on to form his own British-rock influenced band, Ymage. The group performed together for 10 years and recorded no less than 12 Albums. In that decade, Laka had an album produced by Tony Visconti (Bowie, T Rex) who passed on much of his knowledge to Laka, allowing him to explore new territory as a producer and arranger.

His songs and piano playing proved to be popular with other musicians, who asked him to write, produce or perform on their records.

In 1990, Laka began writing orchestral arrangements for Sibongile Khumalo. She performed his songs with ensembles such as the National Symphony Orchestra of South Africa.

In 1991, he also collaborated with Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Rebecca Malope.

In the late nineties, Don's solo career was given a substantial boost with the release of Destiny, a fusion of hip-hop, traditional African rhythms, classical music and pop that saw Laka playing drums, bass, guitar, piano and soprano sax.

Two more acclaimed albums, Supernova and Pyramid followed.

His career as a producer continued to blossom as he worked – as producer and perfomer – with artists such as Ray Phiri, Brenda Fassie, Sipho Mabuse, Mango Groove, Sharon Dee and Johnny Clegg, Bongo Muffin, Mafikizolo amongst others. He is now regarded as one of South Africa' premier producers.

The highlight of his producing career was his work on Hugh Masekela's albums Black to the Future and Sixty where he combined the latest rhythms without neglecting the music that created Masekela's endless pool of loyal fans. Indeed, his participation in the album earned him an FNB South African Music Award nomination as Best Producer.

Laka has also spoken at music seminars and panels on the issue of quality and standards of South African music.

He has also toured internationally in London, the United States, Canada and Austria, Russia, Chile, Cuba and Jamaica, and his music has achieved international recognition in England, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal and the United States.