Mokoomba - Rising Tide - Musicastrada
Mokoomba - Rising Tide - Musicastrada
Mokoomba - Rising Tide - Musicastrada
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http://www.afropop.org/wp/6228/stocking-stuffers-2012/
Best of 2012<br />
Ases Falsos - Juventud Americana<br />
Xoél López - Atlantico<br />
Temperance League - Temperance League<br />
Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan<br />
Protistas - Las Cruces<br />
David Byrne & St Vincent - Love This Giant<br />
Los Punsetes - Una montaña es una montaña<br />
Patterson Hood - Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance<br />
Debo Band - Debo Band<br />
Ulises Hadjis - Cosas Perdidas<br />
Dr. John - Locked Down<br />
Ondatrópica - Ondatrópica<br />
Cat Power - Sun<br />
Love of Lesbian - La noche eterna. Los días no vividos<br />
Café Tacvba - El objeto antes llamado disco<br />
Chuck Prophet - Temple Beautiful<br />
Hello Seahorse! - Arunima<br />
Campo - Campo<br />
Tame Impala - Lonerism<br />
Juan Cirerol - Haciendo Leña<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> - <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong><br />
Lee Fields & The Expressions - Faithful Man<br />
Leon Larregui - Solstis<br />
Father John Misty - Fear Fun<br />
http://www.bestillplease.com/
There’s still plenty of time to hit the open road for a good summer road trip. Put your shades on, roll<br />
down the windows, crank up the tunes and start cruising. Here are some of CBC World's top grooves<br />
for the summer of 2012. These are songs that have a real rhythm and a sunny, happy, high-energy vibe<br />
to them.<br />
6. <strong>Mokoomba</strong>, “Njoka.”<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> is a band from the Victoria Falls area of Zimbabwe, made up of musicians from the Tonga<br />
people of Zimbabwe. The textures on this first single, from <strong>Mokoomba</strong>'s second album <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, are<br />
great, especially the vocals<br />
http://music.cbc.ca/#/blogs/2012/8/Road-trip-playlist-with-Quantic-the-Very-Best-Refugee-All-Stars-more
CHARTS & LISTS<br />
AFRICAN MUSIC: THE BEST OF 2012.<br />
This list considers only new, original studio recordings released this year. Reissues & compilations will be considered<br />
separately.<br />
Sadly, 2012 was not a stellar year for African music. The usual problems which have been the bane of radio presenters<br />
continue. People are always peeved whenever they don’t see their favourite books, films or albums on lists like these but<br />
they must keep in mind that one can only review or list an album that one has received. There have been many albums that<br />
I did not get this year. Moreover, I’m not making myself a pest to radio/media reps at labels as I once did. Also, as usual,<br />
the turnover rate is always high. People don’t last in their positions in this industry and the new people hardly ever contact<br />
DJs to let them know that there has been a change and they are the new go-to person. Also, I must confess to ignoring<br />
most MP3s sent by e-mail. Labels are using this vehicle for distribution more and more. I bought one of the last iMacs last<br />
month precisely because the new ones do not have disc drives. Many labels are finding other outlets to get their music<br />
heard such as Spotify, Pandora & YouTube. Truth be told, the radio DJ is not as important as before.<br />
These end-of-year lists usually consist of ten. Mine has nine. As I said, it was a poor year for African music. After much<br />
vacillating, I decided not to include the tenth album I was considering simply because I want a round number. I was<br />
listening to this album again. There were three or four standout tracks I really enjoyed. But the dross that was left, laden<br />
with indistinct, nebulous “world music” melodies irritated me so! I just couldn’t. So I changed the heading from top ten, to<br />
best of. Here goes.<br />
3] MOKOOMBA===RISING TIDE===IGLOO<br />
This group reminds me of the Bhundu Boys, only because they are also from Zimbabwe and<br />
they are young. The comparisons end there I think, and one can only hope and pray that they<br />
don’t end up like the Bhundus, only one of whom is alive today. The thing that immediately<br />
gets the attention is the voice of the lead singer. Mathias Muzaza is his name. It is a muscular,<br />
strong but flexible, colourful instrument. What a gift! The album was produced by Manou Gallo;<br />
ex bassist of Zap Mama. I appreciate her approach. The songs are sung in ChiTonga and most<br />
of the music is based in Tonga tradition. But there is unexpected variety here. NJOJA is replete<br />
with soul and hip hop influences. Latin tumbao features strongly on MWILÉ and there’s a little<br />
fragrance of it on YOMBÉ. Highlife rhythm can be heard on MISOZI. MVULA incorporates<br />
exciting soukous and animation with atakalu. There is a lovely reggae lilt on NIMUKONDA with Mathias growling a few lines<br />
in a guttural dancehall vocal style in between. And WELELE is a disco rump that does not sound dated. That’s a feat in<br />
itself. Add an accapella track [that feels spiritual] to the mix and the collection might seem like a pastiche. But no. Because<br />
it’s not a mixture of all these styles on all the songs, which will no doubt result in a nebulous blob of sound. No. Each song<br />
is spiced with these other exotic fragrances. And, it all anchored by that great voice of Mathias. The result is a bold<br />
collection and a promising debut. Can’t wait to see what they do next.<br />
http://firstworldmusic.org/wordpress/?page_id=184
Top 20 Konzerte des Jahres 2012<br />
Die schönsten Live-Erlebnisse von Funkhaus Europa<br />
Wir waren unterwegs auf Festivals, haben Radiokonzerte geschmissen und Nächte<br />
durchgetanzt. Hier die Konzerte des Jahres, die unvergesslich sind."<br />
Fünf junge Männer aus Zimbabwe haben dieses Jahr die europäischen Festivals<br />
aufgemischt: <strong>Mokoomba</strong>. Auch wenn kaum jemand ihre Texte versteht, mit ihrer raffiniert<br />
arrangierten Mixtur aus Afro-Fusion, Funk und Latinvibes war am 07.10.2012 bei Trafico in<br />
Köln kein Halten mehr. Diese ausgelassene Tanzlaune wurde von Camillo Lara aka Mexican<br />
Institute of Sound nur noch auf die Spitze getrieben. Höhepunkt: zu seinem Protestsong<br />
"Mexico" wog sich das Publikum in Revoluzzer-Stimmung zur beatunterlegten<br />
Nationalhymne. Ra Ra Ra!!!<br />
http://www.funkhauseuropa.de/musik/specials/jahresrueckblick_2012/konzerte_des_jahres_2012.phtml
Global Pop Hits 2012<br />
Die besten Songs des Jahres<br />
20 Global Pop Hits, die die Welt dieses Jahr zum Tanzen, Lachen und Träumen gebracht<br />
haben. Was ist der beste Song von 2012? Hier ist ihre Wahl. Vielen Dank, fürs Mitmachen!<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong>, sechs junge Männer aus der Tonga Tradition Zimbabwes,<br />
überzeugen in diesem Jahr mit dem Hit "Njoka". Ein energiegeladenes<br />
Glanzstück in Sachen Afro-Fusion mit Latin-Einflüssen und vielseitigem<br />
Gesang. Macht gute Laune !<br />
http://www.funkhauseuropa.de/musik/specials/jahresrueckblick_2012/bester_song_des_jahres_2012.phtml
JUSI I LOVE – TOP 10 ALBUMS 2012<br />
DEC 22 2012<br />
AFRICA<br />
The year 2012 has produced many amazing albums. It’s<br />
hard to select 10 outstanding long players, but here is the<br />
list. 10 amazing albums. The most surprising in this list is<br />
that it includes three great debut albums. Bongeziwe<br />
Mabandla, The Soil, Layori and <strong>Mokoomba</strong> released<br />
their first LPs. All of them are very promising artists we<br />
should keep a close eye on. Other artists, like Just A Band<br />
or The Very Best released excellent albums that<br />
underlined their status as musical masterminds.<br />
Check here JUSI I LOVE’s list of the best 10 Albums that<br />
have been produced by African artists in 2012:<br />
8. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> *-* ‘<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>‘ (Zimbabwe)<br />
http://jusiilove.com/2012/12/22/jusi-i-love-top-10-albums-2012/
Top 12 van 2012: Arifa's Anatolian Alchemy nummer 1<br />
MixedWorldMusic-medewerkers kiezen beste world music albums van 2012<br />
De MixedWorldMusic.com Top 12 is er weer, samengesteld door de<br />
medewerkers van MixedWorldMusic! Zij stelden ieder hun eigen lijst op,<br />
wat resulteerde in een gezamenlijke Top 12. De MWM-medewerkers<br />
maken je bovendien deelgenoot van hun mooiste of indrukwekkendste<br />
wereldmuziekmoment van 2012. Beluister de albums uit de Top 12 via<br />
onze Spotify-playlist.<br />
Wat zijn de beste world music albums van 2012 volgens<br />
MixedWorldMusic.com?<br />
1. Arifa - Anatolian Alchemy Anatolian Alchemy van de in Nederland<br />
gevestigde band Arifa is tot de beste cd van 2012 gekozen. Maar liefst<br />
zeven van de dertien medewerkers namen het album op in hun Top 12.<br />
2. Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex & Friends - Y'Anbessaw Tezeta De<br />
tweede plaats is voor het samenwerkingsproject van The Ex met de<br />
Ethiopische saxofonist Getatchew Mekuria, de cd Y'Anbessaw Tezeta.<br />
3. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> - <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> De derde plaats is voor de jonge<br />
Zimbabwanen van <strong>Mokoomba</strong> met de vanuit België geproduceerde<br />
cd <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, die tot in de VS hoge ogen gooide.<br />
Er staan opvallend veel in de Benelux gerealiseerde releases in de Top 12<br />
dit jaar, met op de vierde plaats de hoogst geplaatste Belgische release van<br />
dit jaar: Baloji met Kinshasa Succursale. Klik hier voor de Spotify-playlist<br />
op het kanaal van MixedWorldMusic van de albums uit deze jaarlijst.<br />
Vrijwel alle cd's uit de Top 12, en de nummers één van de persoonlijke<br />
lijstjes, vind je erin terug.<br />
De MixedWorldMusic.com Top 12 van 2012<br />
1. Arifa - Anatolian Alchemy<br />
2. Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex & Friends - Y'Anbessaw Tezeta<br />
3. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> - <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong><br />
4. Baloji - Kinshasa Succursale<br />
5. Masha Vahdat & Mighty Sam McClain - A Deeper Tone of Longing<br />
6. Lucas Santtana - O Deus Que Devasta Mas Tambem Cura<br />
7. Kumbia Queers - Pecados Tropicales<br />
8. Boi Akih - Circles in a Square Society<br />
9. Ondatropica - Ondatropica<br />
10. Blue Flamingo - A Search for CMS<br />
11. Mala - Mala in Cuba<br />
12. Aziz Sahmaoui & University of Gnawa<br />
http://www.mixedworldmusic.com/nieuws/newsItem.php?n01ID=11458
dezembro 18, 2012<br />
Melhores de 2012: internacionais<br />
Melhores Estreias<br />
Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> – <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong><br />
Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls<br />
Storm Corrosion – Storm Corrosion<br />
http://revistamovinup.com/destaques/2012/melhores-de-2012-estrangeiros
Top 10 World Music Albums Of 2012<br />
by BANNING EYRE<br />
December 18, 2012 7:00 AM<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong>, a rising young band of Tonga musicians from Zimbabwe<br />
This list is almost entirely African, drawn from my work this year with Afropop Worldwide. (I've resisted including wild cards like the<br />
Sambadunda Quartet's Java and Bonnie Raitt's Slipstream, tempting as they are.) What strikes me about my favorite African<br />
releases this year is that, for the most part, they don't come from the usual suspects — Youssou N'Dour, Salif Keita, Ladysmith Black<br />
Mambazo, etc. A youthful strain of techno-Afropop from acts like The Very Best and Janka Nabay is clearly ascendant. It's taken time<br />
for me to warm to this tech-roots approach, but both these acts have produced delightfully musical albums. That said, I'm still kind of<br />
an old-school, dance band kind of guy at heart, hence my nod to Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars and Staff Benda Bilili — both<br />
bands that rode to glory on the strength of documentary films about them, but have now claimed more lasting fame with great music.<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong>, a fiery young band from Zimbabwe, is a discovery, the most promising new act out of southern Africa in awhile. Again,<br />
they break the standard mold, coming from one of Zimbabwe's smallest and least known ethnic groups, the Tonga.<br />
Debo Band stands out among an ever-improving contingent of U.S.-based African music bands, even as they specialize in a 40-year<br />
old music style from Ethiopia. The global culture blender continues to crank out intriguing hybrids. (All hail K'Naan!) But for my money,<br />
it's still hard to top the coherence, idiosyncratic logic, and deeply settled perfection of well-worn local styles, like salegy from<br />
Madagascar, or cumbia and champeta from Colombia.<br />
Top 10 World Music Albums Of 2012<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong>, "<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>"<br />
Zimbabwe produced some of the great guitar-pop of Africa in the 20th century. Most of it came from artists<br />
channeling the country's majority Shona culture — Thomas Mapfumo and Oliver Mtukudzi. These Tonga musicians<br />
from the Victoria Falls region offer a new sound, unbounded by formulas, bristling with pent-up energy, and sizzling<br />
with great musicianship. Mathias Muzaza's lead vocal has power normally associated with West African griots<br />
(praise singers). Sparkling, expansive production from another West African source — bassist and bandleader<br />
Manu Gallo — make for a rounded, worldly mix in which the group's fundamental chemistry never gets lost.<br />
http://www.npr.org/blogs/bestmusic2012/2012/12/22/167750238/top-10-world-music-albums-of-2012
Thread: CDs of 2012<br />
List 3 - World (50)<br />
1. Ablaye Cissoko and Volker Goetze - Amanke Dionti<br />
2. Yasmin Levy - Libertad<br />
3. Sekouba Bambino - The Griot's Craft<br />
4. Malick Pathe Sow and Bao Sissoko - Aduna<br />
5. Arnaldo Antunes, Edgard Scandurra and Toumani Diabate - A Curva da Cintura<br />
6. Habib Koite and Eric Bibb - Brothers in Bamako<br />
7. Lucas Santtana - O Deus Que Devasta Mas Tambem Cura<br />
8. Zani Diabate - Tientalaw : Last Recordings<br />
9. Faiz Ali Faiz and Titi Robin - Jaadu : Magic<br />
10. Rodrigo y Gabriela and C.U.B.A - Area 52<br />
11. Terakaft - Kel Tamasheq<br />
12. Wilber Calver - Diaspora<br />
13. Staff Benda Bilili - Bouger Le Monde<br />
14. Ry Cooder - Election Special<br />
15. Sidi Toure - Koima<br />
16. Umoza - Tumbuka Voices<br />
17. The Toure-Raichel Collective - The Tel Aviv Session<br />
18. Ebo Taylor - Appia Kwa Bridge<br />
19. Janka Nabay - En Yay Sah<br />
20. Debo Band - Debo Band<br />
21. Vusa Mkhaya - Vocalism<br />
22. Amadou and Mariam - Folila<br />
23. Malawi Mouse Boys - He is #1<br />
24. Fanga and Maalem Abdallah Guinea - Fangnawa Experience<br />
25. Chicha Libre - Canibalismo<br />
26. Kardemimmit - Introducing Kardemimmit<br />
27. Os Cempes - Tentemozo<br />
28. Jagwa Music - Bongo Hotheads<br />
29. Oratnitza - Oratnitza<br />
30. Carla Morrison - Dejenme Llorar<br />
31. Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars - Radio Salone<br />
32. Egyptian Project - Ya Amar<br />
33. Mariem Hassan - El Aaiun Egdat<br />
34. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> - <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong><br />
