Give Me Hope Jo'Anna, a British anti-apartheid song written and originally released during the apartheid era in South Africa. The song was banned by the South African government and was targeted at the South African apartheid National Party government and apartheid culture. It included several references to South African culture.
Edmond “Eddy” Montague Grant is a Guyanese–British singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known for his genre-blending sound that blended elements of Pop, British rock, soul, funk, reggae, electronic music, African polyrhythms, and Latin music genres such as samba. He was a founding member of The Equals, one of the UK's first racially-integrated pop groups. His subsequent solo career included the 1982 song I Don't Wanna Dance, plus Electric Avenue, which is his biggest international hit and also earned him a Grammy Award nomination for the song. He is also well known for this, his anti-apartheid 1988 song, Give Me Hope Jo’Anna. Born in Plaisance, British Guiana, later moving to London. In 1960, after emigrating to join his parents in London, he lived in Kentish Town and went to school in Tufnell Park, where he learned to read and write music. He became a big fan of Chuck Berry and after seeing him play at the Finsbury Park Astoria decided on a career in music. In 1965, Grant formed the Equals, playing guitar and singing background vocals. The band had two hit albums and a number one hit in 1968 with his song I Get So Excited. In this period he also worked as a song writer and producer for other artists, including the Pyramids, Prince Buster and started the Torpedo record label, releasing British-made reggae singles. Give Me Hope was banned by the South African government and was targeted at their apartheid National Party and apartheid culture. The song ends on an optimistic note of hope that the apartheid system would end soon. Jo'Anna is a reference to Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa and the symbol of the apartheid government. A further reference in the song is to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who received the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his fight against apartheid. The song was sung at the African National Congress rally at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town before the 1994 South African general election in 2008.
Jock McKenzie studied trumpet at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester where he was a joint recipient of the college’s concerto prize. Since 1987 Jock has based his musical career in Hampshire, working as a freelance trumpeter, conductor, composer, arranger and brass teacher. Currently Jock holds the position of Professional Leader (Brass) for Hampshire Music Service and is the Director of the Hampshire County Youth Band. It is the mix of all of these musical roles that has led to Jock establishing a reputation as a leading creator of brass music resources, particularly in the field of education and brass ensemble music. In 2020 Jock was awarded an “Honorary Fellowship of the University of Winchester” for services to music education. Currently Jock is working part-time for the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; providing tuition for their Brass Teaching Module. In 2024 Jock was given the award for “Services to Youth” by Brass Bands England.
