Simphiwe Dana talks about “Nzima” and her forthcoming album
1. What music direction are you taking on the new album? For the first time I’m not looking into any one direction. This album is free of boxes. As an artist I have proven enough that I am capable and I have an individual identity. This time around I am challenging myself to explore different sound that are out of my creative scope. 2. Nzima is catchy and moving, how was the writing process? Nzima took me around 3 months to write. 3 months of torture really. It became urgent that I should write the song not only to canonize the memory of those we lost to a massacre, but to also honour their memory and give them a melody that will guide their spirits home. That is why there is the familiar upbeatness that Africa so loves. I infused the pain with the familiar heartbeat of Africa. 3. You said the song is drawn from centuries of pain and violence, and is essentially a prayer for people that have had a history of violence inflicted upon them, is there a specific thing or emotion that made you to write this song? Nzima is about Marikana. On August 16th 2012, South African police were set on unsuspecting protesting miners at the Lonmin mine. The police mowed them down with automatic weapons and 34 lives were lost. The miners were protesting for a wage hike which I did not find unreasonable. They were armed with sticks and some machetes, but they marched peacefully. The order to massacre them will haunt out young democracy. Moreover it makes the call for economic freedom much more urgent. Our people are not free economically. We cannot continue like this. Please read my article here: http://bit.ly/1pXHofN 4. Did you visualise the video for Nzima as you were writing song? No. I did not have to visualise the video, the scene was etched in my mind as I replayed the Lonmin massacre over and over in my head. It was all over the news. With the help of the producer Themba Sibeko and the director Thabang Moleya we worked on the storyline for the video. 6. What can your fans expect from your forthcoming album? An eargasmic eclectic mix. 7. What do you think is your role as a musician in South Africa today? My role has always been to speak truth to power. To make the days and nights more bearable. To bring hope to desolation. To be the rhythm for your celebration. To remind us of the beauty of our humanness. 8. What kind of stories or conversations would you like to spark with the...
The Black Keys- Turn Blue album review
In case you didn’t know, The Black Keys are an American rock duo formed in Akron, Ohio in 2001. The group consists of Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums) and Turn Blue is their eighth studio album. The band once again collaborated with Danger Mouse, who co-produced and co-wrote the album. There’s something different about Turn Blue sonically and you can say this album is their most personal album ever. In an interview with Rolling Stones, Auerbach credits Lana Del Rey with influencing him to open up in his songs. “I learned a lot recording with other people and watching them sing about personal experiences,” he said. The album is pretty amazing, the lyric content appears to be strong than ever before and it’s always remarkable to see musicians grow every year and explore musically. Dan’s vocals will remind you why you love The Black Keys in the first place, the diversity in this album will definitely win new fans that can’t stand heavy metal rock music and make the old ones happy. The opening track, Weight of Love carries a load of emotions, it floats for 6:50 minutes and soothes your soul, and it kind of gives you an indication of the new direction that was taken on this album. The album title was chosen as a homage to the “turn blue” catchphrase used by 1960s horror host Ghoulardi. Overall the album is catchy and it sounds like they were having while creating magic in studio. Turn Blue lacks the aggressive tone of garage rock that we are used to expect from The Black Keys but we do embrace change. Lesson learned: remedy for a good album is a heartbreak. Stand out tracks: Weight of Love, Fever and Year in Review Get it on iTunes today here:...
Charly Makwanya’s experience at the Maboneng Rap Jump
It had to be on a special day when I was invited to take part at the Maboneng Rap Jump, 25 May “Africa day”. Yes, I’m one of those proud and brave Africans that can jump from anywhere… like anywhere literally, well that’s if someone else has done it before and I do my calculated risk taking. Even though I’m quite crazy about extreme sports and lots of Nat Geo risk taking events, I must say it was my first time to hear about Rap Jumping and without thinking about it I just took it on. Well, this is where you literally go on top of a very high building and jump or climb down using a rope and a harness, face down. I was very excited to finally take part in some extreme sporting event but when I saw the first guy do it, I honestly had second thoughts , then I just switched and put on my Rambo/ Bear Grylls and I was like … Bring it on. I had the instructors put on my Harness “which was too tight and I felt slightly beyond safe and yah… I felt the threat on my manhood. The next step was getting on a lift to the 10th floor and at that point I felt like some American soldier on some Apache plane to some war zone in the Middle East “you never know if you will go back home”. When we got to the top I realized it had hit the fan. Just before the Rap Jump, instructors did all the security and safety checks, took us through some little tutorial on how to handle things while we jump. Then there I was at the edge of a ten storey building and looking down. For a minute I wanted to turn back and chicken out but with my passion for extreme sports and doing something at that level of risk plus the ladies watching me I just had to put on my grip and do it. Before I knew it the instructor was like “Left foot forward first, right foot next, shoulders forward … then JUMP! I almost peed on myself because it felt like committing suicide but as I went on I got less scared and before I knew it the instructor was catching me on ground level. That was my first jump which they call the basic jump. With my second Jump I did what they call the “Angel”, which is jumping and letting go of everything with your arms and legs spread out like and Angel, the feeling was so amazing. It is not like diving...