35. Seven Sisters Project - Aeholian<br />
36. Kristi Stassinopoulou and Stathis Kalyviotis - Greekadelia<br />
37. Krar Collective - Ethiopia Super Krar<br />
38. Warsaw Village Band - Nord<br />
39. Wendo Kolosoy - Banaya Papa Wendo<br />
40. Mama Rosin - Bye Bye Bayou<br />
41. Cornershop - Urban Turban<br />
42. Cambodian Space Project - Not Easy Rock and Roll<br />
43. The Bombay Royale - You Me Bullets Love<br />
44. Aziza Brahim and Gulili Mankoo - Mabruk<br />
45. Lo'Jo - Cinema El Mundo<br />
46. Ondatropica - Ondatropica<br />
47. Municipale Balcanica - Offbeat<br />
48. Cafe Aman Istanbul - Fasl-i Rembetiko<br />
49. Krom - Songs from the Noir<br />
50. Gal Costa - Recanto<br />
Last edited by Lateralthinking1; 01-01-13 at 01:14.<br />
http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?7158-CDs-of-2012&s=e1d8d79342ee3fdc5c68a6ddcbb135f6&p=239810#post239810
Each week, the award winning BBC broadcaster Mark Coles brings you his pick of the best<br />
new music releases from around the planet. A glorious mix of new sounds from around the<br />
world and tales of everyday life as seen from an English garden shed.<br />
THE SHED TOP 20 ALBUMS LIST -MY FAVOURITES:<br />
1. Jack White "Blunderbuss" on XL Recordings<br />
2. Spoek Mathambo "Father Creeper" on Sub Pop<br />
3. Lucas Santtana "O Deus Que Devasta Mas Tambem Cura" on Mais Um Discos<br />
4. Bill Fay "Life Is People" on Dead Oceans<br />
5. Toumani Diabate, Arnaldo Antunes + Edgard Scandurra "A Curva Da Cintura"<br />
6. Neil Young "Psychedelic Pill" on Reprise / Bob Dylan "Tempest" on Columbia / Leonard<br />
Cohen "Old Ideas" on Sony<br />
7. Pairs "If This Cockroach Doesn't Die, I Will" on Metal Postcard Records<br />
8. Malawi Mouse Boys "He Is #1" on IRS<br />
9. Damien Jurado "Maraqopa" on Strictly Canadian<br />
10. Cambodian Space Project "Not Easy Rock'n'Roll" on Metal Postcard Records<br />
11. The Toure - Raichel Collective "The Tel Aviv Session" on Cumbancha<br />
12. The Unthanks "Diversions Volumes 2 + 3" on Rabble Rouser Music<br />
13. Lo'Jo "Cinema El Mundo" on World Village<br />
14. Alejandro Escovedo "Big Station" on Concord / Universal<br />
15. Red Baraat "Chaal Baby" on Jaro<br />
16. Bobby Womack "The Bravest Man In The Universe" on XL / Vusi Mkhaya "Vocalism" on<br />
ARC Music<br />
17. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> "<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>" on Zig Zag World/ Igloo<br />
18. Krom "Songs From The Noir" www.themekongsessions.com<br />
19. Staff Benda Bilili "Bouger Le Monde" on Crammed Discs<br />
20. Ry Cooder "Election Special" on Nonesuch<br />
Honourable mentions too to Zita Swoon Group, Criolo, Wrongtom + Deemas J,<br />
Dolphin, Actress, Vinicio Capossela, Dr John, Sansa, Smoke Fairies, Hot 8 Brass<br />
Band, Recanto Gal, Eric Bibb + Habib Koite, all of whom nearly made the top 20.<br />
http://markcolesmusic.com/Portfolio.php
http://www.songlines.co.uk/world-music-news/2012/10/songlines-best-albums-2012-announced/
2012 : ein sensationeller World Music-Jahrgang<br />
Donnerstag, 3. Januar 2013, 20:03 Uhr<br />
Das erste «World Music Special» des Jahres ist traditionell den Besten der Besten aus dem alten Jahr gewidmet.<br />
Die Redaktion präsentiert jene Songs, die sie für die tollsten Titel des Jahres 2012 hält - ein Jahrgang, der überdurchschnittlich<br />
viel hervorragende Musik gebracht hat.<br />
Die Auswahl für den traditionellen Jahresrückblick fiel diesmal besonders schwer. Fantastische neue Bands, wunderschöne<br />
Alben alter Bekannter und die Wahl des Albums des Jahres 2012, das noch einmal drei Gewinner glücklich machen dürfte.<br />
CD-Tipp: <strong>Mokoomba</strong>: «<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>», ZigZagWorld<br />
Moderation: Peter Walt, Redaktion: Marianne Berna<br />
http://www.srf.ch/sendungen/world-music-special/2012-ein-sensationeller-world-music-jahrgang
The 2012 TNB Year-End Music Awards<br />
by JOE DALY<br />
SAN DIEGO<br />
31 December 2012<br />
We here at TNB Music would like to extend a swift kick in the ass with a steel-toed boot to 2012, with<br />
menacing threats to never, ever show its ugly mug around here again. That said, this open heart surgery of a<br />
year has yielded a rich trove of enduring albums and songs, and as we impatiently wait for 2013 to pull up out<br />
front and beep its glorious horn, the intrepid writing corps at TNB Music now pause to share our favorite<br />
offerings from 2012.<br />
To our readers, colleagues, conspirators, confederates and harried editors, we wish you all a happy, healthy<br />
and hopelessly sexy new year.<br />
-Joe Daly<br />
TNB Music Editor<br />
Best World Music Album of 2012: <strong>Mokoomba</strong>–<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong><br />
Holy shit. It’s just that good.<br />
http://www.thenervousbreakdown.com/jdaly/2012/12/the-2012-tnb-year-end-music-awards/
Here are all the winners …2012<br />
Album Of The Year<br />
The fRoots Critics<br />
Poll Albums Of The Year<br />
Every year fRoots polls a panel of hundreds of experts, in<br />
the UK and internationally, to decide the Album Of The Year<br />
in the fields covered in the magazine – world folk and roots<br />
music. Since we first began our Critics Poll in 1986, it has<br />
become established as the most extensively researched<br />
and prestigious annual poll of its kind, recognised as such<br />
by being incorporated into the BBC Awards For World Music<br />
for the seven years they ran.<br />
1. Sam Lee Ground Of Its Own (Nest Collective)<br />
2. Jim Moray Skulk (NIAG)<br />
3. Lau Race The Loser (Reveal)<br />
4. Karine Polwart Traces (Hegri)<br />
5.= Emily Portman Hatchling (Furrow)<br />
Staff Benda Bilili Bouger Le Monde (Crammed)<br />
7. Fay Hield & The Hurricane Party Orfeo (Topic)<br />
8. Bellowhead Broadside (Navigator)<br />
9.= <strong>Mokoomba</strong> <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> (Igloo)<br />
Ondatrópica Ondatrópica (Soundway)<br />
11. Lo’Jo Cinéma el Mundo (World Village)<br />
12.= Kathryn Tickell Northumbrian Voices (Park)<br />
Sam Carter The No Testament (Captain)<br />
14.= Anaïs Mitchell Young Man In America (Wilderland)<br />
Tom Paley Roll On, Roll On (Hornbeam)<br />
16.= Ry Cooder Election Special (Nonesuch)<br />
Bob Dylan Tempest (Columbia)<br />
Caroline Herring Camilla (Signature Sounds)<br />
Hladowski & Joynes The Wild Wild Berry (Bo’ Weavil)<br />
Krar Collective Ethiopia Super Krar (Riverboat)<br />
Lucas Santtana O Deus Que Devasta Mas Tabém Cura (Mais Um Discos)<br />
Spiro Kaleidophonica (Real World)<br />
Wu Man & Master Musicians From The Silk Route Music Of Central Asia Vol 10 (Smithsonian<br />
Folkways)<br />
http://www.frootsmag.com/pollwinners/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/dec/13/best-world-folk-music-albums-2012
Frank Ocean Beats Lana Del Rey, Springsteen to Best CD of 2012<br />
Mark BeechDec 28, 2012 7:00 pm ET<br />
Dec. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Lana Del Rey closes the year looking more like the future of music than just the advertising face of H&M, Jaguar<br />
and Mulberry.<br />
Something like 1,000 review albums have come my way since her “Born to Die,” and it’s still among my favorites of 2012.<br />
She’s just beaten by Frank Ocean. He came to attention with his mixtape “Nostalgia, Ultra,” which was the freshest things I’d heard in<br />
ages. Now we have his debut proper, “Channel Orange,” crowned with the glossy, 10-minute track “Pyramids.”<br />
Bruce Springsteen’s “Wrecking Ball” has the energy to see off criticism that The Boss is no longer a cutting-edge star.<br />
Leonard Cohen brought out the ever-articulate “Old Ideas,” Donald Fagen the tasteful “Sunken Condos” and Mark Knopfler the virtuoso<br />
“Privateering” -- all sticking to character. Bob Dylan’s “Tempest” has its moments, even with the overdone title track about the Titanic.<br />
Along with the Beatles, the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones, Dylan marked 50 years in music.<br />
Bobby Womack has recovered from health problems to make his best CD, “The Bravest Man in the Universe,” with Damon Albarn.<br />
Ry Cooder’s “Election Special” was confidently dashed off, and so was Neil Young’s “Psychedelic Pill,” which came months after<br />
“Americana.” The White Stripes star Jack White has been going it alone, with the retro-tinged “Blunderbuss.”<br />
Emeli Sande made an assured start with “Our Version of Events.” It does Sande a disservice to compare her to Aretha Franklin -- that’s a<br />
little over the top, though she eclipsed Jessie Ware, whose “Devotion” also showcases an original voice.<br />
Sharon Van Etten’s “Tramp” is a beautiful breakup album and “Visions” by Grimes is even dreamier, with wispy vocals.<br />
Taylor Swift’s “Red” places Joni Mitchell-style maturity in a pop form. Fiona Apple’s fine CD is called “The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than<br />
the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More than Ropes Will Ever Do.” If that seems a mouthful, keep in mind<br />
that it’s short compared with the 90-word title of one of her others.<br />
Pink’s “The Truth About Love” rises above its brash commercialism, while Regina Spektor’s “What We Saw From the Cheap Seats” is<br />
kooky, in a good way. Sinead O’Connor’s “How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?” is an outspoken comeback.<br />
Indie rock is finding its way forward after the demise of its patron saints, R.E.M.<br />
Waiting in the wings to replace them we have the U.K.’s the XX, with “Coexist” taking minimalism to a new level; Django Django,<br />
making a self-titled debut; Spiritualized (“Sweet Heart Sweet Light”); Grizzly Bear (“Shields”) and Beach House (the sublime “Bloom”).<br />
Alt-J’s “An Awesome Wave” was a worthy Mercury Prize winner, “Lonerism” by Australia’s Tame Impala gently psychedelic, and<br />
“Attack on Memory” by Ohio’s Cloud Nothings a dark slab of vitriol with catchy guitars.<br />
The latest Mumford & Sons release, “Babel,” may appeal to Grammy judges, though it’s not a patch on the finest English folk rock once<br />
made by Fairport Convention.<br />
From the Democratic Republic of Congo, it’s worth hearing “Bouger Le Monde,” by a group of street musicians called Staff Benda Bilili.<br />
Zimbabwean band <strong>Mokoomba</strong> fuses African and Tongan rhythms on “<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>.” Blind duo Amadou & Mariam, from Mali, add<br />
guests such as Santigold to their joyful “Folila.”<br />
One of the most dramatic returns, after 27 years, was from “Come on Eileen” stars Dexys Midnight Runners, now just trading as Dexys.<br />
Singer Kevin Rowland told me that the title “One Day I’m Going to Soar” came to him after a difficult day. It certainly soars.<br />
In writing this column, I soon had many suggestions, but still tweeted around asking for ideas. Those I got back and liked include the<br />
latest by Cat Power, Bat for Lashes, Ellie Goulding and Patti Smith; “Boys & Girls” by Alabama Shakes; “Invicta” by the Enid and<br />
“Done for Desire” by Damn Vandals.<br />
The music from the London Olympics was a soundtrack of 2012 for many. The two CDs of opening and closing themes are a crash<br />
course in Britpop, with the Arctic Monkeys and Underworld among the standouts.<br />
The CDs are priced from $9.99 and download prices vary across services.<br />
Muse highlights include Jason Harper on cars, Lance Esplund on art and Richard Vines on food.<br />
--Editors: Richard Vines, Farah Nayeri.<br />
http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-MFN61V0D9L3501-7SGT34D8I7KKVKFNE6FAQSRGVQ
<strong>Mokoomba</strong><br />
<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong><br />
Zig Zag World/Igloo Records<br />
Guidé par la voix chaude et profonde de Mathias Muzaza, le groupe<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> voit le jour à la frontière du Zimbabwe et de la Zambie.<br />
Au carrefour de ces deux nations, les six musiciens entrevoient la<br />
possibilité d’une fusion entre les rythmes des musiques tonga et celles<br />
du reste du continent africain.<br />
Partiellement mis en son en Belgique par Julien Paschal (V.o., Baloji)<br />
dans l’antre du « Sumo Studio » bruxellois, <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> convie quelques<br />
artistes d’ici (la flûte de<br />
Manuel Hermia ou le piano d’olivier Collette) à habiller cet album produit<br />
de main de maître par Manou Gallo (Zap Mama).<br />
Une révélation intercontinentale. (n.A.)<br />
http://www.conseildelamusique.be/sites/default/files/folder/accroches-ndeg51/accroches51.pdf
Afro-fusion<br />
“De nieuwe belofte uit Zuidelijk Afrika” worden ze ook wel<br />
genoemd. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> bestaat uit zes jonge muzikanten uit<br />
Zimbabwe. Ze komen uit het Noorden van het land, waar pal op<br />
de grens met Zambia de Zambezi rivier vloeit die er uitmondt in de<br />
indrukwekkende Victoria Falls. De <strong>Mokoomba</strong>-leden groeien er op<br />
in de Tonga-cultuur, een minderheid in de regio.<br />
Voor <strong>Mokoomba</strong> raakt de bal aan het rollen als de groep deelneemt aan de lokale ronde van Music<br />
Crossroads in Zimbabwe. Na winst op de lokale editie volgen de nationale en de interregionale<br />
rondes, waar ze uteindelijk in 2008 de eerste prijs wegkapen in Malawi. Dankzij die prijs kunnen ze<br />
een plaat opnemen (‘Kweseka’) en<br />
wordt hen een tournee door Europa beloofd. Al is dat buiten de visa-perikelen gerekend. De band raakt, ondanks een<br />
voorbereiding van een jaar, niet tot op de Europese podia. Hun visa worden geweigerd. In het najaar van 2009 lukt het<br />
alsnog om de beloofde podia te bereiken en in de zomer van 2010 mogen ze wegens groot succes nog eens terugkomen.<br />
Hun geluid is wat met een nogal vage term afro-fusion wordt genoemd: een mengeling van<br />
traditionele Afrikaanse ritmes en meer hedendaagse muziekstijlen tot latin-invloeden toe. Het<br />
resultaat is een poppy melting pot die energiek het oor binnenhuppelt. De groep navigeert vloeiend<br />
tussen pop, reggae, soukous, salsa en zelfs een occasionele discobeat (‘Welelye’). Het zit strak en<br />
propvol. Na de eerste opnames in Brussel, Abidjan en Harare voegde producer Manou Gallo nog<br />
een hoop instrumenten toe, van kora over blazers tot cello. Maar het opvallendste instrument is het<br />
krachtige stemgeluid van leadzanger Mathias Muzaza. Waar hij in opener ‘Njoka’ eerst nog als een<br />
gevaarlijke rasp klinkt, schaaft hij even nadien vakkundig de hoekjes eraf.<br />
‘<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>’ kwam deze maand meteen binnen op 9 in de World Music Charts. Hopelijk lukt het de<br />
muzikanten deze keer even probleemloos om Europa binnen te komen. Op zaterdag 30 juni spelen<br />
ze op Couleur Café in Brussel. Een paar weken later, op 17 juli, staan ze op het podium van Polé<br />
Polé Gent.<br />
Lot Vandekeybus<br />
http://www.cobra.be/cm/cobra/muziek/muziekrecensie/1.1341581
NEW HOTSHOTS OF PAN-AFRICAN FUNKINESS<br />
Oost-Vlaanderen, zaterdag 06/10/2012 - (Concertmelding)<br />
MOKOOMBA (Zimbabwe)<br />
in N9 villa te Eeklo<br />
op zaterdag 6 oktober 2012<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> stond op onze verlanglijst voor Helden in het Park van dit jaar,<br />
maar Couleur Café (waar ze al een tweede keer stonden) en Polé Polé/<br />
Gent waren ons te snel af. Geen probleem voor wie ook een club heeft,<br />
dan boek je zo’n geweldige band toch gewoon wat later daar. En zie, na<br />
