Entertainment / Music
Cool Crooner's founding member dies
05 Jul 2017 at 01:55hrs | Views
FOUNDING member of legendary jazz group, the Cool Crooners, Abel Sithole, has died.
He was 83.
Sithole died on Sunday at Mpilo Central Hospital after he suffered a stroke two weeks ago.
The crooner, a war veteran, last year called it quits on his musical career citing health reasons.
Band member George Salim confirmed Sithole's death describing it as shattering.
"The last time I was with him was on Saturday. And then on Sunday he is gone. I'm devastated by his death and it's hard to come to terms with it," said Salimu.
DJ Dash, who remixed the group's famous hit Bhulugwe Lami, said: "The men are legends and Sithole was kind and down to earth. He was a marvel.
"Zimbabwe has lost a fountain of knowledge in terms of music."
Peter Mubi, the Cape to Cairo proprietor, was at a loss for words saying his outlet, the home of jazz music in Bulawayo where the gran-daddies of jazz music usually perform, would miss the crooner.
The Cool Crooners were formed in 1999 after the merging of two jazz bands from Bulawayo — Cool Four and the Golden Rhythms.
Abel Sithole, Lucky Thodlana, Timothy Mnkandla and George Salimu came together to form the group. Three members are now left in the band; two founding members Mnkandla and Thodlana as well as Salimu.
Mourners are gathered at 17 Sotshangane Flats, Nguboyenja.
He was 83.
Sithole died on Sunday at Mpilo Central Hospital after he suffered a stroke two weeks ago.
The crooner, a war veteran, last year called it quits on his musical career citing health reasons.
Band member George Salim confirmed Sithole's death describing it as shattering.
"The last time I was with him was on Saturday. And then on Sunday he is gone. I'm devastated by his death and it's hard to come to terms with it," said Salimu.
DJ Dash, who remixed the group's famous hit Bhulugwe Lami, said: "The men are legends and Sithole was kind and down to earth. He was a marvel.
"Zimbabwe has lost a fountain of knowledge in terms of music."
Peter Mubi, the Cape to Cairo proprietor, was at a loss for words saying his outlet, the home of jazz music in Bulawayo where the gran-daddies of jazz music usually perform, would miss the crooner.
The Cool Crooners were formed in 1999 after the merging of two jazz bands from Bulawayo — Cool Four and the Golden Rhythms.
Abel Sithole, Lucky Thodlana, Timothy Mnkandla and George Salimu came together to form the group. Three members are now left in the band; two founding members Mnkandla and Thodlana as well as Salimu.
Mourners are gathered at 17 Sotshangane Flats, Nguboyenja.
Source - chronicle
