Durban maskandi musicians fly the South African flag proudly on European tour

QADASI and Maqhinga, Durban maskandi music duo, are currently on tour in Europe, and will be visiting Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Sweden, among other European countries.

Kloof resident, David ‘Qadasi’ Jenkins and Maqhinga Radebe’s fusion of traditional Zulu and western folk music is proving popular at home and abroad.

“It’s been a busy week in Germany, kicking off our European tour. We have had fantastic audiences of all ages who have shown great interest in our maskandi folk fusion. Last night, we performed in Denmark with our dear friends, the Baobab Sisters, and today, we continue on to Sweden,” Jenkins said, speaking to the Highway Mail from Holbaek, Denmark.

David Jenkins, formerly from Empangeni in Zululand, is an accomplished maskandi vocalist, guitarist and concertina and banjo player. He developed a passion for Zulu culture and music at a young age when travelling through Zululand with his late father who was a journalist.

Maqhinga’s career launched in the 1990s when he toured with the United States of America with Ladysmith Black Mambazo. He formed a group with two of the Shabalala brothers, on their return, called Shabalala Rhythm. Maqhinga has travelled the world and shared the stage with artists such as Hugh Masekela, Oliver Mtukudzi and Soul Brothers.

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David and Maqhinga first met in 2010 when David enquired about a Durban-based concertina tuner. The two became firm friends after their first ’jam session’, with Maqhinga taking the role of music director and producer for the first of David’s solo projects.

Along with bringing Zulu culture and traditional music to the world, the duo is involved with several rhino conservation initiatives.