hun uitgebreide mei/juni/juli tournee komen deze jongens uit Zimbabwe<br />
in oktober/november opnieuw naar Europa. Daar is een goede reden<br />
voor. Ze zijn namelijk gevraagd voor een concert op Womex, de vakbeurs<br />
voor ‘wereldmuziekprofessionals’ die dit jaar in Thessaloniki plaatsvindt.<br />
Een grote eer, iets waar velen slechts kunnen van dromen én de ideale<br />
springplank voor hun verdere carrière. Zeer recent bracht <strong>Mokoomba</strong> hun<br />
2e cd <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> uit, een plaat die momenteel op 7 staat in de European<br />
World Music Charts. Deze hitlijst wordt samengesteld door radiojournalisten<br />
aangesloten bij de European Broadcasting Union (EBU) en geldt als<br />
toonaangevend. De plaat kreeg uitsluitend erg goede recensies, waaronder<br />
5 sterren (het maximum) en het predicaat ‘Top of the World’ (idem) in het<br />
(belangrijke) Engelse muziekmagazine Songlines. Mooi en dat zeker als<br />
men weet dat de leden afkomstig zijn uit een klein dorp in de buurt van de<br />
bekende Victoria watervallen. De zes waren als kind al vrienden. Ze richtten<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> op in 2001. In 2007 namen ze deel aan een competitie tijdens<br />
het Music Crossroads Local Festival in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Ze wonnen.<br />
Logisch gevolg was dat ze daarna mochten deelnemen aan het National<br />
Festival in de hoofdstad Harare. Ze wonnen opnieuw. Een volgende stap was<br />
de deelname aan het Music Crossroads Interregional Festival in Lilongwe,<br />
Malawi, in 2008. Daar was de concurrentie groot, met groepen afkomstig<br />
uit Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia en Zimbabwe. En zie, ook daar<br />
sleepten ze de begeerde hoofdprijs in de wacht. In de prijzenpot stak een<br />
uitnodiging voor een Europese tournee en genoeg geld om een plaat op<br />
te nemen. Hun debuut Kweseka volgde in 2009 en met de plaat op zak<br />
kwamen ze dat jaar ook een eerste keer naar Europa. Ze maakten een<br />
uitstekende indruk tijdens concerten in Stockholm, Oslo, Bilbao, Barcelona,<br />
Amsterdam en Brussel. De buzz was groot en wie steengoed is mag<br />
terugkeren, wat sindsdien elk jaar gebeurde. Wat maakt <strong>Mokoomba</strong> nogal<br />
uitzonderlijk? Het is een combinatie van factoren. Enerzijds staan ze nog<br />
dicht bij de Tongacultuur van de regio waaruit ze komen. Anderzijds kennen<br />
ze de hele Afrikaanse cultuur en verwerken ze allerhande invloeden daaruit<br />
in hun eigen muziek. Leadzanger Mathias Muzaza is een kind van ouders uit<br />
Angola en Zambia, dat scheelt. Plus, het zijn nog jonge gasten die ook naar<br />
hiphop, reggae, salsa e.d. luisteren, wat natuurlijk ook een weerslag vindt<br />
in hun muziek. Voeg dat allemaal samen en je krijgt de rijke <strong>Mokoomba</strong><br />
Pan-Afrikaanse sound met een hoog funky gehalte. Ze hebben energie zat<br />
en hun enthousiasme spreekt boekdelen en werkt zeer aanstekelijk. Eerste<br />
en enige Belgische concert van deze tournee, die hen deze keer ook naar<br />
Duitsland, Frankrijk, Griekenland, Zwitserland en Engeland leidt. Dat het<br />
maar snel 6 oktober is!<br />
SHORTCUT <strong>Mokoomba</strong> uit Zimbabwe is ‘hot nowadays’. Hun tweede plaat<br />
<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> staat hoog in de world charts en hun livereputatie is ijzersterk.<br />
“Thanks for the great concert at Couleur Café last saturday; unmistakably<br />
one of the highpoints of the day!” (Tropicalidad, june 2012).<br />
Lees & luister: http://www.afropop.org/wp/4453/mokoomba-rising-tide/<br />
http://www.folkroddels.be/artikels/49163.html
Écrit par Christelle on Lundi, 25 Juin 2012 00:00<br />
Le groupe <strong>Mokoomba</strong> déménage sur scène!<br />
Ce groupe Zimbabwéen qui en est à son 2ième album et qui a été révélé<br />
au public grâce à un concours gagné à Harare (capitale du Zimbabwe,<br />
NDLR ), était en concert le jeudi 14 à la Ferme Blériot de Louvain-la-Neuve<br />
avant la grande scène de Couleur Café le samedi 30 juin. Just Follow Me<br />
Magazine était présent à ce concert qui déménageait!<br />
Rencontre avec Abundance Mutori, guitariste et porte-parole du groupe<br />
qui nous accueille avec un large sourire alors que la fatigue après une<br />
prestation scénique aussi détonante, doit l’accabler!<br />
JFM : Bonsoir Abundance, toutes les paroles de votre album sont chantées en “Tonga” ( langue parlée par un people minoritaire du<br />
territoire de Victoria Falls au Zimbabwe ), pourquoi avez-vous décidé de vous exprimer dans cette langue?<br />
A.M. : Tout simplement parce que c’est d’où nous venons, c’est notre culture dont nous n’avons pas honte. C’est venu tout naturellement...<br />
JFM : J’ai écouté votre cd à plusieurs reprises mais même si je ne comprenais pas les paroles, j’ai pu ressentir différentes émotions.<br />
Comme à l’instar de la chanson “Yombe”, qui dès les 1ères notes m’a plongée dans une sorte de mélancolie malgré l’ambiance<br />
“Buena Vista Social Club”. De quoi parle-t-elle?<br />
A.M. : La chanson parle du HIV/Sida et de la jeunesse. On ne peut pas vivre dans l’insouciance, il faut prendre sa vie en main.<br />
JFM : Le point commun que l’on peut ressortir de toutes vos chansons, c’est que vous portez l’attention à votre prochain et que vous<br />
mettez en avant votre culture? Pourquoi est-ce important?<br />
A.M. : Au Zimbabwe, on chante à propos de nos vies, à propos de ce qui se passe autour de nous et c’est tout naturellement que l’on continue<br />
dans ce sens-là.<br />
JFM : Le chanteur Mathias a beaucoup voyage, à l’écoute de votre cd, on peut entendre différents sons à l’instar de la chanson<br />
“Misozi” qui peut rappeler des sonorités d’une chanson de rumba congolaise des années 60, une autre rappelle des sons latins. On<br />
peut dire que c’est vraiment de l’”afro-fusion”…<br />
A.M. : C’est vraiment ça. Nous sommes en contact avec différents univers, nous voulons faire bouger les jeunes et leur faire sentir le groove.<br />
C’est un mix de tout!<br />
JFM : A la Ferme Blériot et à Couleur Café, vous ne serez pas six sur scène, mais neuf avec un section de cuivres. Pourquoi cet ajout<br />
d’instruments?<br />
A.M. : Ca rajoute de la puissance à notre son et ce n’est pas négligeable pendant les festivals.<br />
JFM : Ce n’est pas la 1ère fois que vous venez en Belgique, vous en êtes à votre 2ième album (<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, NDLR ), comment voyezvous<br />
votre futur?<br />
A.M. : Jusqu’à présent, nous n’avons pas à nous plaindre, le future semble radieux. C’est notre 2ième album et la réaction du public est<br />
positive. Ca nous donne de l’espoir qu’il continuera à nous suivre dans le futur.<br />
JFM : Parlons un peu de mode…J’ai remarqué que vous portiez sur scène un mélange de vêtements traditionnels et modernes : un<br />
mix de matières africaines et européennes allié à des coupes européennes?<br />
A.M. : Nous voulions intégrer dans le monde moderne dans lequel nous vivons, nos vêtements traditionnels. Comme nous sommes jeunes,<br />
nous voulions en même temps être à la mode, donc nous avons fait appel à un styliste qui alliait les deux. De cette manière nous ne perdons<br />
pas notre identité, notre culture.<br />
C’est à l’image de notre musique….
Manou Gallo, auteur-compositeur-bassiste et productrice de <strong>Mokoomba</strong> n’est pas loin et accepte de répondre à nos<br />
questions…Fière comme une maman poule de ses poussins, Manou Gallo ne tarit pas d’éloge sur <strong>Mokoomba</strong>!<br />
JFM : C’est important pour vous, Manou de travailler avec des jeunes?<br />
M.G. : C’est très important pour moi de travailler avec des jeunes africains. Mon parcours a été semé d’embûches (femme bassiste en<br />
Afrique, autodidacte etc. NDLR) et j’ai là l’occasion de travailler avec des africains peu importe le pays d’où ils sont originaires (Manou Gallo<br />
est originaire de la Côte d’Ivoire, NDLR). Nos destinées se sont croisées et on a essayé de sortir le meilleur de nous-mêmes. Je ne parle pas<br />
la même langue qu’eux (les membres de <strong>Mokoomba</strong> sont anglophones et leurs chansons sont écrites en Tonga, NDLR), mais pour moi c’est<br />
important que musicalement l’on se comprenne.<br />
JFM : Avez-vous été imprégnée de l’ambiance en allant à Harare (capitale du Zimbabwe, NDLR) plutôt qu’en ayant travaillé en studio<br />
dans un autre pays?<br />
M.G. : Cela fait 2-3 ans que l’on travaille sur ce projet, j’ai été les enregistrer au Zimbabwe. Je me suis baladée pendant 2 ans avec leur album<br />
dans mon ordinateur et dès que je pouvais je demandais à un ami qui est meilleur dans un certain domaine de m’aider, à l’instar d’une amie<br />
israélienne qui joue de la flûte, d’une amie danoise qui a chanté ou encore d’un ami violoncelliste qui a apporté sa touche.<br />
Lorsque l’on s’engage dans un tel projet, c’est vraiment entier : tu dois prendre le temps nécessaire pour pouvoir bien le faire.<br />
Ce qui me plaît c’est de voir ces jeunes concentrés sur leurs instruments, concentrés sur leur carrière. Quand tu les vois sur scène, c’est ce<br />
qu’ils retransmettent et demain ils continueront à bosser!<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> c’est un exemple pour les jeunes. Ils viennent de nulle part, ils croient en quelque chose, la musique et ils bossent cette musique<br />
tous les jours. Quand on les voit sur scène, ils sont contents de jouer et ça se transmet dans leurs albums.<br />
Moi, je suis fière de voir ça tout simplement. C’est ma fierté, car la carrière de Manou Gallo ne peut pas être centrée uniquement sur Manou<br />
Gallo en tant que bassiste. Ce serait un échec, j’aurais raté beaucoup de choses…<br />
Aujourd’hui je commence avec <strong>Mokoomba</strong> et demain je voudrais recommencer la même chose avec d’autres jeunes musiciens africains.<br />
Ma cible c’est la jeunesse : leur dire qu’ils sont capables de le faire. Tout ce que je peux souhaiter à <strong>Mokoomba</strong> c’est qu’ils restent “une<br />
personne”, ensemble. Ils ont commencé leur carrière ensemble à Victoria Falls et puis sont parties à Harare. Aujourd’hui ils sont partout et le<br />
challenge c’est de les garder ensemble!<br />
JFM : Avez-vous été imprégnée de l’ambiance en allant à Harare (capitale du Zimbabwe, NDLR) plutôt qu’en ayant travaillé en studio<br />
dans un autre pays?<br />
M.G. : Cela fait 2-3 ans que l’on travaille sur ce projet, j’ai été les enregistrer au Zimbabwe. Je me suis baladée pendant 2 ans avec leur album<br />
dans mon ordinateur et dès que je pouvais je demandais à un ami qui est meilleur dans un certain domaine de m’aider, à l’instar d’une amie<br />
israélienne qui joue de la flûte, d’une amie danoise qui a chanté ou encore d’un ami violoncelliste qui a apporté sa touche.<br />
Lorsque l’on s’engage dans un tel projet, c’est vraiment entier : tu dois prendre le temps nécessaire pour pouvoir bien le faire.<br />
Ce qui me plaît c’est de voir ces jeunes concentrés sur leurs instruments, concentrés sur leur carrière. Quand tu les vois sur scène, c’est ce<br />
qu’ils retransmettent et demain ils continueront à bosser!<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> c’est un exemple pour les jeunes. Ils viennent de nulle part, ils croient en quelque chose, la musique et ils bossent cette musique<br />
tous les jours. Quand on les voit sur scène, ils sont contents de jouer et ça se transmet dans leurs albums.<br />
Moi, je suis fière de voir ça tout simplement. C’est ma fierté, car la carrière de Manou Gallo ne peut pas être centrée uniquement sur Manou<br />
Gallo en tant que bassiste. Ce serait un échec, j’aurais raté beaucoup de choses…<br />
Aujourd’hui je commence avec <strong>Mokoomba</strong> et demain je voudrais recommencer la même chose avec d’autres jeunes musiciens africains.<br />
Ma cible c’est la jeunesse : leur dire qu’ils sont capables de le faire. Tout ce que je peux souhaiter à <strong>Mokoomba</strong> c’est qu’ils restent “une<br />
personne”, ensemble. Ils ont commencé leur carrière ensemble à Victoria Falls et puis sont parties à Harare. Aujourd’hui ils sont partout et le<br />
challenge c’est de les garder ensemble!<br />
JFM: Comment s’est traduit concrètement le travail? Comment avez-vous conjugué vos talents?<br />
M.G. : Ce sont des jeunes qui sont frais. Nous on réfléchit trop, eux ils on une création qui est très fraîche. Moi ce que j’ai fait, c’était<br />
simplement de mettre cette fraîcheur beaucoup plus en avant. Tout était déjà là : j’ai juste ajouté quelques épices pour que cela sonne mieux…<br />
L’on pourra retrouver <strong>Mokoomba</strong> ce samedi 30 juin sur la scène de Couleur Café mais également tout cet été sur les scènes européennes.<br />
https://just-followme.com/index.php/featured/174-mokoomba-demenage-sur-scene?showall=1
Eigenlijk zijn ze met zes, de heren van <strong>Mokoomba</strong> uit Zimbabwe, maar voor ‘<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>’ hebben<br />
ze zich omringd met een indrukwekkende schare gastmuzikanten. Het geeft de groep en producer<br />
Manou Gallo (gewezen bassiste van Zap Mama) ineens extra speelruimte en die weten ze mooi<br />
te benutten. De speciale kleuren van kora, cello en vooral dwarsfluit worden mooi ingewerkt, de<br />
blazersectie speelt strak en het songmateriaal is stevig geworteld in de Afrikaanse grond. Hier en daar<br />
klinkt <strong>Mokoomba</strong> plots wat meer poppy, maar er echt over gaat het nooit, als is het in het openende<br />
‘Njoka’ en de dancerock van het afsluitende ‘Welelye’ toch op het randje. Storender zijn de onhandige<br />
fade-outs die meer dan eens te snel verlopen of op een onhandige plaats opduiken.<br />
Voor deze goedkope slotformules waren andere oplossingen mogelijk geweest, gelet op de kwaliteiten<br />
die de groep tijdens de nummers laat horen. Door de Afrikaanse muziek overtuigend te versnijden<br />
met invloeden uit andere richtingen, weet <strong>Mokoomba</strong> ‘<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>’ immers van voor tot achter boeiend<br />
en genietbaar te houden, ook voor diegenen die niet wild zijn van Afrikaanse klanken. Zo duikt hier<br />
en daar de latincultuur op: weemoedig in ‘Yombe’, dansbaarder in ‘Mwile’ waarbij de aangebrachte<br />
strijkers wonderwel in het prentje passen. In ‘Masangango’ zijn het de kora, de dwarsfluit en de<br />
gedempte gitaar die voor een sober, maar tropisch geluid zorgen, alleen jammer dat hier in de<br />
drumpartij zo weinig verbeelding te horen is.<br />
Minder bescheiden klinken de stevige Afro-drive in ‘Nudndule’ en het fonkelende, mooi gevulde<br />
‘Misozi’ dat bij momenten aan Paul Simon ten tijde van ‘Graceland’ doet denken, een sfeer die ook in<br />
‘Nimukonda’ opduikt, maar daar afgewisseld wordt met reggae-vibes.<br />
Twee van de meest opmerkelijke tracks zijn naar het einde te horen. Het hoofdzakelijk vocale<br />
‘Mabemba’ put met de vraag- en antwoordstructuur duidelijk uit de pure Afrikaanse traditie. Het<br />
strafste nummer van de cd is echter ‘Mvula’, waarin het beste van <strong>Mokoomba</strong> samengebracht wordt:<br />
een Afro-groove die zich niet laat vastpinnen, een rockende passage gedragen door pruttelende<br />
keyboards en gelijkritmische formules die er door de hele band uitgejaagd worden. De soepelheid<br />
waarop <strong>Mokoomba</strong> van gedaante verwisselt, laat geen twijfel bestaan over de muzikale kwaliteiten<br />
van zowel de kerngroep als de uitgebreide band.<br />
June 23 2012<br />
http://www.kwadratuur.be/cdbesprekingen/detail/mokoomba_-_rising_tide/#.T-sW-rWLzSh
