Examples Of South African Clap & Tap Gospel Music: Six Videos Of Vusi & The Mighty Singers

D. CHOIR, Feb 17, 2021  #Clapandtap 

#D CHOIR Vusi and The Mighty Singers captured live during the Mighty Night Event featured alongside Isaac and The Mighty Messengers and Mighty Oh Lord Singers

100% Clap and Tap

100% Indigenous Gospel Music

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Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest update- July 21, 2024

This pancocojams post presents information about "Clap & Tap" singing, a form of South Africa's Gospel music. 

This post also includes information about and six* YouTube videos of Vusi & The Mighty Singers performances of "Clap & Tap" music.

*After this pancocojams post was published I added a sixth video that was filmed in 2023.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Vusi & The Mighty Singers for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those that are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT CLAP & TAP MUSIC
Excerpt #1
From https://www.chosic.com/genre-chart/clap-and-tap/
"Clap and tap is a unique music genre that originated in South Africa and is characterized by a combination of hand clapping and foot stomping rhythms, often accompanied by traditional African instruments. This genre is typically associated with religious music and is commonly performed in churches. The music is upbeat and energetic, with lyrics that often center around themes of faith, hope, and redemption. The genre has gained popularity in recent years, with several notable artists and groups emerging from the South African music scene."

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Excerpt #2

From https://brakpanherald.co.za/97689/come-and-clap-and-tap-along/ "Come and clap and tap along" [no author cited; June 27, 2015]
"Come and clap and tap and sing along at the Mmino Wa Clap 'n Tap (MWCNT) Awards 2015, which will be hosted at Emperors Palace today (June 27).

[...]

These will be the first national “clap ‘n tap” gospel music awards in the industry’s existence, meant to acknowledge the art and vocal ability found in traditional African gospel music.

Clap-and-Tap music has similarities to both traditional gospel music and choral music, but does not rely on instruments.

It, instead relies on the melody of the vocals and the sound of clapping hands in a way that creates a fine tune and tempo."...
-snip-
The words "does not rely on instruments" doesn't mean that "Clap & Tap" music is never accompanied by musical instruments. That music may be accompanied by traditional African instruments and/or by snare drums and brass band instruments.

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INFORMATION ABOUT VUSO & THE MIGHTY SINGERS
From https://www.facebook.com/groups/656309007720327/
"About

Vusi & The Mighty Singers Gospel Choir is a clap and tap group from Soweto (Tshiawelo) that was formed and found by Mr V Radebe.

The aim of this group is to heal the inner lost souls of people who want to be healed through the word of GOD and singing"

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ADDITIONAL SHOWCASE YOUTUBE VIDEOS

SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Vusi & The Mighty Singers - Fateng Sa Golgotha (Mighty Night)

   

D CHOIR, Feb 16, 2021  #Clapandtap #VTMS #DCHOIR

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - Vusi & The Mighy Singers - My God Is Goodo
D.CHOIR  Feb 17, 2021  



D.CHOIR  Feb 17, 2021 

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #4 -Vusi & The Mighty Singers - Dumelang Halelujah



D. CHOIR, Feb. 17, 2021

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #5- FBA Brass Band ft Vusi & The Mighty Singers - Lefelleng mo ke tsamayang. |TSUNAMI CONCERT DVD.

Katlego Molokwane, Jul 23, 2021  #brassband #clapandtap #classicconcert

TSUNAMI

The Timeline Concert 2014

"Lefelleng, moo ke tsamayang,

Ho lahleha ba bangata;

Empa nna ya ntsamaisang

Ke Jesu, ke mong’a tsela"
-snip-
#clapandtap #brassband #classicconcert
-snip-
Google translate from Sesotho to English:
"In the field, where I walk,

Many are lost;

But I am the one who leads me

I am Jesus, I am the master of the way"

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #6 - Vusi & The Mighty Singers - Bodibeng

Kevin Feron, June 19, 2023
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/10/information-about-south-africas-urcsa.html for a pancocojams post entitled "Information About South Africa's URCSA Denomination & Information About uMpampampas (Hand Drums) Part III of a four part pancocojams series about the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA). 

That post includes this quote about the hand held musical instrument that is shown at 1:37 in this video & at other times throughout this video:

 From https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/44f5/464c1570df0258d80affad087a77371f5782.pdf 
"Echoes of orality in Christian Xhosa songs" by M.M. Somniso

"Umpampampa: An umpampampa is a Bible-sized cushion covered with leather. It is held in one hand and beaten with the other. This is done to produce more sound and to regulate the rhythm.
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Note (quoted from the pancocojams post whose link is given above):
-snip-
I've noticed in several discussion threads of South African music videos (where men and/or women are playing this hand drum) that some people (my guess is that they are not from South Africa) think that this hand held drum is either a pillow or the church members' Bible (inside the pillow or without the covering for the Bible although the actual Bible isn't in there". In the discussion threads I've happened upon, when people refer to these instruments that way, South Africans are quick to correct them and share other terms they use for uMpampampas such as iBeat. An example of such a discussion is found after Video Example #1 in Part IV of this pancocojams series.
-snip-

"I beat" is another name for this musical instrument that I've come across in discussion threads of YouTube  videos of South African Gospel music. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/05/joyous-celebration-i-beat-south-african.html for a pancocojams post that focuses on these hand held drum cushions being played by many members of the audience during South Africa's Joyous Celebration (Gospel choir) concerts.

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