Echoes and Rarities: Hidden Treasures stands as a powerful reminder of the late Pops Mohamed’s lifelong dedication to safeguarding and honouring Africa’s rich musical traditions.
The album blends carefully remastered recordings with previously unheard material, offering listeners a journey through the remarkable range and artistry that defined his career.
His deep-rooted belief in cultural identity is woven into every note of the project. As he once observed, “If people don’t understand where they come from, there is a hole in their soul.”
That sentiment echoes throughout the collection, which also features standout vocal contributions from the celebrated, multi-award-winning South African artist Gloria Bosman.
Across decades of performing, recording, and championing cultural heritage, Pops Mohamed played a vital role in keeping African musical traditions alive within modern soundscapes.
That influence continues to ripple outward, inspiring audiences locally and internationally while ensuring that the roots of African music remain strong and unmistakably present.
You can stream/download the album HERE.
More info about Pops Mohamed
Pops Mohamed, born Ismail Mohamed-Jan on 10 December 1949 in Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa, grew up in a richly multicultural family with Portuguese, Indian, Xhosa, and Khoisan roots.
Raised within Johannesburg’s Indian community, his fascination with music began at an early age after visiting the legendary Dorkay House, where he witnessed performances by jazz greats such as Abdullah Ibrahim and Kippie Moeketsi.
As a teenager, he studied classical guitar and formed his first band, The Valiants, at just 14 years old, performing a lively mix of kwela, soul, pop, and Latin music.
In the early 1970s, he established the band Children’s Society, which scored a major hit with “I’m A Married Man.” During the mid-1970s, he released a series of recordings under the name Black Disco on the As-Shams label, collaborating with respected musicians including Sipho Gumede and Basil Coetzee.
By the 1980s, he had shifted focus toward producing and sound engineering while deepening his mastery of indigenous African instruments.
The 1990s marked a defining chapter in his career, as he embarked on a mission to document and preserve the music of the San people from the Kalahari Desert. He fused these traditional sounds with contemporary genres such as jazz, funk, drum and bass, and trance.
His international debut album, Ancestral Healing (1995), featured musicians from New York City, including Valerie Naranjo. The following year, he released How Far Have We Come, a widely celebrated project created in collaboration with British jazz artists.
Often referred to as the “Minister of Music,” Pops Mohamed earned acclaim as a versatile multi-instrumentalist, performing on instruments such as the kora, mbira, San mouthbow, kalimba, uhadi, umrhube, didgeridoo, berimbau, and various hand percussion, alongside piano and guitar.
His distinctive style blended ancient African musical traditions with modern global influences, creating a sound that resonated across cultures.
Throughout his career, he toured extensively, performing and leading workshops across countries including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Vietnam, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Namibia, Eswatini, Tanzania, and Nepal, helping to introduce South African music to international audiences.
His contributions to music and culture were recognised with numerous honours, including the South African Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023 and the Arts & Culture Trust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. He was also awarded the Order of Ikhamanga and inducted into the South African Jazz Hall of Fame. His album Ancestral Healing received an FNB SAMA for Best Traditional Performance, while several other releases earned nominations for Best Jazz Album.
In addition to his recording work, he composed and produced music for films and documentaries such as The Return of Sarah Baardman, The Venus Hottentot, Paintings on the Wall, and The Horse Whisperer. He also produced the acclaimed album Finding One’s Self by Moses Taiwa Molelekwa.
Pops Mohamed spent his later years in the care of his daughter and passed away on 4 December 2025 at the age of 75 in Boksburg. He is remembered as a cultural guardian and visionary whose lifelong dedication ensured that Africa’s musical heritage would continue to inspire future generations.
Watch this space for updates in the Music News category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