Als afsluiter op het nieuwe Move podium trok <strong>Mokoomba</strong> uit Zimbabwe beduidend minder bezoekers dan de<br />
publiekslievelingen in de Univers. Niet zo verwonderlijk voor wie moet opspelen tegen Sean Paul, The Subs<br />
en Bomba Estéreo die op hetzelfde moment probeerden zieltjes te winnen. De aanwezige festivalgangers<br />
schenen er niet om te malen, want de gewonnen dansruimte werd door het publiek gretig ingepalmd.<br />
Met ‘<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>’ heeft <strong>Mokoomba</strong> onlangs een nieuw album afgeleverd: een prima cd vol Afro-fusion,<br />
waarop de zeskoppige band versterking krijgt van een hele reeks muzikanten. Liet het album al horen wat<br />
de groep muzikaal in huis had, op Couleur Café werd pas echt duidelijk tot wat ze in staat waren. Als een<br />
Afrostoomwals rolden band en nummers over het publiek.<br />
Dat de drumgrooves zelden de complexiteit van de echte Afrobeats<br />
lieten horen (een euvel dat doorgaans van goed bedoelde pogingen<br />
lauwe kost maakt), was bij <strong>Mokoomba</strong> geen probleem. Daarvoor stond<br />
de band muzikaal veel te sterk op haar benen en werd die muzikaliteit<br />
te indrukwekkend geëtaleerd. Veel tijd werd er aan bindteksten niet<br />
besteed, des te meer aan de muziek: vrolijk twinkelend, funky, met<br />
latin vibes, kolkend, bluesy of met een Paul Simon-achtige aaibaarheid<br />
doorspekt met latin en ragga. Het lag <strong>Mokoomba</strong> allemaal even goed en<br />
het werd allemaal<br />
even scherp gespeeld: een strakke ritmesectie met dito blazers, goed gemikte keyboards, haarjuist<br />
uitgevoerde backings en leadzanger Mathias Muzaza die op verbluffende wijze de verschillende gedaantes<br />
die hij op ‘<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>’ laat horen, op het podium bracht. Waar hij kon verleiden met een gave lyriek,<br />
transformeerde zijn stem in een oogwenk naar ruw en grofkorrelig timbre waarmee hij stevig op het publiek<br />
inhakte.<br />
Dat hij vaak de grenzen van zijn vocale mogelijkheden opzocht, gaf zijn performance een extra<br />
kracht en intensiteit. Al liep het op het einde van ‘Masangango’ even mis toen zijn stem oversloeg, als<br />
ceremoniemeester van een ijzersterk optreden was hij ongenaakbaar en hij leidde <strong>Mokoomba</strong> door een set<br />
die als een van de hoogtepunten van Couleur Café kan gelden. Zeker voor diegenen die niet vertrouwd waren<br />
met het repertoire van ‘<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>’, maar evenzeer voor zij die het album wel al achter de kiezen hadden.<br />
Heel wat nummers, zoals het complex ‘Mvula’ werden live in XL versie gebracht. Niet door het inlassen van<br />
ellenlange solo’s, maar door het toevoegen van extra breaks en uitgediepte passages, een bijkomend bewijs<br />
van de muzikale ambities en kwaliteiten van <strong>Mokoomba</strong>.<br />
July 2 2012<br />
http://www.kwadratuur.be/reportages/detail/couleur_cafe_2012_-_nas_lee_omar_perry_caravan_palace_chinese_man_mokoomba_/#.T_Hr_BzzvPa
http://www.kwadratuur.be/audio/detail/mokoomba_-‐_mvula/#.T9XgZ9UV-‐Sp
MOKOOMBA (ABUNDANCE MUTORI) - LA PORTEUSE D'EAU 06/2012<br />
Abundance, we're just getting to know <strong>Mokoomba</strong>, in part through your new album, ‘<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>',<br />
but in fact you guys have been at it for some years already. How did you first get together?<br />
Abundance Mutori (bass & backing vocals): "We all already knew each other from when we were still<br />
kids, playing together in our village. Growing up we started experimenting with playing music, but it was only<br />
when we heard about the Music Crossroads International Festival that things got really serious."<br />
Is it easy to make a living as a musician in Zimbabwe?<br />
Abundance Mutori: "It's not that easy, really, and I'd even go as far as to say that it's quite difficult. We<br />
started playing together in church and school, so they provided us with instruments. Winning the competition<br />
at Music Crossroads was also a great leap forward for us."<br />
Most of the musicians in <strong>Mokoomba</strong> are members of the Tonga tribe.<br />
Abundance Mutori: "Yeah, the Tonga people live in the Victoria Falls area of Zimbabwe and form only a<br />
small minority in the country. Our language is only spoken in Victoria Falls and Binga. We made a conscious<br />
choice to sing in our own language because we wanted the rest of Zimbabwe and even the rest of the world<br />
to know we are proud of our rich Tonga heritage."<br />
Asked about Zimbabwean music, most people will probably think of the mbira, an instrument<br />
that's nowhere to be found in <strong>Mokoomba</strong>'s music; a conscious choice?<br />
Abundance Mutori: "We're Tonga, so we decided to focus on our own traditional instruments, like the<br />
drums, called ngoma mbwita, and horns we use. This way people can discover Zimbabwean music is about<br />
much more than just the mbira."<br />
That being said, the album is also loaded with influences from other genres, ranging from funk to<br />
salsa. What did you grow up listening to?<br />
Abundance Mutori: "A whole variation of styles, to be honest; personally I listened to a lot of West-African<br />
artists, people like Youssou N'dour and Salif Keita, but also western music like the pop of Michael Jackson,<br />
for example. When we started the band, we really wanted to fuse all our personal influences into one groove,<br />
so that's why when you listen to the album you will hear traditional Tonga influences mixed with styles as<br />
varied as funk, reggae and even soukous. We really wanted our music to appeal to as broad an audience as<br />
possible."<br />
What are your songs about?<br />
Abundance Mutori: "We mostly drew on traditional Tonga songs, so most of them are songs of celebration,<br />
used to celebrate a plentiful harvest or the coming of the rain season. Apart from that, we just sing about life<br />
in general."<br />
What does the <strong>Mokoomba</strong> band name mean exactly?<br />
http://www.rebelbase.be/index.php?page=54<br />
Abundance Mutori: "The word "mokoomba" refers to the life force which is the Zambezi River, because it's<br />
the river that provides the Tonga people with food, water and life."
For '<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>' you worked with Manou Gallo; how did that collaboration come about?<br />
Abundance Mutori: "We were both signed by ZigZag World. Manou has a great sense of music and it<br />
was great to have her on board as a producer and artistic director."<br />
Poney Gross (manager): "Manou helped to give the album a more international flavor. It was also<br />
her idea to add the horn section, for example, which suited <strong>Mokoomba</strong>'s sound perfectly."<br />
We can't really pass by the fact that not a lot of positive news has been coming out of<br />
Zimbabwe the past few decades. Do you get asked about the political situation in your<br />
homeland often?<br />
Abundance Mutori: "We do, yes, but it's important that people know the situation has vastly<br />
improved the last few years. Even the Zimbabwean music industry is slowly picking up again. In<br />
the region where we lived - we moved to the capital of Harare quite recently - things always stayed<br />
peaceful; we heard about what was happening in the rest of the country but, as Victoria Falls has<br />
always been a touristic area, the troubles never really reached us."
[...] Straffer nog, toen <strong>Mokoomba</strong> goed op dreef was, was de Jamaicaanse superster het<br />
laatste waar we aan dachten. Toen hun album <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> op onze testbank belandde, hadden<br />
we al een vermoeden dat dit live vuurwerk kon geven. En inderdaad, de zes jonge snaken<br />
uit Zimbabwe stelden allerminst teleur: heerlijk swingende ritmes (met hier een daar een<br />
aanstekelijke soukous beat), een frontman die qua stemgeluid aan Baaba Maal en qua moves<br />
aan Michael Jackson deed denken, een muzikaal (en choreografisch) straffe gitaar-bas tandem en<br />
dat alles overgoten met een aanstekelijk joi de vivre. Meer van dattum!<br />
http://www.tropicalidad.be/pivot/entry.php?id=1286
23/08/2012<br />
MOKOOMBA (Zimbabwe) - Especial, lançamento do<br />
disco <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> Rádio África, 23/08/2012 - quinta 21h<br />
O Rádio África dessa semana traz um programa especial lançando em primeira<br />
mão no Brasil o disco <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, da Banda <strong>Mokoomba</strong>, do Zimbabwe. A banda<br />
tem tido as melhores críticas e tocado em todos festivais da Europa, Estados<br />
Unidos e Canadá, e vem se revelando como um dos destaques da nova geração<br />
da música africana. Produzido pela baixista, cantora e compositora Manu<br />
Gallo (Costa do Marfim) o disco traz uma incrível mistura de ritmos e melodias,<br />
passando pelo zouk, rumba, mandingue, reggae e flertando com sonoridades de<br />
outros países como o Congo, Mali e Senegal. Os vocais poderosos de Mathias<br />
Muzaza traz o peso e a profundidade dos grandes Griots do oeste da África, e a<br />
banda pulsa de maneira supermoderna, mas sem deixar de lado suas raízes do<br />
Zimbabwe. Nesse programa você poderá ouvir o disco na íntegra, e conhecer o<br />
som desse incível banda que vem chamando a atenção por onde passa.<br />
http://blogradioafrica.blogspot.be/2012/08/mokoomba-zimbabwe-especial-lancamento.html
JUNE 2012<br />
EL AAIUN AGDAT MARIEM HASSAN WESTERN SAHARA (NUBENEGRA)<br />
RADIO SALONE SIERRA LEONE’S REFUGEE ALL STARS SIERRA LEONE (CUMBANCHA)<br />
DEMONI KOTTARASHKY & THE RAIN DOGS BULGARIA (ASPHALT TANGO RECORDS)<br />
EL CORAZON Y EL SOMBRERO MARTA GOMEZ COLOMBIA (ALUNA)<br />
UNIVERSITY OF GNAWA AZIZ SAHMAOUI FRANCE/MOROCCO (GENERAL PATTERN)<br />
UTU VÄRTTINÄ FINLAND (ROCKADILLO)<br />
BATIDA BATIDA ANGOLA/PORTUGAL (SOUNDWAY)<br />
MARINAI, PROFETI E BALENE VINICIO CAPOSSELA ITALY (PONDEROSA)<br />
RISING TIDE MOKOOMBA ZIMBABWE (ZIGZAGWORLD)<br />
NO AMA NANCY VIEIRA CAPE VERDE (LUSAFRICA)<br />
The WORLD MUSIC CHARTS EUROPE Panel: Austria: Albert Hosp (ORF), Johann Kneihs (ORF); Belgium: Didier Melon (RTBF),<br />
Zjakki Willems (vrt); Czech Republic: Petr Doruzka (VLTAVA); Estonia: Tonu Timm (Vikkerraadio), Aimar Ventsel (Radio2 Tallinn);<br />
Finland:, Marten Holm (YLE,Radio Vega), Raila Halmetoja (FBC), Ole Holmberg (YLE), Harri Tuominen (YLE); France: Laurence<br />
Aloir (RFI), Daniel Brown (RFI), Bintou Simpore (Radio Nova); Germany: Klaus Frederking (NDR), Francis Gay (WDR-Funkhaus<br />
Europa), Michael Kleff (DLF), Gülbahar Kültür (Radio Bremen), Jay Rutledge (Bayerischer Rundfunk), Johannes Theurer (Rundfunk<br />
Berlin-Brandenburg); Greece: Giorgos Markakis (Kosmos), Manos Tzanakakis (Mylos); Ireland: Gerry Godley ( RTE); Italy: Paolo<br />
Ferrari (Popolare Firenze), Patrick Fassiotti (Popolare Milano) ; Latvia: Gita Lancere (Radio Latvia); Ilmars Slapins (Radio NABA,<br />
Rigas Slaiks); Netherlands: Bas Springer (NTR); Norway: Sigbjörn Nedland (nrk)Poland: Wojciech Ossowski (Polski Radio 3),<br />
Kleszcz Wlodzimierz (Polski Radio RCKL); Portugal: Nuno Sardina (RDP Africa); Romania: Irina Hasnas (RBA); Russia: Artemy<br />
Troitsky (FM Dostoyewsky); Serbia: Bojan Djordjevic (Radio B92), Ivana Komadina (Radio Belgrade 2); Slovakia: Vladimìr<br />
Potancok(Radio_FM); Slovenia: Drago Vovk (SRAKA); Spain: Jose-Miguel Lopez (RNE 3), Lara Lopez (RNE), Albert Reguant (iCat<br />
FM); Sweden: Lennart Wretlind (SR); Switzerland:Jean Marc Baehler (RSR Couleur 3), Marianne Berna (DRS3); United Kingdom:<br />
Lucy Duran (BBC3), Lopa Kothari (BBC 3), Max Reinhardt (BBC 3), DJ Ritu (BBC).<br />
©giftmusic 2012
SUMUD NIYAZ IRAN/USA (SIX DEGREES)<br />
JULY 2012<br />
EL AAIUN AGDAT MARIEM HASSAN WESTERN SAHARA (NUBENEGRA)<br />
RADIO SALONE SIERRA LEONE’S REFUGEE ALL STARS SIERRA LEONE (CUMBANCHA)<br />
MUSIC OF CENTRAL ASIA 10: BORDERLANDS WU MAN AND MASTER <br />
MUSICIANS FROM THE SILK ROUTE CHINA/CENTRAL ASIA (SMITHSONIAN)<br />
UNIVERSITY OF GNAWA AZIZ SAHMAOUI FRANCE/MOROCCO (GENERAL PATTERN)<br />
TWINKLINGS OF HOPE MAHSA AND MARJAN VAHDAT IRAN (KIRKELIG KULTURVERKSTED)<br />
GREEKADELIA KRISTI STASSINOPOULOU & STATHIS KALYVIOTIS GREECE (WORLD MUSIC NETWORK)<br />
RISING TIDE MOKOOMBA ZIMBABWE (ZIGZAGWORLD)<br />
A CURVA DA CINTURA A.ANTUNES, E.SCANDURRA, T.DIABATE BRAZIL/MALI (MAIS UM DISCOS)<br />
DERSIM FERHAT TUNC TURKEY/NORWAY (KIRKELIG KULTURVERKSTED)<br />
The WORLD MUSIC CHARTS EUROPE Panel: Austria: Albert Hosp (ORF), Johann Kneihs (ORF); Belgium: Didier Melon (RTBF),<br />
Zjakki Willems (vrt); Czech Republic: Petr Doruzka (VLTAVA); Estonia: Tonu Timm (Vikkerraadio), Aimar Ventsel (Radio2 Tallinn);<br />
Finland:, Marten Holm (YLE,Radio Vega), Ole Holmberg (YLE), Harri Tuominen (YLE); France: Laurence Aloir (RFI), Daniel Brown<br />
(RFI), Bintou Simpore (Radio Nova); Germany: Klaus Frederking (NDR), Francis Gay (WDR-Funkhaus Europa), Michael Kleff (DLF),<br />
Gülbahar Kültür (Radio Bremen), Jay Rutledge (Bayerischer Rundfunk), Johannes Theurer (Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg); Greece:<br />
Giorgos Markakis (Kosmos), Manos Tzanakakis (Mylos); Hungary: Balázs Weyer (MR3-Bartok); Ireland: Gerry Godley ( RTE); Italy:<br />
Paolo Ferrari (Popolare Firenze), Patrick Fassiotti (Popolare Milano) ; Latvia: Gita Lancere (Radio Latvia); Ilmars Slapins (Radio<br />
NABA, Rigas Slaiks); Netherlands: Bas Springer (NTR); Norway: Sigbjörn Nedland (nrk)Poland: Wojciech Ossowski (Polski Radio 3),<br />
Kleszcz Wlodzimierz (Polski Radio RCKL); Portugal: Nuno Sardina (RDP Africa); Romania: Irina Hasnas (RBA); Russia: Artemy<br />
Troitsky (FM Dostoyewsky); Serbia: Bojan Djordjevic (Radio B92), Ivana Komadina (Radio Belgrade 2); Slovakia: Vladimìr<br />
Potancok(Radio_FM); Slovenia: Drago Vovk (SRAKA); Spain: Jose-Miguel Lopez (RNE 3), Lara Lopez (RNE), Albert Reguant (iCat<br />
FM); Sweden: Lennart Wretlind (SR); Switzerland:Jean Marc Baehler (RSR Couleur 3), Marianne Berna (DRS3); United Kingdom:<br />
Lucy Duran (BBC3), Lopa Kothari (BBC 3), Max Reinhardt (BBC 3), DJ Ritu (BBC).<br />
©giftmusic 2012
SUMUD NIYAZ IRAN/USA (SIX DEGREES)<br />
JULY 2012<br />
EL AAIUN AGDAT MARIEM HASSAN WESTERN SAHARA (NUBENEGRA)<br />
RADIO SALONE SIERRA LEONE’S REFUGEE ALL STARS SIERRA LEONE (CUMBANCHA)<br />
MUSIC OF CENTRAL ASIA 10: BORDERLANDS WU MAN AND MASTER <br />
MUSICIANS FROM THE SILK ROUTE CHINA/CENTRAL ASIA (SMITHSONIAN)<br />
UNIVERSITY OF GNAWA AZIZ SAHMAOUI FRANCE/MOROCCO (GENERAL PATTERN)<br />
TWINKLINGS OF HOPE MAHSA AND MARJAN VAHDAT IRAN (KIRKELIG KULTURVERKSTED)<br />
GREEKADELIA KRISTI STASSINOPOULOU & STATHIS KALYVIOTIS GREECE (WORLD MUSIC NETWORK)<br />
RISING TIDE MOKOOMBA ZIMBABWE (ZIGZAGWORLD)<br />
A CURVA DA CINTURA A.ANTUNES, E.SCANDURRA, T.DIABATE BRAZIL/MALI (MAIS UM DISCOS)<br />
DERSIM FERHAT TUNC TURKEY/NORWAY (KIRKELIG KULTURVERKSTED)<br />
The WORLD MUSIC CHARTS EUROPE Panel: Austria: Albert Hosp (ORF), Johann Kneihs (ORF); Belgium: Didier Melon (RTBF),<br />
Zjakki Willems (vrt); Czech Republic: Petr Doruzka (VLTAVA); Estonia: Tonu Timm (Vikkerraadio), Aimar Ventsel (Radio2 Tallinn);<br />
Finland:, Marten Holm (YLE,Radio Vega), Ole Holmberg (YLE), Harri Tuominen (YLE); France: Laurence Aloir (RFI), Daniel Brown<br />
(RFI), Bintou Simpore (Radio Nova); Germany: Klaus Frederking (NDR), Francis Gay (WDR-Funkhaus Europa), Michael Kleff (DLF),<br />
Gülbahar Kültür (Radio Bremen), Jay Rutledge (Bayerischer Rundfunk), Johannes Theurer (Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg); Greece:<br />
