SOPHIATOWN STAR SINGS ON
SAM MATHE IT was an evening of song, dance and laughter when family, friends and fellow musicians celebrated Thandi Klaasen s 80th birthday this week
’ – eight months before she actually achieves the eight golden decades.
The guest list for the get-together at Skills Village near Joburg s Ellis Park
’ included businessman Herman Mashaba, his wife Connie and Monwa Yekani, the composer of the 1980s township pop hit Via Orlando.
Seasoned cabaret singer and pianist Dimpie Tshabalala accompanied by bassist Roger Mthimkhulu and singers Abigail Kubheka, Mara Louw, Dorothy Masuka and Faith Kekana entertained the birthday girl with such popular standards as Lakutshon 'Ilanga and Pata Pata.
Klaasen in turn, forming a duet with Masuka, performed a Jewish lullaby in Hebrew.
She also sang Louis Armstrong favourites Hello Dolly and What A Wonderful World in her old Sophiatown brand of tsotsi taal. If you want to know about Sophi“atown, listen to the voice of Thandi Klaasen,” Masuka told guests.
But we believe that on this special “evening our friends (Miriam) Makeba and Dolly (Rathebe) are with us. They are here to celebrate with us,” she said. Lorraine Klaasen, the old lady s
“”’ daughter, who is a chip off the old block, organised the event.