Music & Simphiwe Dana & Zandisile album

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Simphiwe Dana

Erykah Badu would do well re-incarnated as a Xhosa woman and winds up living in Johannesburg. Originally from Transkei, Simphiwe Dana cut her musical teeth on the church music and choral stylings in the church where her father was a pastor. Born in 1980, she was a teenager when aparthied crashed and burned on its own alter of hate. She has not forgotten those days and the petty indignities of being forced to speak either English or Afrikaans as Xhosa and any of the other bantu languages were banned. By way of explanation, she spoke on the reason for recording the album almost entirely in Xhosa. She need not have bothered as I think that the record buying public that enjoys global rhythms are increasingly sophisticated these days and can make the connection between Abdulla Ibrahim, Sibonghile Khumalo*, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masakela, Brenda Fassie to her current effort. All these international music stars have at one time put out material in the xhosa language which we may not understand but can definitely say; that we have heard before. Music is a feeling, right? An emotional expression from the heart aimed at the heart. 

The album won the best vocal Jazz album in South Africa. The Jazz categorisation falls short of adequately representing the subtleties and the sublime blend of choral music and the credible attempt at capturing the vibrancy of the varied musical and cultural elements of a nation such as that of post-apartheid South Africa. Apartheid is but a footnote in the imagination of a world saturated with images of disasters in far-flung places, some natural and some man-made. Music, especially singing went hand in hand with political struggle and still does in South Africa today in the form of Kwaito, a hybrid sound of hip-hop attitude and township Jazz. Like hip-hop, it is a life-style; what you wear, how you speak, where you are from. 

Thwel' Ubunzima, a track on the album is a case in point, it brings to mind the toyi-toyi. The toyi-toyi is the rather menacing looking dance (not unlike jogging on the spot) that gave the impression of being impenetrable like a human wall in the face of guns, tear gas and water canons. What made the hair stand on the back of the neck were the heart-breaking harmonies that accompanied this defiant act at the height of the struggle for freedom from under the yoke of apartheid. Or you can read it as just a pleasant, jazzy, ska tune. Ingoma is a track that celebrates that spirit as the translation says; " An ode to the song in my people". A harmony-laden confection of the most languid cries of beauty and sadness. Vukani, the openeing track is an acid-jazz dance masterpiece with a slice of inspired smoky rap interlude and a kwaito drive floating on some deft jazz piano. That is the reason the title jazz may put some people off and miss this gem of an album which has used the whole array of the South African song style-book; township jive, gospel, choral music and Kwaito, fronted by a vocalist poised beyond her years.

Sibonghile Khumalo

Live at the Market Theatre

Live Jazz from one of Johannesburg's leading lights with regards to creating a new repertoire and adding a new nuance whilst preserving the South African song. Ms Khumalo is a trained opera singer and she brought that vibe to this collection of songs which is a celebration of South African jazz, South African music in general and its exponents. 

The ten track set opened with a scatted version of Abdullah Ibrahinm's Royal blue and on to songs by Dorothy Masuka, Caiphus Semenya whose song Caution sees her switch from vocals to violin which sounds like something the Afro-celt sound system would do if they were invited to play at Buckingham Palace. It is a storming set backed by Jo'burg's finest who made their mark in extended solos, but it is all about the vocals; a crafty piece of jazz and opera fusion of epic African songs. It rivals the star griots of West Africa in epicness.

Victor lewis aka Patrice Djallo

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