Giorgos Markakis (Kosmos), Manos Tzanakakis (Mylos); Hungary: Balázs Weyer (MR3-Bartok); Ireland: Gerry Godley ( RTE); Italy:<br />
Paolo Ferrari (Popolare Firenze), Patrick Fassiotti (Popolare Milano) ; Latvia: Gita Lancere (Radio Latvia); Ilmars Slapins (Radio<br />
NABA, Rigas Slaiks); Netherlands: Bas Springer (NTR); Norway: Sigbjörn Nedland (nrk)Poland: Wojciech Ossowski (Polski Radio 3),<br />
Kleszcz Wlodzimierz (Polski Radio RCKL); Portugal: Nuno Sardina (RDP Africa); Romania: Irina Hasnas (RBA); Russia: Artemy<br />
Troitsky (FM Dostoyewsky); Serbia: Bojan Djordjevic (Radio B92), Ivana Komadina (Radio Belgrade 2); Slovakia: Vladimìr<br />
Potancok(Radio_FM); Slovenia: Drago Vovk (SRAKA); Spain: Jose-Miguel Lopez (RNE 3), Lara Lopez (RNE), Albert Reguant (iCat<br />
FM); Sweden: Lennart Wretlind (SR); Switzerland:Jean Marc Baehler (RSR Couleur 3), Marianne Berna (DRS3); United Kingdom:<br />
Lucy Duran (BBC3), Lopa Kothari (BBC 3), Max Reinhardt (BBC 3), DJ Ritu (BBC).<br />
©giftmusic 2012
26/11/2012<br />
Marée montante<br />
Emporté par le flot du nouvel album de <strong>Mokoomba</strong>, je vous embarque ce soir en direction du continent<br />
africain, à la frontière entre la Zambie et le Zimbabwe, là où le fleuve Zambezi rencontre les mythiques<br />
chutes Victoria.<br />
http://zoreildeshauts.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/marée-montante.html<br />
Élevés au sein de la culture du peuple Tonga, les six musiciens du<br />
groupe se sont nourris de toutes ces influences pour créer leur<br />
propre univers musical. Guidé par la voix du chanteurpercussionniste<br />
Mathias Muzaza et imbibé de rythmes<br />
traditionnels Tonga, <strong>Mokoomba</strong> propage son afro-fusion<br />
dansante et contagieuse.<br />
<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, produit par Zig Zag World et enregistré entre<br />
Harare et Bruxelles, nous démontre comment le groupe brille par<br />
sa façon d'amalgamer des rythmes différents : afro-pop, reggae,<br />
ragga, rumba, salsa...<br />
Sous la production experte de la musicienne belgo-ivoirienne<br />
Manou Gallo (Zap Mama), les 12 chansons vous rapprocheront un<br />
peu plus de la chaleur et du soleil à chaque accord.<br />
N’attendez pas le jusant, prenez votre cocktail détonnant d’énergie<br />
et de groove maintenant et en live dès que possible …
Die Energie lässt die Luft knistern<br />
Das afrikanische Ensemble <strong>Mokoomba</strong> liefert im Ludwigshafener Kulturzentrum Das Haus ein mitreißendes Konzert<br />
VON GEREON HOFFMANN<br />
Als die sechs jungen Männer aus Zimbabwe loslegen<br />
fragt man sich, ob sie diese Energie über den gan- zen<br />
Abend durchhalten. Eine „Ach- terbahnfahrt<br />
afrikanischer Fusion- Musik“ versprach die<br />
Ankündigung der Gruppe <strong>Mokoomba</strong>. Im Lud-<br />
wigshafener Kulturzentrum Das Haus lösten die<br />
Musiker dieses Ver- sprechen jedenfalls ein.<br />
Der Anfang ist schnell, virtuos und präzise. Elektrischer<br />
Bass, Gitarre und Keyboard spielen rhythmisch<br />
vertrackte Motive, dann beginnt der Groove, und der<br />
Sänger steigt ins Ge- schehen ein. Na hoppla, denkt man,<br />
das geht ja flott los. Aber die leistungsstarken Jungs<br />
werden später so- gar noch nachlegen.<br />
Die sechs Musiker kommen alle aus einem kleinen<br />
Dorf, nahe bei den Victoria-Wasserfällen in Zimbabwe<br />
im Süden Afrikas. Sie gehören zum Volk der Tonga,<br />
einer ethnischen Un- tergruppe der Bantu mit einer eige-<br />
nen Sprache. Leadsänger Mathias Muzaza singt in dieser<br />
Sprache, die Moderation macht er auf Englisch. Muzaza<br />
hat den Süden des afrikani- schen Kontinents bereist und<br />
sich mit verschiedenen musikalischen und kulturellen<br />
Traditionen befasst. Sechs Sprachen hat er dabei gelernt.<br />
„Wo immer ich hingehe, will ich die Lieder der<br />
Menschen lernen, das bringt mir Freude und Inspiration“,<br />
sagt er über sich.<br />
Im Konzert in Ludwigshafen sind auch verschiedene<br />
Stile zu hören. Al- len gemeinsam ist aber eine gerade-<br />
zu extreme rhythmische Energie. Die Musiker spielen die<br />
vertracktes- ten Figuren mit einer unglaublichen<br />
Leichtigkeit. Bassist Abundance Mu- tori bestreitet ganze<br />
Stücke nur mit Offbeats, ohne ein einziges mal auf der<br />
„Eins“ eines Taktes zu landen - und gerade daraus<br />
entsteht eine knis- ternde rhythmische Spannung.<br />
Schlagzeuger Costa Ndaba Moyo spielt in einer Liga<br />
mit den besten Fusion-Drummern. Er verbindet Rock-<br />
Power mit der flirrenden Viel- falt afrikanischer<br />
Polyrhythmik. Miti Mugande an Congas und Perkussion<br />
unterstützt ihn dabei. Obwohl am Schlagzeug schon sehr<br />
viel passiert,<br />
findet Mugande seinen Platz im Ge- samtklang.<br />
Trustworth Samende an der Gitarre und Donald Moyo<br />
am Keyboard spielen oft melodisch- rhythmische Figuren,<br />
mal unisono, mal zweistimmig, jedes Mal sehr prä- zise.<br />
Vom Keyboard kommen manch- mal auch Imitationen<br />
akustischer In- strumente, wie etwa der Marimba, dem<br />
afrikanischen Holzxylophon.<br />
Als hätten sie mit ihren virtuosen Instrumentalparts<br />
noch nicht genug zu tun, singen alle auch noch Back-<br />
ground, oft in Ruf- und Antwort Se- quenzen mit<br />
Leadsänger Muzaza. So entsteht eine äußerst virtuose<br />
und rhythmisch mitreißende Musik. Die Energie, die von<br />
der Bühne kommt, ist so stark, die Atmosphäre so dicht,<br />
dass die Luft knistert.<br />
Muzaza erzählt nicht viel, man er- fährt, dass ein paar<br />
Stücke auf tradi- tionellen afrikanischen Liedern beru-<br />
hen, und da geht es, wie überall auf der Welt, um einen<br />
Jungen, der ein schönes Mädchen anhimmelt. Die<br />
Ankündigung der Achterbahnfahrt erweist sich als sehr<br />
zutreffend. Es kann einem fast schwindelig wer- den. Die<br />
Musiker sind in ausgezeich- neter Kondition. Man glaubt<br />
es kaum, aber bei manchen rhythmi- schen Passagen<br />
tanzen sie auch noch. Das ist nicht nur ein bisschen<br />
Kniewackeln, da sind richtige Cho- reografien dabei, vier<br />
Musiker kom- men nach vorne und bewegen sich<br />
verblüffend schnell und präzise – und Bass und Gitarre<br />
spielen beim Tanzen einfach weiter.
http://www.funkhauseuropa.de/musik/suepertunes/2012_04/suepertunes_120413.phtml<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong><br />
Afro-Fusion<br />
Sendung vom 13. April 2012<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong>, sechs junge Männer aus der Tonga Tradition Zimbabwes überzeugen uns mit ihrem<br />
zweiten Album "<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>", ein energiegeladenes Glanzstück in Sachen Afro-Fusion. Und Chinese<br />
Man, das südfranzösische DJ-Kollektiv aus Marseille, bekannt für ihren geschickten Umgang mit<br />
Musik- und Filmschnipseln aus aller Herren Länder, setzt mit der Remix LP vom aktuellen Album<br />
"Racing with the Sun" noch mal einen drauf.<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong>: <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> (Zig Zag World)<br />
Die Geschichte der Band <strong>Mokoomba</strong> begann 2001 im südafrikanischen<br />
Zimbabwe. In der Region, wo die riesigen<br />
Victoria Wasserfälle und der Zambezi Fluss eine unheimlich schöne<br />
Landschaft zaubern, und wo sich Adrenalin-Junkees von der höchsten<br />
Bungee Jumping Anlage der Welt stürzen können. Es ist die Region der<br />
Tonga, einem Volk, das klar zur Minderheit in Zimbabwe zählt, und<br />
deren Sprache, Tonga, sonst auch niemand versteht. Im kleinsten,<br />
ländlichsten Dorf beschließen damals sechs quietschfidele<br />
Rhythmusfanatiker, Musik zu machen. Musik, die sowohl die<br />
Traditionen der Tonga würdigt, aber auch über den Tellerrand hinaus<br />
auf die Moderne schaut. In einem Wort: Afro-Fusion.<br />
Eigentlich untypisch für Zimbabwe <strong>Mokoomba</strong> überraschen uns hier regelrecht mit ihrem Tonga-<br />
Sound, den man so aus Zimbabwe noch nicht kannte. International betrachtet hat das Land eine<br />
schillernde Vergangenheit. Fast alle bekannten Künstler stammen vom Volk der Shona, z.B. Oliver<br />
Mukutuzi, Thomas Mapfumo oder Virginia Mukwesha, und haben den sogenannten "Chimurenga"-<br />
Sound etabliert. Jetzt gibt's mit <strong>Mokoomba</strong>'s Tonga neue und ganz anderes klingende Grooves.<br />
<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> Bereits beim Cover Artwork spingt es einem buchstäblich ins Auge: diese agilen Jungs<br />
haben Feuer im Blut. Mit wachem, glücklichem Blick ist der Stolz auf ihr zweites Album "<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>"<br />
ganz groß und wohl verdient. Hört man die Songs, begegnet man der groovigen Fusion aus<br />
afrikanischer Tradition und westlicher Moderne. Traditionelle Tonga Rhythmen, wunderschöne Bläser-<br />
und Flötenmelodien und viel ungehaltene Perkussion verwoben mit Latin-Sounds, Soul, Funk und<br />
auch Beatbox. Track 1, "Njoka", ist wohl der "modernste". Beatbox, HipHop-Vibe und zu Anfangs ein<br />
Rapgesang, der an ein Didscheridoo erinnern lässt. Ungezügelte Energie versprechen auch die<br />
weiteren Songs "Mangongo", "Mwile", "Ndundule" und "Welelye". Ein bisschen runter vom Gas und<br />
sehr gefühlvoll klingen zum Beispiel "Masangango", "Misozi" und "Manunge". Inhaltlich geht es<br />
meistens um die Traditionen, Riten und Lebensweisen der Tonga: u.a. Feuertänze bei Vollmond,<br />
Jagen mit Pfeil und Bogen mit den Älteren, knifflige Beziehungsfragen. Auch wenn unsereiner nichts<br />
versteht, <strong>Mokoomba</strong>'s "<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>" ist insgesamt wunderbar durchhörbar.
Die Festival-Helden Bis es zu den Studioaufnahmen von "<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>" in den letzten beiden Jahren<br />
kam, war es allerdings ein langer Weg für <strong>Mokoomba</strong>. Nachdem sich die Band durch zahlreiche<br />
regionale und überregionale Festivals spielte, gelang ihr 2008 schließlich der Clou. Der erste Platz<br />
beim "Music Crossroad InterRegional Festival" in Lilongwe, Malawi. Der Gewinn: eine dreimonatige<br />
Europa-Tour. Diese wiederum ebnete den Weg zum Debutalbum "Kweseka" und einem Plattenvertrag<br />
bei Zig Zag World, wo auch Djembe-Meister Mamady Keita und die ivorische Bassspielerin und<br />
Sängerin Manou Gallo zuhause sind. Letztere übernahm bei <strong>Mokoomba</strong>'s "<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>" sogar die<br />
Produktion. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> sind mittlerweile auf dem internationalen Markt angekommen. Auf der<br />
WOMEX, der weltweit größten Messe für Global Pop, präsentierte die Band im Herbst 2011 ihren Film<br />
"<strong>Mokoomba</strong>, from one riverbank to another". Die nächste Europatour ist zwischen Mai und August<br />
geplant. Wir freuen uns drauf!
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> sind die beste musikalische Nachricht aus Zimbabwe seit Jahren. Sie zählen zu den<br />
Festivalhelden dieses Sommers. Die sechs Männer aus der Tonga Tradition begeistern mit<br />
einem frischen Afrofusion-Sound, bei dem man einfach nicht still sitzen kann. Genauso<br />
vielfältig wie ihre Musik sind auch die Sprachen, auf denen sie singen. Das Lied "Njoka" ist auf<br />
tonga gesungen und Bassist Abundance erklärt in der Story Behind, worum es geht.<br />
Abundance: Njoka heißt Schlange. In dem Song geht es um eine Initiierungszeremonie der tongaischen<br />
Bevölkerungsminderheit in Zambia. Eine Zeremonie, in der die Jungen zu Männern werden. In der<br />
tongaischen Kultur hat das Ritual des Erwachsenwerdens eine lange Tradition. Die Jungs werden sechs<br />
Monate lang in die Wildnis geschickt. Ihnen wird geraten, in dieser Zeit auf keinen Fall in den Wald zu<br />
gehen, weil es zu gefährlich ist!<br />
Unser Sänger hat diesen Ritus auch mitgemacht. Einer seiner Freunde ist trotzdem in den Wald gegangen<br />
und wurde von einer Schlange gebissen. Die Schlange war giftig. Wir singen in dem Lied: "Jetzt bin ich<br />
ganz alleine. Mein Freund ist tot, weil er nicht auf die Ältesten gehört hat". Die Geschichte ist wirklich<br />
wahr! Der Junge ist wirklich gestorben. Wir haben das nicht erfunden.<br />
Dann ist die Botschaft in dem Song ja auch recht eindeutig…<br />
Die Botschaft hinter dem Song ist, dass die jungen Menschen auf die älteren<br />
hören sollen. Die Älteren haben mehr Lebenserfahrung als wir und wissen<br />
deshalb einfach mehr. Der Junge hätte nicht sterben müssen. Hätte er auf<br />
die Älteren gehört und wäre nicht in den Wald gegangen, wie sie es ihm<br />
geraten haben, dann wäre er nicht von der Schlange gebissen worden und<br />
würde heute noch leben! Die Botschaft ist: Wir müssen nicht alle Fehler<br />
selbst machen. Und das ist gut!<br />
Hast Du dieses Ritual auch mitgemacht und warst ein halbes Jahr in<br />
der Wildnis? Nein. Heutzutage wird diese Initiierungs-Zeremonie kaum noch durchgeführt. Und wenn,<br />
dann in einer sehr entschärften Version. Die Zeiten haben sich geändert. Meine Eltern haben es mir<br />
nicht erlaubt, daran teilzunehmen. Die Welt ist einfach moderner geworden. Und deshalb werden kaum<br />
noch Jungs für sechs Monate in die Wildnis geschickt.<br />
Einerseits lebt ihr zuhause in einer Dorfgemeinschaft, wo es grundlegend ist, die Älteren zu<br />
respektieren. Andererseits tourt ihr durch Europa, erlebt eine völlig neue Welt, in der vor<br />
allem ein ganz anderer Umgang mit älteren Menschen herrscht.<br />
Ich weiß, was Du meinst. Das ist in der Tat auch schwierig für uns. Wir kommen mit unserer Band<br />
mittlerweile auf der ganzen Welt rum und haben viele Dinge gesehen, die die Leute zuhause höchstens<br />
aus dem Fernsehen kennen. Wenn wir von unseren Reisen zurückkommen, versammeln sich alle aus<br />
dem Ort und hören uns zu. Auch die Ältesten. Sie geben uns Ratschläge, wie wir uns am besten<br />
benehmen sollen, zum Beispiel. Und so versuchen wir jüngeren Menschen, eine Balance zu finden.<br />
Zwischen der modernen Welt und dem, was die Älteren uns lehren. (Andrea Halter)<br />
http://www.funkhauseuropa.de/musik/story_behind/2012_11/story_behind_121122.phtml
SPASS UND SPIELE<br />
DAS FRECHE VIDEOSPIEL- UND ENTERTAINMENT- BLOG<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> / <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> / (Igloo/Discovery Records)<br />
Ein exzellentes neues Album einer jungen Band aus Zimbabwe, einem Land, das in den<br />
1980-er Jahren eines der Zentren der afrikanischen Musik war. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> stammen aus<br />
Victoria Falls im Norden des Landes und mischen in ihren selbst komponierten Songs lokale<br />
Tonga-Klänge mit internationalen Einflüssen. <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> beginnt mit dem furiosen„Njoka“, in<br />
dem auch Funk- und Rapelemente enthalten sind, und profitiert sehr stark von dem<br />
exzellenten<br />
Gitarrenspiel von Trustworth Samende. Sänger Mathias Muzaza demonstriert seinen<br />
kraftvollen Gesang auf gefühlvollen Songs, die an Oliver Mtukudzi, den größten<br />
musikalischen Helden des Landes, erinnern, ehe sie die Richtung wechseln und<br />
westafrikanische sowie lateinamerikanische Klänge einbauen, aber auch ein wenig Reggae.<br />
Die beeindruckende Produktion geht auf das Konto von Manou Gallo von der Elfenbeinküste,<br />
die einst fürZap Mama den Bass zupfte; hier spielt sie Keyboards und fettet den Sound mit<br />
nicht weniger als 13 Gastmusikern auf, die alles von Blechbläsern über Kora bis hin zu Cello<br />
spielen.
