Sheer Sound

infobox record label
name = Sheer Sound


founded = 1994
founder = Damon Forbes
distributor = IRIS (South Africa)
genre = Jazz, Rock, Singer-Songwriter, World, Afropop, House
country = South Africa
url = [http://www.sheersound.co.za/ Official website of Sheer Sound]

Sheer Sound is a South African indie record label formed in 1994 by Damon Forbes.

History

Sheer Sound was formed in November 1994, shortly after South Africa’s first democratic elections. The label was initially a home for jazz and world music and fast gained a reputation for its extensive South African and African Jazz catalogue.

By the mid-1990s, a young white music marketer, Damon Forbes, was getting restless with the limited vision of his industry.

"I sunk my teeth into jazz because it carried a world music message for me; it was truly culturally representative.... I just looked at the market and I saw the economics of the people of South Africa changing, due to better access to education.... [And] the workplace was going to change; a lot more black people getting into jobs that are of medium and higher income levels.... With all that, comes the aspiration to listen to better quality music. [So] the market, in the long term, is going to increase."

With what he calls "R1 500 (just over $200) and a dream", Forbes established his own label, Sheer Sound. (Ansell 2005:269)

List Of Artists

inger-Songwriter

*Farryl Purkiss
*Chris Letcher
*Nibs van der Spuy
*Shawn Phillips
*Baz Corden
*Simon van Gend

Rock

*Wonderboom
*Myepic
*Cassette (Outside of RSA only)
*Bed On Bricks
*Paul E. Flynn
*Martin Rocka & The Sick Shop
*Misled
*Pestroy
*Insek
*Libido
*Gently Scar'd
*Underbelly
*New Academics
*Lionel Bastos
*Elusion

Afropop

*Jaziel Brothers
*Lesego
*Mina Nawe
*Phinda
*Naledi

Jazz

*Jeff Maluleke
*McCoy Mrubata
*Winston Mankunku Ngozi
*Paul Hanmer
*Voice
*Louis Mhlanga
*Gavin Minter
*Tony Cox
*Ernie Smith

World

*Oliver Mtukudzi

Awards & Nominations

ee also

* List of record labels

External links

* [http://www.sheersound.co.za/ Sheer Sound official site]

Reference

* Ansell, Gwen. 2005. Soweto Blues. New York: Continuum Books. (The history of Sheer Sound taken from this book)