Musical Genius
Moses Molelekoa was a South African jazz pianist, vocalist (alto and tenor sax) and bandleader. He was known for his extraordinary piano skills. Molelekoa was born in Uitvlugt/kwaNdabeni, a settlement between Pinelands and Maitland in the Western Cape.
He was very fond of music from a young age and used to fill bottles with water to different levels and hit them with a small stick to give different sounds. In 1935, when he was 16, he was a pianist with vocal group ‘Midnight Follies’.
The band consisted of Masabalala Ntshinga, Nimrod Themba Mathole and Peter Sitsila. They would sing songs by Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole, before the era of jazz bands in South Africa dawned.
Molelekoa formed The Mother City Jazz Band with juniors (ten to twelve-year-olds) which was led by his daughter. He was also part of the ‘De Bafana band’ with Bassie Zindi.