Heißer Afro-Fusion-Sound in Lübeck –<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> im Treibsand<br />
Von Oliver Ballendat<br />
Freitag, 15. Juni 2012<br />
Sechs junge Männer aus dem<br />
südafrikanischen Simbabwe<br />
brachten am vergangenen<br />
Samstag das Lübecker Treibsand<br />
zum Kochen. Die sympathischen<br />
Musiker singen in der Sprache<br />
der Tonga, einer ethnischen<br />
Minderheit im Land.<br />
Die Sprache dieser Volksgruppe wird oft von der übrigen Bevölkerung<br />
Simbabwes nicht verstanden. Auch das Lübecker Publikum wird seine<br />
Mühe mit der wörtlichen Übersetzung der Texte gehabt haben. Der<br />
Dolmetscher für die mitreißende Musikmischung aus Tradition und<br />
Moderne namens Rhythmus machte seine Arbeit allerdings perfekt. Zu<br />
Beginn ihrer Show standen Mathias, Trustworth, Abundance, Donald,<br />
Costa und Miti etwas schüchtern hinter den Mikrofonen. Doch mit den<br />
ersten Tönen war klar: Es sollte ein bewegter Abend werden. Vor der<br />
Bühne tanzte bereits das Publikum und die Band kam schon nach wenigen<br />
Takten ins Schwitzen. Afrikanische Klänge prallten impulsiv auf westliche<br />
Beats und vereinten sich zu einem unerhört frischen Sound. Die Lieder<br />
erzählten vom Leben in der Heimat, von Angst und Freude, Liebe und Leid<br />
und ähnelten diesbezüglich sicher der Musik vieler anderer Völker.<br />
Doch <strong>Mokoomba</strong> kreierte durch die Mischung traditioneller afrikanischer<br />
Rhythmen mit modernen Klängen nicht nur einen bisher nicht gehörten<br />
Afro-Fusion-Sound, der die fremde Sprache vergessen lässt. Man konnte<br />
die Musik der Simbabwer zweifelsohne als global feiern: Soul und Funk<br />
streiften das schwere Amerikanische ab und tanzten plötzlich laut und<br />
afrikanisch wild. Zusammen mit Rap-Einlagen und Bläsermelodien fügte<br />
sich das Ganze zu einer atemberaubenden Weltmusik im wahrsten Sinne<br />
des Wortes.<br />
Die Bandmitglieder, allen voran Sänger Mathias Muzaza, verausgabten<br />
sich, tanzten und spielten mit einer unglaublichen Freude. Die Energie der<br />
Afrikaner sprang auf das Publikum über, das sich von groovenden Songs<br />
wie Njoka oder Messe Messe mitreißen ließ und bei gefühlvollen Stücken<br />
wie Masangango überwältigt in eine fremde Welt einzutauchen schien.<br />
Mittlerweile sind die Musiker vom <strong>Mokoomba</strong> auf den internationalen<br />
Bühnen zuhause. Nachdem sie 2008 beim Music Crossroads Interregional<br />
Festival in Malawi als ersten Preis eine dreimonatige Europa-Tournee<br />
sowie eine Plattenaufnahme gewannen, sind sie mit ihrem aktuellen<br />
Album <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> derzeit wieder von Belgien bis Russland, von Serbien<br />
bis Finnland unterwegs.<br />
Lübeck konnte sich glücklich schätzen, einen derart wertvollen<br />
musikalischen Schatz wie <strong>Mokoomba</strong> zu Gast gehabt zu haben.<br />
http://www.unser-luebeck.de/content/view/4136/284/
Ein exzellentes neues Album einer jungen Band aus Zimbabwe, einem Land,<br />
das in den 1980er Jahren als das Zugpferd der afrikanischen Musik<br />
angesehen werden konnte. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> stammen aus Victoria Falls im<br />
Norden des Landes und sie kombinieren in ihren Eigenkompositionen Tonga<br />
und viele globale Einflüsse.<br />
“<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>” startet mit dem furiosen “Njoka”, das Funk- und<br />
Rap-Elemente enthält und in dem die exqusite Gitarrenarbeit von Trustworth<br />
Samende zu hören ist. <strong>Mokoomba</strong>s Sänger Mathias Muzaza zeigt seine kräftige soulige Stimme,<br />
die an einen der größten Musiker des Landes, Oliver Mtukudzi, erinnert. Weitere leckere Zutaten<br />
stammen aus der Musik Westafrikas und Lateinamerikas.<br />
Die Produktion hat Manou Gallo (Elfenbeinküste) übernommen, die einst bei Zap Mama Bass<br />
spielte. Ganze 13 Gastmusiker setzt sie ein und so kommen viele weitere Instrumente hinzu (u.a.<br />
Blasinstrumente, Kora und Cello).<br />
“<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>” ist ein außergewöhnlich farbiges Album, das sehr viel Spaß macht. Es dürfte sowohl<br />
den Fans der afrikanischen Musik gefallen, wie auch Freunden von Latin-Sounds. Dieses<br />
überragende Album ist uns eine uneingeschränkte Empfehlung wert !<br />
http://www.welt-musik.net/?p=4274
Οι <strong>Mokoomba</strong> δεν είναι νέο συγκρότηµα. Ξεκίνησαν την πορεία τους το 2001. Απλά φέτος ήταν κατά<br />
κάποιο τρόπο η χρονιά που τους καθιέρωσε ως ένα από τα πιο υποσχόµενα γκρουπ της Νοτίου<br />
Αφρικής. Κατάγονται από ένα µικρό χωριό της Ζιµπάµπουε, µιλάνε την τοπική διάλεκτο Tonga η οποία<br />
όµως δεν τους εµπόδισε να βγουν έξω από τα σύνορά τους και να αποκτήσουν ένα πιστό κοινό.<br />
Είναι ένα εξαµελές γκρουπ µε ψυχή τους τον τραγουδιστή Mathias Muzaza, ο οποίος ταξίδεψε σε όλη τη<br />
Νότιο Αφρική, γνωρίζοντας τις τοπικές γλώσσες και µουσικές. Το διαβατήριο για τη ‘Δύση’ πήραν το<br />
2008, κερδίζοντας στο Μαλάουι το διαγωνισµό Music Crossroads InterRegional Festival. Έπαθλο ήταν<br />
µια τουρνέ στην Ευρώπη.<br />
Ρυθµοί Tonga, παραδοσιακά αλλά και σύγχρονα όργανα, τους κατατάσσουν σ’ αυτό που ονοµάζουµε<br />
Afro-fusion, χωρίς όµως να χάνονται και να ‘καίγονται’ στο σωρό, αφού καταφέρνουν και διατηρούν µια<br />
πολύ έντονη και σαφή προσωπικότητα στον ήχο τους. Την είσοδό τους στην Ευρώπη συνόδευσαν µε<br />
το πρώτο τους δίσκο το 2009 και τον Οκτώβρη του 2012 συµµετείχαν στο WOMEX στη Θεσσαλονίκη<br />
δίνοντας µια συναυλία αλλά και φιγουράροντας στο επίσηµο cd της διοργάνωσης. Από το δεύτερο<br />
άλµπουµ τους <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, ακούµε το κοµµάτι Njoka. Καλή ακρόαση.<br />
Νικόλας Γεωργίου<br />
Posted December 18, 2012 at 2:39pm in Μουσικό Ποδήλατο Νικόλας Γεωργίου world music nikolas<br />
georgiou mokoomba zimbabwe africa<br />
http://music.radiobubble.gr/post/38222089762/mokoomba
MOKOOMBA <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong><br />
Összemosódnak az emlékeim az egykor monopolhelyzetben leledző Hungaroton indiai<br />
lemezimportját illetve licencvásárlásait illetően, mégis úgy vélem: magyar kiadó nem vállalkozott<br />
még kizárólag afrikai tagokból álló zenekar CD-jének megjelentetésére. A NarRator Records<br />
mindenesetre megtette ezt a szívességet. Hogy jó választás volt-e tőlük a <strong>Mokoomba</strong>? Az én<br />
válaszom: abszolút! A miértről kicsit később. Előbb a zenekarról, röviden.<br />
http://www.riff.hu/index.php?article=662<br />
A hat fős társaság zimbabwei illetőségű. A bantu népcsoporthoz tartozó tonga törzs<br />
gyermekei. (A nemzetség nem tévesztendő össze a hasonló nevű csendes-óceáni<br />
királyság népével.) 2001-ben alakultak. Az áttörést a 2008. év hozta meg számukra,<br />
Afrikában. Egy év múltán európai fesztiválokra is eljutottak. 2012. július 19-én pedig<br />
a Babel Sound vendégei lesznek Balatonlellén! Aki teheti, ne hagyja ki a fellépésüket,<br />
mert – videofelvételek tanúsága szerint – mindegy mellesleg, remek hangulatú show-t<br />
produkálnak élőben. Mert hogy zeneileg nagyon rendben van a társaság, az bizonyos!<br />
A májusban megjelent <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> alapján, mindenképp. Holott, nem szerettem beléjük<br />
az első perceik után. Az a periódus ugyanis az egyébként színpompás afrikai muzsika<br />
elektronizálásáé (nem mondom, hogy lebutításáé, csak „rádióbaráttá tételéé”). A<br />
második nóta viszont már üt: merőben másként, mint a taxióra – a viteldíj kiperkálása<br />
előtt! És ha elkapták a fiúk a fonalat, hát gyakorlott mozdulatokkal végig gombolyítják! A<br />
történés valahogy úgy magyarázható: praktikusabb az elején letudni a kommersz igények<br />
kielégítését (ahogyan mifelénk mondják: álljad, hamarabb szabadulsz), hogy annak árán<br />
a saját zenédet játszhasd! Így lett: innentől szabadon csodálhatók a <strong>Mokoomba</strong> kvalitásai.<br />
A szólóének nagyon rendben van (a tónusa kissé karcos, mégis mármár<br />
jellegzetes), és – aligha véletlen - a vokál is képes felnőni hozzá. Az<br />
instrumentális csapatrész (gitár, fúvósok, ütősök stb.) pedig vérprofi!<br />
Ami azonban a legfontosabb: stílusparádé részesei lehetünk (ezen a szinten!), amelyben<br />
a déli afrikai muzsikusok a saját hagyományaikat keresztül áramoltatva magukon,<br />
ötvözik azt más földrészek világszerte ismert zenei értékeivel. Más megközelítésben:<br />
stílusbravúrok sorának lehetünk fültanúi a <strong>Mokoomba</strong> lemezét hallgatva, a<br />
tradicionális afrikai muzsika kétséget kizáró dominanciája alatt! A fűszerek pedig:<br />
a reggae, valamint a latin muzsika (legmarkánsabban a salsa). Az említett fúziók<br />
eredetiek és felettébb élvezetesek. És, az eredmény akkor is csillagos ötöst ér, amikor a<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> „csupán” önmagát: a forró, mágikus és felkavaró déli „afrikaiságát” hozza!<br />
Jelentem, új potenciális kedvenc érkezett hozzánk, villámokat csapdosva a<br />
világzene horizontján! A <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> első trackjén túl (vagy attól függetlenül),<br />
fokozatosan és visszavonhatatlanul kitárul/kitágul előttünk a legjobb értelemben<br />
vett fekete zenei világ. Lássátok hát őket, mert itt az alkalom, de legalább<br />
hallgassátok! A fekete földrész déli csücskén nem ismerek náluk nagyobb királyokat.
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> - <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> (ZigZag World)<br />
Originari di una zona posta al confine<br />
tra Zimbabwe e Zambia, dove il<br />
fiume Zambezi incontra le cascate<br />
Victoria, i Mookoomba sono una<br />
interessantissima band africana che<br />
appartiene alla comunità Tonga,<br />
una minoranza etno-linguistica di<br />
ceppo bantu strettamente correlata<br />
con i Batoka e con il gruppo etnico<br />
omonimo del Malawi. Guidato dal<br />
cantante e percussionista Mathias<br />
Muzaza, e composto da Trustworth<br />
Samende (chitarre e voci), Miti<br />
Mugande (percussioni e voci), Ndaba<br />
Coster Moyo (batteria, beat boxe e<br />
voci), Donald Moyo (tastiere, beat<br />
box e voci) e Abundance Mutori<br />
(basso e voci), il gruppo propone una<br />
originale afro-fusion in cui la musica<br />
tradizionale dell'etnia Tonga viene incrociata con il rock, il reggae e il dub, dando vita ad<br />
un sound travolgente nel quale l'uso di chitarre elettriche e batteria è accompagnato a<br />
quello degli strumenti legati dalla musica rituale africana. Dopo la partecipazione al Music<br />
Crossroads Local Festival nel 2007 e quella al Music Crossroads InterRegional Festival<br />
del 2008 la cui vittoria, dopo un serrato confronto con altre band africane, ha consentito<br />
al gruppi di intraprendere l'anno successivo un tour in Europa, documentato dal dvd<br />
From One Riverbank To Another. A quattro anni dal loro debutto, Kwaseka, il gruppo<br />
dello Zimbabwe torna con un nuovo album <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, prodotto da Manou Gallo e che<br />
raccoglie dodici brani di pregevole fattura alla cui realizzazione ha collaborato una lunga<br />
lista di ospiti come: Lene Norgaard Christensen (voce), Tatenda Kanjato (batteria), Jean<br />
Yode, Vusa Mthunzi, Vimbai Mukarati (sassofono), André Laourou (tromba), Manu Hermia<br />
(flauto e sassofono), Amir Gwirtzman (flauto e sax baritono), Prince Diabaté (kora), Babara<br />
Bangoura (djembe), Olivier Collette (tastiere e piano), Anja Naucler (violoncello) e Thomas<br />
Sari (programming). Rispetto all'esordio il sound si è arricchito di influenze che spaziano dal<br />
soul al funk fino a toccare il jazz e questo grazie alla illuminata produzione di Manou Gallo<br />
che è riuscita ad arricchire la cifra stilistica dei <strong>Mokoomba</strong>. Durante l'ascolto si spazia così<br />
da dub dell'inziale Njoka nella quale vengono recuperati alcuni proverbi della tradizione dei<br />
Tonga al canto rituale Masango, ispirato alla cerimonia di inziazione ai sacri riti per i ragazzi<br />
che diventano così dei veri uomini, fino a toccare la solare Mangongo e la riflessione<br />
in chiave reggae di Mwile. Se Misozi è un canto d'amore in crescendo con la voce di<br />
Muzaza particolarmente ispirata, Yombe è invece un brano dedicato alla perdita di un<br />
genitore a causa del grande male dell'Africa l'HIV. Si torna alle sonorità più solari e ai ritmi<br />
in levare con Nimukonda, mentre Ndundule celebra le antiche tradizioni dello Zimbabwe<br />
ripronendo in chiave moderna i riti ancestrali della danza. Sul finale il disco regala poi un<br />
crescendo di emozioni con la splendida ed evocativa Manuge nella quale brilla la chitarra<br />
di Samende, poi con il canto di lavoro Mabembe e poi con le conclusive ed intense Mvula<br />
e Weleye, entrambe caratterizzate da una travolgente coralità. <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> è un disco tutto<br />
da scoprire sia dal punto di vista musicale sia da quello strettamente legato alle tradizioni<br />
della minoranza etnica dei Tonga, un popolo dalla storia millenaria della quale i <strong>Mokoomba</strong><br />
si sono fatti paladini e custodi attraverso la musica. E' possibile acquistare il cd nei migliori<br />
store online in download.<br />
April 2012<br />
http://www.blogfoolk.com/2012/04/mokoomba-rising-tide-zigzag-world.html
Африканские гости фестиваля "Голос кочевников"<br />
рассказали о том, что им больше всего<br />
понравилось в Бурятии, что им больше всего<br />
запомнилось.<br />
Музыканты группы «<strong>Mokoomba</strong>» родом из области водопада Виктория, это люди народности<br />
Тонга. Они поют на тонгийском языке, который не понимает большинство жителей<br />
Зимбабве. Артисты приготовили для жителей Бурятии интересную программу, которая<br />
пришлась всем по душе. Корреспонденту «Бурятии-7» удалось пообщаться с ребятами из<br />
группы «<strong>Mokoomba</strong>».<br />
- Ребята, что вы приготовили нашим зрителям, в чем основная идея вашего творчества?<br />
- Сегодня мы собираемся представить Afro-fusion music – это микс разных культур Зимбабве, мы надеемся,<br />
что это направление придется по вкусу зрителям.<br />
-Скажите, вы уже несколько дней у нас в гостях. Как вам наши люди?<br />
-Вчера мы приехали с Байкала, к сожалению, у нас не было времени пообщаться с местными жителями, но<br />
мы были приятно удивлены тем, что когда мы ходили по городу, люди хотели сфотографироваться с нами,<br />
многие первый раз видели в своем городе людей из Африки, это было очень приятно. Сразу видно, что<br />
ваши люди более открытые, чем наши. Это читается по взглядам, по улыбкам.
