Sebothane Julian Bahula was born in Eersterust, Pretoria, South Africa. He first gained a reputation as a drummer in the band Malombo.[3] He migrated to England in 1973 and subsequently formed the group Jabula,[4] which in 1977 combined with the group of saxophonist Dudu Pukwana to form Jabula Spear.[2] Another later project for Bahula was the band Jazz Afrika. In the 1980s, Bahula played with Dick Heckstall-Smith's Electric Dream ensemble.
As Eugene Chadbourne of AllMusic has written: "Bahula has been as tireless a promoter of the music of his homeland in his adopted country as he is an on-stage rhythm activator. One of his most important moves was establishing a regular Friday night featuring authentic African bands at the London venue The 100 Club.[5] He booked a lot of musicians who were also political refugees; his series began to symbolize a movement for change. Players such as Fela Kuti, Miriam Makeba, and Hugh Masekela were among the performers whose early British appearances were organized by Bahula."[3]
With the Anti-Apartheid Movement, Bahula organised in 1983 African Sounds, a concert at Alexandra Palace to mark the 65th birthday of Nelson Mandela, with featured artists including Hugh Masekela, Osibisa and Jazz Afrika,[6] drawing a 3,000-strong audience and raising the international profile of Mandela and other political prisoners.[5]
In 2012, President Jacob Zuma presented Bahula with the Order of Ikhamanga (Gold).[7]
Bahula married twice: Liza Breen (née Carpenter) in 1978; after her death in 2016, he married Pinky Miles in 2018. Bahula died on 1 October 2023, at the age of 85.[8][9]
