Sheer Sound

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Sheer Sound
Image:SheerSoundLogo.jpg
Founded 1994
Founder Damon Forbes
Distributing label IRIS (South Africa)
Genre Jazz, Rock, Singer-Songwriter, World, Afropop, House
Country of origin South Africa
Official website Official website of Sheer Sound

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


Contents

[edit] 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)

[edit] List Of Artists

[edit] Singer-Songwriter

[edit] Rock

[edit] Afropop

  • Jaziel Brothers
  • Lesego
  • Mina Nawe
  • Phinda
  • Naledi

[edit] Jazz

[edit] World

[edit] Awards & Nominations

[edit] South African Music Awards

[edit] 2008

[edit] Nominations

[edit] 2007

[edit] Awards

[edit] Nominations

[edit] 2006

[edit] Awards

[edit] 2005

[edit] Awards

[edit] 2004

[edit] Awards

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Reference

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