Star-studded line-up for Standard Bank Joy of Jazz
Jazz giants from across the globe – including four-time Grammy Award winner Dianne Reeves; National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis and South African musical legends Sibongile Khumalo and Jonas Gwangwa – are part of the line-up for this year’s star-studded Standard Bank Joy of Jazz. The new-look 2014 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from September 25 to 27. Other Grammy Award winners at Africa’s premiere jazz festival include British R&B legend Billy Ocean; this year’s Best Jazz Vocal recipient Gregory Porter and trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Other huge draw cards include Tony-nominated composer and multiplatinum-selling singer Ann Hampton Callaway; Filipino recording artist and cultural trailblazer Charmaine Clamor; New Orleans trumpeter Christian Scott; Independent Music Award winner Omar Sosa from Cuba; Italian jazz singer and Grammy nominee Roberta Gambarini; Cameroon’s Richard Bona; Dwele from the US and trumpeter and composer Tomasz Stańko, regarded as Poland’s most important jazz ambassador, who will be performing with some of top young jazz performers from Finland and Denmark. Performers from South Africa include Feya Faku and his quintet; the Mike Rossi Project; Herbie Tsoaeli and Carlos Mombelli, both of whom will be performing with their quartets. A number of Standard Bank Young Artist winners are also on the bill including Gloria Bosman (2000), Tutu Puoane (2004), Kesivan Naidoo (2009), Melanie Scholtz (2010), Shane Cooper (2013) and Kyle Shepherd (2014), Germany’s Wolfgang Diefenbach is the founder and artistic director of the Hessian State Youth Jazz Orchestra also known as Kicks & Sticks who will be providing a big band sound at this year’s festival. Delfeayo Marsalis will be appearing with acclaimed Uptown Jazz Orchestra (UJO) who play everything from traditional New Orleans music, swing and bebop to modern-day brass band funk. Says Marsalis: “I originally formed the Uptown Jazz Orchestra so that New Orleans students could hear what a real swinging big band sounded like. It’s important that in addition to seeing the many great brass bands and other funk-based groups around the city, students know about the more sophisticated styles of American music.” Dianne Reeves is regarded as one of the greatest female jazz vocalists in the world. She is known for her unique jazz and R&B styling and her following has only grown as she’s crossed musical genres. After doing session work and touring with Sergio Mendes and Harry Belafonte, she made her name in the 1980s and has earned four jazz Grammys – an unprecedented three of which were consecutive. Reeves was the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s first jazz creative chair and the first singer to perform at the famed LA Walt Disney Concert Hall....
Song, Love and Voice with Lulu Dikana
By Nokwanda Shabangu It takes a solid back-bone to sustain one’s soul in the music industry. Which reminds me of those Jill Scott lyrics were she sings how “everything ain’t for everybody”. The music industry is able to strip anyone of their identity and originality. Yet, this artist is one who steers clear of mediocrity, by constantly stretching her mind beyond stereotypical limitations. Lulu Dikana’s career has seen her evolve into an artist who is completely involved in the creation of her artistry. In her latest album, Dikana explores her musical talents of being a songwriter, composer and producer which exhibits her natural dynamism. Here are some interesting points which arose during our conversation together… Q: What message are you trying to convey through your artistry? A: As a Born Again Christian I seek to re-structure peoples understanding of God by reminding them to celebrate their personality and how to truly express love. The song in my album “I Came to Love” encapsulates who I am as a story-teller and singer. I have a deep-rooted relationship with God yet, I write in such a way that my songs resonate with everybody. I feel liberated within our relationship together (with God) because he always provides help when I need it… Q: When did this journey begin for you? My mother was an undercover-writer and my father was the musical one. Even though she had a professional career, she wrote a number of short-stories which my sister and I are yet to publish. The musical-melodies are from my father and the lyrical-intelligence is my mothers’ inheritance. This has definitely liberated my understanding of music and life. Although I cannot read or write music, I have the ability to explain my sound. Playing original compositions can easily result in debates as musician’s question “the right notes” although no such thing exists. Composers’ should stay true to their feelings/mood about the song as that creates certainty and consistency in their music. Mediocrity cheapens your sound and you shouldn’t fall victim to that Q: Please tell us a little something about song-writing… A: After a number of melodies swim through my mind and I finally decide to take it upon myself to write one – I have to get into the zone. The strongest melody that grabs my attention is the one which I will begin to develop by, listening to clearly and letting it guide me. Song-writers should give themselves time to allow the process to happen naturally. This means that outside noises, such as trends and self-doubt, should be blocked-out if making sincere music is your intention. Your melody wants to say...
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