Artist page

Don Laka is a South African jazz musician, producer, and pianist born in 1958 near Pretoria in Mamelodi. He formed his first band in 1969 and made his first recording in 1972, where he played guitar. After completing his matric in 1978, he began formal music lessons and obtained his licentiate in high school music teaching in 1979. From 1980 to 1981, he joined an afro-fusion group that revolutionized South African music, paving the way for future groups. Don recorded his first big hit with a group called "Oneness" before forming his own band, "Ymage," with another musician. Over the ten years of Ymage's existence, they recorded no less than 12 LPs and were spotted by a top producer in 1986. During this time, Don also ventured into recording solo LPs and producing for other artists, gaining popularity for his songs and piano playing. He collaborated with various musicians who sought his expertise in writing, producing, or performing on their records. Additionally, Don co-launched a record company that became well-known, with him being the "LA" part of the name. Initially, they sold records from the trunks of their cars before establishing a larger structure. Most recently, he launched the "Kwai-jazz" label, Bokone Music.

For any edit requests, please reach out to info@rovr.live