Madala Kunene
Affectionately known as "Bafo", Madala Kunene (born 17 April 1951) is a South African musician born in Kwa-Mashu, near Durban. Kunene started busking on Durban’s beach-front at the age of 7, making his first guitar out of a cooking oil tin and fish gut for the strings, soon becoming a popular performer in the townships.
Madala Kunene
Bhaktiballs · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Madala Kunene
- Born
- 17 April 1951
- Occupation
- Record producer, singer, guitarist
- Nationality
- South Africa
- Fields
- jazz fusion
- Languages
- English
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wikidata · Q19661508 · wikipedia · Madala Kunene
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Madala Kunene • Born — 17 April 1951 • Genre — Jazz fusion, world • Occupation — Record producer, singer, guitarist • Years Active — 1970–present
Biography
Biography
Madala Kunene has recorded and collaborated with a host of artists namely Guy Buttery, Max Lässer, Debashish Bhattacharya, Steve Newman, Zawadi Yamungu, Mthuthu Ndebele, Baba Mokoena Serakong, Busi Mhlongo, Mabi Thobejane, The Forest Jam Band, Matthias Abaecherli, Carlo Menet, Jose Neto, Themba Mokoena, Changuito,Syd Kitchen, Madosini, Airto Moreira, Flora Purim and many others.
Discography
• Madala Kunene (1990) • Outernational Meltdown – Healers Brew Compilation (1995) • Outernational Meltdown – Free At Last Compilation (1995) • King Of The Zulu Guitar Live Vol. 1 (1995) • Kon'Ko Man (1996) • Outernational Meltdown / Madala – Music With No Name (12") (1996) • Freedom Countdown – Compilation (1996) • Madala Kunene & Max Lässer – Madamax (1998) • Oppikoppi – Bushveld Blast Live '98 – Various Artists Compilation (1998) • Madala Kunene & Bernard Mndaweni – Uxolo (2005) • Madala Kunene & Syd Kitchen – Bafo Bafo (2005) • African Classics - King Of The Zulu Guitar – Compilation (2008) • Madala Kunene & Baba Mokoena Serakoeng – First Double 1 & 2 • 1959 (2015) • Khaya Records 7" Series Vol. III – with Guy Buttery (2017) • Madala Kunene & Forest Jam - bafo The Mentor (2018) • Madala Kunene & Themba Mokoena – Durban Poison - At Last! (2019) • Madal KuneneLive & Mabi Gabriel Thobejane - Live @ 2018 NAF Grahamstown (2023) • Konko Man Version2 - Live at Westville Theatre Club - with Guy Buttery (2023) • Madala Kunene - Remixes 2023 Episode One (Remixers Syost, Black Motion, Deeper Kings,3Rio Symphony, OddXperienc, Guy Buttery) • Madala Kunene - Remixes 2023 Episode Two (Remixer Zee Da Pro feat Hugh Masekela) • Madala Kunene & Sibusile Xaba - kwaNTU 2025
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Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Madala Kunene, revision 1348106129 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 21 September 2026.
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