Syd Kitchen

Durban-based singer-songwriter who began his music career as part of the Kitchen Brothers duo with his brother, Peter. They gained a strong following on the South African folk circuit. When Peter Kitchen decided to drop out of the music scene, Syd began a solo career, for many years carrying on performing on the folk circuit and in clubs and pubs.

In 1987 he released his first solo album Waiting For The Heave, followed by the live cassette release Warts ‘N All (1992), City Child (1995), Amakoologik (1999), Africa’s Not For Sissies (2001), Across (2007) and Fool In A Bubble (2009).

In 2002 Kitchen, Steve Newman, Tony Cox and Greg Georgiades released the album Aquarian Quartet Live. Soon after Syd Kitchen formed Bafo Bafo with Madala Kunene and they toured together, releasing the album What Kind? in 2005. His cover of “Fine Lines” was included on the John Martyn tribute album Johnny Boy Would Love This (2011).

He died of lung cancer in March 2011.