-В чем, по-вашему, значимость фестивалей этнической музыки в целом? Какова их цель?<br />
-Я рад, что люди стараются возродить свою национальную культуру. Мы рады, что люди хотят меняться в<br />
творческом плане, обогащаться новыми культурными веяниями. И самое важное то, что ни в коем случае<br />
нельзя забывать свой родной язык, это может привести к гибели нации, к ее исчезновению с карты мира.<br />
Ведь если нет языка – нет национальной культуры. Мы, представители народности Тонга, идем именно<br />
этим направлением – сохранение первичной родной культуры, ее уникальности и самобытности. Такие<br />
фестивали в первую очередь этому способствуют, - рассказывает вокалист Матиасу Музазе.<br />
На мой вопрос о том, что же больше всего ребятам понравилось в Бурятии за время их пребывания здесь,<br />
музыканты, улыбаясь, единогласно ответили:<br />
-Русская водка!<br />
После беседы ребят ждала сцена, которую они в буквальном смысле «зажгли» своей бешеной энергетикой.<br />
Это было что-то. Музыканты подарили жителям нашего города динамичные песни, от которых хотелось<br />
забежать на сцену и «зажечь» вместе с парнями. Такой горячей южноафриканской атмосферы в Бурятии<br />
никогда не было. Прозвучали также более спокойные песни в стили R&B, которые тронули Бурятию своей<br />
лиричностью. Программа группы была насыщенна элементами шоу (театрализация номеров, африканские<br />
танцы).<br />
За час ребята полностью покорили сердца бурятского зрителя. Жалели лишь о том, что не было<br />
танцевальной площадки.<br />
Своим мнением о фестивале поделился Виктор Усович, композитор, художественный руководитель<br />
Бурятской государственной филармонии:<br />
-Этническая музыка – это тот колодец, из которого можно черпать и черпать новое, оформляя его<br />
современными аранжировками, современным звучанием. Особенно, эти фестивали важны для<br />
композиторов. Помните, как сказал великий русский композитор Михаил Глинка: «Создает музыку народ, а<br />
мы, художники, только ее аранжируем». Поэтому, я стараюсь не пропускать ни одного явления, связанного<br />
с этникой. Подобные фестивали нужны и потому, что мы не знаем этническую музыку Африки, даже<br />
монгольскую этнику. Очень интересно то, что этническая музыка соединяется с электроникой. Это спорный<br />
момент, конечно. Электроника, по-моему, все-таки это «от лукавого». Этника же нуждается в очень тонком<br />
и бережном подходе. Не дай бог, что-то уйдет в другое русло – национальный дух очень нежен. Она сама<br />
по себе ценна, любые вторжения могут быть опасны. Так же хочется видеть больше своих, бурятских<br />
этнических групп и музыкантов, - рассказывает он.<br />
Виктор Усович добавил, что благодаря фестивалю, собравшему в Бурятии совершенно разные пласты<br />
культур, мир сегодня, сейчас - един и это здорово.<br />
Open-air. Электроника и французская романтика<br />
Третий день фестиваля, проходивший на Open-AIR-сцене в Этнографическом музее, открыла группа<br />
«Cisfinitum». Они приготовили совместную программу с певицей и композитором Дашей Баскаковой.<br />
«Cisfinitum» - проект Евгения Вороновского – это сочетание ритмов digital hardcore в исполнение<br />
Вороновского и вокала Даши на русском и французском языках. Смесь разных стилей породило особую<br />
атмосферу песен.<br />
Гостями фестиваля была этно-группа «Урагшаа». Проект «Урагша» объединяет этно-рок, поп-музыку и<br />
хореографию, «заточенные» под мюзикл. Это полноценное выступление, совмещающее вокал, живое<br />
инструментальное сопровождение и пластику — танец. Своих артистов Бурятия принимала на «ура»,<br />
подпевая всем песням.<br />
В числе других музыкальных коллективов, которые порадовали всех собравшихся жителей и гостей<br />
республики, таких как «Uulzalga» (Франция-Бурятия), «Галия» (Бурятия) и других коллективов была уже<br />
полюбившаяся группа «<strong>Mokoomba</strong>». Улан-Удэ принимал их как своих. Благо, можно было потанцевать на<br />
территории музея. Танцевали все: и стар, и млад. Казалось, что жаркое солнце Южной Африки осветило<br />
нашу республику. Песни группы были настолько мелодичными, что в толпе людей ощущались мотивы то ли<br />
бразильского карнавала, то ли ритмы латиноамериканского самбо. Видимо, микс разных стилей дает такие<br />
разные и вместе с тем живые «настроения».<br />
Пока выступали ребята из Зимбабве, нам удалось поговорить с группой из Бразилии «Baianasystem».<br />
Читать интервью с бразильской группой BAIANASYSTEM<br />
http://www.minkultrb.ru/publications/detail.php?SECTION_ID=94&ELEMENT_ID=1773
[...]<br />
Второй день фестиваля прошел под знаком другой африканской группы Mokomba из Зимбабве.<br />
В третий день выступали Дашима и Урагшаа-Этно, группа «Галия» из Бурятии, Mokombaиз Африки и Baianasystem из<br />
Бразилии.<br />
Музыканты любят играть вместе, поиски нового в творчестве зовут в путь за впечатлениями, им кака воздух<br />
необходимы выступления в самыз разных местах, живая реакция поклонников их музыки. На пресс-конференции<br />
перед фести валем музыканты отмечали, что в Улан-Удэ создалась уникальная творческая атмосфера, потреб ность<br />
в которой есть у многих.<br />
Теперь, когда объявили, что главным культурным событием лета 2013 года станет Арт-форум «Байкальская гавань»,<br />
Бурятия (Улан-Удэ - Турка) станет цен тром притяжения самых разных творческих сил. По инициативе Группы<br />
компаний «Метрополь» летом следующего года в Буря тии состоится масштабное куль турное событие, которое<br />
объе динит музыку, кинематограф, изобразительное искусство. Многие видные российские ре жиссеры, актеры,<br />
музыканты, художники считают своевремен ным и перспективным в уни кальном во всех отношениях Байкальском<br />
регионе. Главным творческим партнером проекта уже сегодня стал музыкальный фестиваль «Голос кочевников».<br />
По мнению инициаторов про екта, новое крупное культурное событие, несомненно, принесет пользу бурятской<br />
культуре, обо гатит ее мировым опытом, и в свою очередь даст возможность всему миру лучше узнать непо вторимое<br />
искусство народов Бай кальского региона. «Богатой та лантами Республике Бурятия нужен мощный центр<br />
притяже ния творческих сил. Им может стать Арт-форум «Байкальская гавань», -считает генеральный директор<br />
Группы компаний «Ме трополь» Баир Цыренов.<br />
Уже сейчас в атмосфере «Голоса кочевников» начали витать идеи. Инициаторы проекта готовы к обсуждению самых<br />
разных предложений по подготовке главного события следующего лета на Байкале.<br />
July 19 2012<br />
http://www.minkultrb.ru/news/detail.php?SECTION_ID=95&ELEMENT_ID=1776
Во втором отделении на сцене выступала группа <strong>Mokoomba</strong> из Зимбабве, которая исполняет песни<br />
на языке тонго.<br />
«Солист группы Матиас собирает музыку по всей Южной Африке, – рассказал ведущий. –Он<br />
владеет шестью языками, остальные члены группы говорят, что он – ходячая энциклопедия<br />
африканской музыки».<br />
На «Голос кочевников» <strong>Mokoomba</strong> приехала по приглашению Натальи Улановой.<br />
«Этот коллектив существует уже десять лет. Они играют в стиле афро-фьюжн. Парни родились<br />
в маленькой деревне, где говорят на языке, которое основное население Зимбабве не понимает.<br />
Я послушала их диск в прошлом году на фестивале мировой музыки и была поражена голосом<br />
Матиаса и энергетикой ребят, – отметила Уланова».<br />
С первых секунд выступления <strong>Mokoomba</strong> зал начал заряжаться энергетикой, исходившей от<br />
фронтмена группы. Матиас пластично двигался по всему периметру сцены. Кроме того, он общался<br />
с залом на английском без помощи переводчика, и его понимали.<br />
– How are ya doing? – кричал Матиас восторженным зрителям. – We love you!<br />
Несмотря на то, что от ритмичной африканской музыки кресла ходили ходуном, зрители не спешили<br />
вставать с насиженных мест, чтобы пуститься в пляс. Это немного огорошило Матиаса, и после<br />
очередной песни он не выдержал и обратился к залу: «Shake your body!».<br />
Зал поднялся и начал двигаться в такт умопомрачительным гитарным и барабанным соло. Гораздо<br />
свободнее в такой ситуации чувствовали себя пришедшие на концерт европейцы: девушки и парни<br />
танцевали, несмотря на явную нехватку места.<br />
Матиас однозначно был доволен. Он устроил перекличку с публикой, всячески шутил и, не<br />
останавливаясь, продолжал свои танцы. Группа <strong>Mokoomba</strong> также была вызвана публикой на «бис».<br />
Завершился фестиваль в Этнографическом музее концертом на оpen-air-сцене, что стало еще<br />
одним новшеством нынешнего «Голоса кочевников». Здесь были воплощены оригинальные<br />
музыкальные идеи на основе народной музыки через призму современного электронного<br />
звучания. На одной сцене выступили бразильская группа BaianaSystem, прекрасно сочетающая<br />
традиционные звуки Сальвадора с психоделией «даба» и ритмами «регги», французско-бурятское<br />
трио Uulzalga – французская группа Nojazz и исполнитель традиционных монгольских эпосов Виктор<br />
Жалсанов соединили электронную музыку и горловое пение. Даша Баскакова выступила вместе с<br />
проектом Евгения Вороновского Cisfinitum из Москвы. Их совместная программа была подготовлена<br />
во Франции и Черногории. Ураганное звучание drum and bass и байкальская романтика Даши<br />
Баскаковой были высоко оценены любителями актуального и ультрамодного звучания. На оpen-air<br />
выступила уже полюбившаяся жителям Бурятии Мokoomba из Африки. Энергии добавил местный<br />
коллектив «Галия», а аутентичности – Дашима Согтоева, Эржена Санжиева и группа «Урагшаа».<br />
Пространство фестиваля расширила и этнофутуристическая выставка «Языки мозаики», которая<br />
была торжественно открыта в Художественном музее им Ц.С. Сампилова 13 июля. Проект<br />
организован Минкультом Бурятии совместно с Фондом Исмаила Ахметова по развитию образования<br />
и поддержке культуры. Выставка объединяет работы ведущих мировых художников из Италии и<br />
Греции, многократных участников международных выставок, фестивалей, биенале современного<br />
искусства, всемирно признанных интерпретаторов мозаичного искусства – Марко Бравура, Душаны<br />
Бравура, Пелагея Ангелопуло.
