LAP

Gontse Makhene - Percussion Drums & Vocals Zwelakhe Zwane - Percussion Drums Bafana Nhlapo - Industrial Percussion & Vocals Frank Magongwa - Bass & Drums. Zwelakhe and Gontse were part of the Musical Dance Theatre production Tapsula during 2004 and performed with their djembes at many private and official function in South Africa like the release of Mzwakhe Mbuli. Gontse, Bafana & Frank are also members of the hip 8Piece hip hop and funk band, Kwani Experience who in 2004 won a competition and recording contract sponsored by Standard Bank and Radio KAYAFM. The other members, namely Mathulwe and Samuel are former members of The Soweto Percussion Ensemble, a musical group which was founded and based at the Funda Community College in Soweto. The ensemble released an album "Tales of the Drum" with Sheer Records in 2003. During the earlier course of 2004 MELT's Robert Trunz invited local artists from the Southern Johannesburg area for regular acoustic music and drum circles in Soweto - it was during those sessions new friends were made which led to impromptu artistic collaborations. The first such gathering was during the Open Air concert at the MELT 2000 farm in Cullinan ( a small diamond mining dorp in Gauteng bordering onto Mpumalanga ) when members of LAP joined Soweto based group DIKWA and their idol, the "King of Zulu Guitar" Madala Kunene for two performances at the MELT 2000 and the Fort West Festival sponsored by the Alliance Francaise Pretoria. Parts of all these collaborations are available on the MELT DVD titled Acoustic Africa. Their first group performance recorded an filmed at the Bassline in Johannesburg in 2005 has meanwhile been released under the title UXOLO "Peace" The Acoustic Session The full L.A.P formation made their debut performance in 2005 at the launch of Madala Kunene's latest album "Uxolo" where they left a stunned local audience presenting their percussive madness. L.A.P is pure percussive and pulsating drum energy that picks you up and invites you to join the heartbeat of Africa - the drum. L.A.P.'s album "Stiff Pap and the Gang" features additional guest performances by some fine South African talents such as Tlale Makhene, Mabi Thobejane, the late Moses Khumalo, Siya Makuzeni, Della Tamin, Cameroonian guitarist and songwriter based in Johannesburg and Chilean percussionist/producer Angela Paz Halucema. Bafana, Frank and Gontse are also members of South Africa's most funky jazzy group called Kwani Experience.

Lyrics from the song Africa on the album STIFF PAP & THE GANG

AFRIKA In the beginning of time Hee...my Afrikan people they were so wise in such a way that they could tell us the secrets of the universe from north to west to east to south Helele..bebaphila kamnadi (they lived peacfully) bebadla elikapondo/bengena nxa nomuntu (they lived comfortably without hassles) Oh Mama Afrika I'm so in love with you Chorus Uma uthi ubheka amazinyo abo (when you look at their teeth) Hey amhlophe athe qwa (white as snow) Ingani ubuntu bubhalwe eb'sweni baba (humanity written on their faces) Nangendlela abakekela ngayo (the way they move) uyabona ukuba umntwana wase Afrika (You clearly can see she is the daughter of Afrika) Ngithi ungakulinge ubheke emumva (I dare you to look back) Hee Mama Afrika I'm so in love with you... Chorus So hlala si khona thina E Afrika x 4 (We will always be in Afrika) TABA E Taba e, taba e-wo o aye x4 wemfana muza lapha kithi ufakikama eback pocket (hey you boy when you coming to us put your comb in your back pocket)