Formerly self-exiled from South Africa in the 1960s, Caiphus Semenya has built a solid reputation as a musical director and composer, working with his wife, vocalist Letta Mbulu, as well as with a variety of other exiled and semi-exiled African artists, such as Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba. Moving to Los Angeles, Semenya found himself working with and composing for a broad range of jazz and pop artists, including Lou Rawls, Nina Simone and Cannonball Adderley, his facility with both jazz and African forms serving him well.