Таким образом, нынешний «Голос кочевников» стал не просто музыкальным фестивалем, а<br />
форумом современного этноискусства.<br />
Главной новостью нынешнего фестиваля стало заявление группы компаний «Метрополь» о том,<br />
что, начиная со следующего года, «Голос кочевников» станет составной частью нового масштабного<br />
культурного проекта – арт-форума «Байкальская гавань». «Богатой талантами Республике Бурятия<br />
нужен мощный центр притяжения творческих сил. Им сможет стать арт-форум «Байкальская<br />
гавань», – считает директор ИФК «Метрополь» по региональной деятельности Баир Цыренов.<br />
Международный проект объединит в себе три стихии: музыку народов мира, кинематограф и<br />
современное искусство. По мнению инициаторов проекта, новое крупное культурное событие,<br />
несомненно, принесет пользу бурятской культуре, обогатит ее мировым опытом и, в свою очередь,<br />
даст возможность всему миру лучше узнать неповторимое искусство народов Байкальского региона.<br />
Новый проект активно поддерживает и творческая интеллигенция. Видные актеры, режиссеры,<br />
музыканты и художники из Москвы и Бурятии считают, что проведение мультиформатного<br />
фестиваля искусств в уникальном во всех отношениях Байкальском регионе своевременно и<br />
перспективно.<br />
http://www.newbur.ru/articles/9591<br />
Тимур Дугаржапов, Ирина Сапунова, Елена Джесс, "Новая Бурятия"
Sirova afro-fuzija<br />
RAZGOVOR<br />
AUTOR: ZORICA KOJIĆ<br />
Ako ste u maju pomislili da je sa Ring Ring aktivnostima u ovoj godini<br />
gotovo - ljuto ste se prevarili! Svojevrsni spoj Todo Mundo i Ring Ring<br />
festivala očekuje vas od večeras na ovogodišnjoj BELEF ponudi u čak<br />
tri besplatne junske večeri u Ustanovi kulture „Palilula“. Zvezde prve<br />
od nekoliko pomenutih, izuzetnih muzičkih prilika poslednje nedelje<br />
ovog meseca - na kojima ćemo između ostalih videti nove tuareške<br />
superzvezde Tamikrest (četvrtak, 28. jun) i Trio maestra na harmonici<br />
Davida Jengibarjana (utorak 26. jun) - jesu zimbabveanski <strong>Mokoomba</strong>,<br />
bend mladih, strastvenih ljudi, koji ljubav za svoju domovinu i narod iz<br />
kojeg su potekli, ukrštaju sa sopstvenim pop i rock herojima iz ostatka<br />
sveta.<br />
Opišite nam za početak, molim vas, regiju Zimbabvea iz koje dolazite i prirodu oko Viktorijinih vodopada i reke Zambezi vašeg detinjstva?<br />
- Dolazimo iz dalekog malog gradića ili tačnije rečeno iz udaljene oblasti koja se zove Binga. Tamo ništa zaista nije modernizovano do današnjih dana!<br />
Viktorijini vodopadi pored istoimenih vodopada su jedan od najlepših gradova u Zimbabveu, čije je obeležje moćna reka Zambezi, zvana „Mosi-Oa-<br />
Tunya“, što znači „Dim koji grmi“, i objašnjava tim imenom kretanje i snagu kojom Zambezi teče. Ova reka, govorim o zimbabveanskoj strani, protiče<br />
kroz pomenutu Binga regiju iz pravca Viktorijinih vodopada i mi iskazujemo ogromno poštovanje za nju zato što je ona za naš Tonga narod izvor života,<br />
s obzirom da od ove reke dobijamo vodu i hranu.<br />
Vaš narod naziva se Tonga i govori istoimeni jezik - kakav je njegov položaj među mnogim drugim narodima u Zimbabveu i šta je najkarakterističnije za<br />
njegovu kulturu i posebno muziku?<br />
- Tonga narod je malo pleme u poređenju sa nekim drugim plemenima u Zimbabveu, ali poseduje bogatu kulturu koja nije ranije viđena, na primer<br />
svoje tradicionalne plesove i duhovne pesme. Postoji otuda veoma mnogo različitih vrsta starih muzičkih instrumenata koji se sreću u Tonga baštini,<br />
raznovrsni tipovi tradicionalnih bubnjeva, to jest „Ngoma mpwita“, a takođe i malih životinjskih rogova zvanih „Inyele“, koji proizvode mnoštvo zvukova i<br />
tonskih visina zavisno od veličine.<br />
Kojoj generaciji pripadaju članovi grupe <strong>Mokoomba</strong> i koja je muzika obeležila vaše tinejdžersko doba i godine najranije mladosti?<br />
- Članovi benda <strong>Mokoomba</strong> pripadaju 80-im i 90-im, a muzika koja je obeležila naše tinejdžerske godine i ranu mladost bila je rock, reggae, funk i<br />
mnogo afričkog zvuka.<br />
Koji je prvi bend ili ličnost iz zapadnjačke rock i pop muzike koje ste slušali, a koji su vam sada omiljeni umetnici iz Afrike i ostatka sveta?<br />
- Slušali smo pop muziku Majkla Džeksona dok smo odrastali, a neki od naših omiljenih umetnika iz Afrike su Salif Keita i Jusu N’Dur.<br />
Koji tipični instrumenti postoje u <strong>Mokoomba</strong> bendu - ima li onih narodnih, afričkih instrumenata i kako ste ih udružili sa onim električnim iz aktuelne pop<br />
kulture? Kako opisujete muziku koju stvarate i izvodite i ko je sve uticao na nju?<br />
- U bendu zaista koristimo tradicionalne Tonga bubnjeve, ali je sama muzika koncentrisana na glas našeg glavnog pevača Matijasa Muzaze. Ova muzika<br />
koju dakle pravimo je pod uticajem tradicionalne Tonga kulture, ali i modernih „funk“ i „dance“ ritmova, čime se stvara fuzija koja može da dopre i do<br />
mlađih i do starijih. Mi lično nazivamo je afro-pop.<br />
Postojite deset punih godina i već ste u par navrata boravili na turnejama po Evropi - kako vam se čini publika na drugom kontinentu i nosite li neke<br />
specijalne utiske iz pojedinih gradova u kojima ste nastupali?<br />
- U svakom gradu koji smo posetili na pomenutim turnejama imali smo sjajnu, neočekivanu i neverovatnu publiku, a utisci koje smo poneli u svakoj<br />
takvoj prilici govore nam da je auditorijum u Evropi gladan afričke muzike i da im se ona baš dopada.<br />
Molim vas da nam na kraju predstavite bend i pozovete beogradsku publiku na svoj večerašnji nastup - kakva muzika nas sve očekuje ovom prilikom?<br />
- Bend <strong>Mokoomba</strong> bi voleo da pozove slušaoce u Beogradu na naš nastup večeras - dođite pripremljeni da se provozate toboganom ritmova sirove afrofuzije<br />
koja će vas naterati da igrate i osećate se odlično!!!<br />
http://www.danas.rs/danasrs/kultura/sirova_afrofuzija.11.html?news_id=242879
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> - <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong><br />
Subido por Marhali.<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> es un joven grupo de<br />
Zimbabwe que nos trae una electrificante<br />
mezcla de Afro-fusión y ritmos tradicionales<br />
de la minoría Tonga del país, un disco que<br />
emana una eufórica energía juvenil, talento<br />
musical natural y ritmo contagioso.<br />
Escogen el nombre de <strong>Mokoomba</strong> para<br />
mostrar el profundo respeto que las gentes<br />
de Tonga tienen para con el río Zambeze y<br />
las Cataratas Victoria, y mostrarnos la<br />
energía y dinamismo que este rasgo<br />
geográfico imprime a su música y cultura.<br />
<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> (2012) nos muestra el<br />
excelente trabajo a la guitarra de<br />
Trustworth Samende y los dotes vocales de<br />
su lider, Mathias Muzaza, en canciones sentimentales y rítmicas que evocan al mayor héroe<br />
musical del país, Oliver Mtukudzi, con sonidos del oeste africano, salsa africana, reggae, funk y<br />
rap. La excelente producción es de la gran Manou Gallo, de Costa de Marfil, que anteriormente<br />
fue bajista y guitarrista de Zap Mama. En el presente trabajo dirige y produce musicalmente,<br />
completando los sonidos con teclados y con el trabajo de trece artistas invitados/as que aportan<br />
kora, flautas, saxos y cello.<br />
Sonido panafricano del mejor, una música arraigada en su realidad abierta a los ritmos del mundo.<br />
01. Njoka<br />
02. Masangango<br />
03. Mangongo<br />
04. Mwile<br />
05. Misozi<br />
06. Yombe<br />
07. Nimukonda<br />
08. Ndundule<br />
09. Manunge<br />
10. Mabemba<br />
11. Mvula<br />
12. Welelye<br />
http://gps-sonoro.blogspot.be/2012/12/mokoomba-rising-tide.html
Mookomba - <strong>Rising</strong><br />
Entre Zimbabwe y Zambia se situa una región exhuberante de natureleza intensa y<br />
sobrecogedora conocida como Cataratas Victora, un impresionante salto del ángel del<br />
río Zambeze que separa estos dos paises y que es cruce de caminos de varios grupos<br />
étnicos del África Austral, en el que destacan los Tonga. Tan refrescante y torrencial<br />
como su paisaje, resulta la música de este jóven sexteto llamado Mookomba y que<br />
desembarcan ahora con un segundo disco titulado “<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>”confirmando las<br />
buenas especativas que produjo su primer trabajo de 2009.<br />
Esta vez regresan bajo la dirección artística de la reputada bajista de Costa de Marfil,<br />
Manou Gallo, quién deja sentir su huella con una producción y unos arreglos con<br />
perfumes jazzy, funk y afro-grooves, a los que se suman las sonoridades soukouss,<br />
afro-latinas y las influencias tradicionales en un cocktél festivo y lleno de entusiasmo,<br />
pero que no descuida una instrumentación y unas letras cuidadas y con mensaje.<br />
Desde mediados del mes de mayo están inmersos en una gira por salas y festivales de<br />
Europa que les llevará por palcos de Alemania, Bélgica, Hungria o Rusia. Contundente<br />
y carismático, como su líder Mathias Muzzaza, compositor y vocalista que habla más<br />
de seis lenguas africanas, “<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>” nos muestra que desde una región remota de<br />
Zimbabwe se puede hacer música tan contemporaéna, compleja e interesante como<br />
desde grandes urbes como Paris o Nueva York. Una vez más... ¡Bienvenidos a la era<br />
July 15 2012<br />
http://www.groovalizacion.com/article4987.html?lang=es
World Music Special vom Donnerstag, 3.5.2012, 20.03 Uhr, DRS 3<br />
Zimbabwe holt mächtig auf<br />
Aus dem südlichen Afrika hören wir nicht einmal im World Music Special viel. Gar weit<br />
ist der Weg... Für <strong>Mokoomba</strong> aus Zimbabwe nicht zu weit.<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> – Eine geballte Ladung Energie aus Zimbabwe<br />
Ihre Mixtur klingt mal nach Westafrika, mal nach Reggae oder<br />
Salsa, und den Leadsänger könnte man glatt mit Mike Hucknall<br />
von Simply Red verwechseln. Bloss dass der nicht so viel Feuer hat<br />
wie Muzaza! Eine richtige Trouvaille - gekonnt und frisch wie selten!<br />
http://www.drs1.ch/www/de/drs1/sendungen/world-music-special/2804.sh10221998.html
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> – <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong><br />
Ein Feuerwerk aus Simbabwe! Für einmal keine Songwriter, keine<br />
Mbiras, sondern viel Schub, Energie, Melodien die ins Ohr gehen, und<br />
ein Mix aus allen Stilrichtungen des gesamten Kontinents.<br />
Aus der Geografie wissen wir: Es gibt nur ganz wenige Orte auf der Welt,<br />
wo gleich vier Staaten aneinander grenzen. Dies ist in der Nähe von<br />
Viktoria Falls im Nord-Westen Simbabwes der Fall. Hier, bei den berühmten<br />
Wasserfällen, kommen Botswana, Namibia, Sambia und die Heimat von<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> zusammen. Die sechs Jungs haben nicht nur die Rhythmen ihres<br />
Volkes, der Tonga, im Blut, sondern sicher auch viel Radio gehört, denn ihr<br />
musikalischer Mix ist panafrikanisch. Und äusserst ansteckend.<br />
Was die sechs Musiker mitbrachten waren die Rhythmen ihrer Heimat, viel Energie, ein Flair für Ohrwurm-<br />
Melodien und mehrstimmigen Gesang. Die Bassistin Manou Gallo von der Elfenbeinküste holte als<br />
Produzentin dieses zweiten Albums noch ein gehöriges Mass an Schärfe und Zielstrebigkeit aus den Songs<br />
heraus. Mal tönen die Gitarren nach Südafrika, mal glitzern sie in bester Soukous-Manier, dann wieder<br />
spielen <strong>Mokoomba</strong> einen afro-karibischen Swing als kämen sie aus dem Senegal. Zwischendurch darf es<br />
auch mal in einen Reggae kippen, und ein Schuss Raggamuffin liegt allemal drin.<br />
Als musikalischer Doktor kann ich nur den Rat geben: Lass dich von diesem Fieber anstecken!<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> sind in diesen Tagen noch für zwei Konzerte in Deutschland: am 6. Juli in Stuttgart am Afrika-<br />
Festival und am 7.7. in Unna in der Lindenbrauerei.<br />
http://www.globalsounds.info/2012/06/mokoomba-rising-tide/
LAUFENBURG<br />
Lebensfreude steckt alle an<br />
29.10.2012<br />
Band <strong>Mokoomba</strong> begeistert Publiklum bei Auftritt im schweizerischen Frick<br />
Die Großformation <strong>Mokoomba</strong>, Shootingstars aus Zimbabwe, gastierte im brechend vollen „Meck à Frick“ und<br />
ließ mit ihren heißen Tonga- und Afro-Rhythmen den ersten Schnee wieder schmelzen. Unter dem Begriff „Meck<br />
Mundial“ startete die Fricker „Worldmusic-Reihe“, in der bis in den Frühling 2013 Künstler aus aller Welt zu Gast<br />
sein werden.<br />
Voraussetzung ist, dass die Musiker tatsächlich aus Entwicklungsländern kommen. Die Gewinner des „Music<br />
Crossroads Southern Africa-Award“ standen mit ihrem Sound dieses Jahr auf Platz sieben der World Music<br />
Charts und sind soeben von der Weltmusikbörse Womex aus Thessaloniki zurückgekehrt. Doch wie kommt so<br />
eine bekannte neunköpfige Band mit dem überragenden Lead-Sänger Mathias Muzaza ins beschauliche Frick?<br />
Daniel Binkert, Veranstalter der „Worldmusic-Reihe“, hat bereits vor 15 Jahren angefangen, mit seinen OpenAir-<br />
Festivals in Frick Netzwerke aufzubauen. Empfohlen hat die Band Marianne Berna vom Schweizer Radio DRS 3.<br />
Die Jungs von den Victoria Falls legten sofort mit ihrer überschäumenden Spielfreude und exakten Rhythmen<br />
los. Das Publikum ließ sich von den heißen, tanzbaren, afrocubanischen Rhythmen mit mehrstimmigen<br />
Gesängen, viel Percussion und großartigen Bläsersätzen in Bann ziehen. Die Choreographie machte<br />
Instrumentalisten mal zu Sängern, dann wieder zu Tänzern. Immer wieder wurde das größtenteils stehende<br />
Publikum eingeladen, Vokalsoli nachzusingen und den Rhythmus mitzuklatschen, was die Stimmung zusätzlich<br />
anheizte. Die drei Bläser - Trompete, Saxophon und Posaune - beeindruckten mit ihren überaus präzisen<br />
Einsätzen.<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong>, der Name der Band, bezeichnet die Ehrfurcht der Volksgruppe der Tonga in Zimbabwe vor dem<br />
lebensspendenden Fluss Zambezi. Diese Ehrfurcht konnte man immer wieder in innigen Gesangssoli von<br />
Mathias Muzaza spüren. Konzentriert, die Hand beschwörend über den Kopf haltend oder streichend, zunächst<br />
nur von der Bassgitarre begleitet, setzte nach und nach das ganze Ensemble ein und begleitete furios seinen<br />
Gesang. Besonders schön war das Schlusslied mit den oft wiederholten Worten „Africa-Zimbabwe“, in dem der<br />
Lead-Sänger die einzelnen Bandmitglieder vorstellte. Jeder bot ein unglaubliches Solo, welches frenetisch vom<br />
Publikum gefeiert wurde. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> bedankte sich mit den Worten „Thank you, we love you“ und einem<br />
fulminanten Finale beim begeisterten Publikum.<br />
http://www.suedkurier.de/region/hochrhein/laufenburg/Lebensfreude-steckt-alle-an;art372611,5747214
Septembre 2012
September 2012
Cd v/d week: <strong>Mokoomba</strong> – <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> ʼMet<br />
<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> als visitekaartje lijkt er veel<br />
mogelijk voor <strong>Mokoomba</strong> uit Zimbabwe. De<br />
Ivoriaanse zangeres en bassiste Manou<br />
Gallo is de producer en muzikale leidsvrouw<br />
van deze in Harare, Abidjan en Brussel<br />
opgenomen plaat. De Afrikaanse<br />
verscheidenheid en de gedreven ritmes die<br />
haar eigen albums kenmerken heeft <strong>Rising</strong><br />
<strong>Tide</strong> ookʼ, schrijft Ben Ackermans in zijn<br />
recensie. En hij vervolgt: ʻWaarbij in<br />
Masangango de geest van Salif Keita<br />
rondwaart, Nimukonda een stomende reggae<br />
is, en Misozi de jit van Zimbabwe en de soukous van Congo vermengt. Een pan-<br />
Afrikaans product zou je deze cd kunnen noemen, maar ook weer niet helemaal:<br />
van een portie latin is de band evenmin vies. En ook niet van een discobeat,<br />
getuige slotnummer Welelye (met bassolo). Zoʼn groep die een divers publiek in<br />
de benen kan krijgen – en met dit materiaal moet dat lukken – kun je er op een<br />
festival wel bij ! hebben.ʼ Aanstaande zaterdag speelt <strong>Mokoomba</strong> op Music<br />
Meeting in Nijmegen en in juni op Couleur Café in Brussel. Luister naar<br />
fragmenten van elke track op de homepage van MixedWorldMusic.com, en<br />
beluister het album op Spotify. En lees hier de volledige recensie.
<strong>Mokoomba</strong><br />
bereikt de<br />
‘<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>’<br />
juli 3, 2012 //<br />
http://www.mattiepoels.nl/2012/07/mokoomba-bereikt-de-rising-tide/#more-287<br />
De groep <strong>Mokoomba</strong> bestaat<br />
uit zes Zimbabwaanse jonge<br />
mannen die het symbool<br />
vormen van talent, energie<br />
en doorzettingsvermogen.<br />
Ze behoren tot<br />
de tonga minderheid,<br />
groeien op in de Victoria<br />
Falls regio en vormen zo<br />
een metafoor voor een<br />
bruisende groep muzikanten.<br />
Zanger Mathias Muzaza is de initiator van de groep, wordt<br />
geboren uit Angolese en Zambiaanse ouders en groeit op in<br />
Zuid-Afrika. Spreekt inmiddels zes talen en is een lopende<br />
Afrikaanse muziek encyclopedie.<strong>Mokoomba</strong> wordt opgericht in<br />
2001 en geeft na zes jaar hun eerste<br />
concert tijdens het Music<br />
Crossroads Lokale Festival in<br />
Bulawayo. Een jaar later speelt<br />
de groep tijdens het Music<br />
Crossroads Interregionale Festival in<br />
Malawi; een contest waar ze de<br />
eerste prijs<br />
winnen, wat hun een Europese toer oplevert waaronder<br />
ook een concert in Amsterdam en een hypermix van DJ<br />
Gregoer Salto van hun track‘Messe Messe’ van hun debuut<br />
cd ‘Kweseka’ uit 2009.<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> laat op hun tweede cd ‘<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>’ opwindende<br />
muziek horen in een mix van Zuid-Afrikaanse melodieën en<br />
harmonieën, Afro-Beat flarden en West Afrikaanse ritmen<br />
waaronder de soukous. ZangerMathias Muzaza valt op door<br />
zijn warme, innemende en overtuigende stem waarbij de<br />
coherente samenzang zorgt voor een warme bries die door<br />
de cd laveert en je migreert door het rijke Afrika. Stevige<br />
blazerspartijen, gemuteerde (gedempte) gitaarpartijen, strakke<br />
percussie en (blazers) solo’s zorgen daarbij voor een cd die<br />
weliswaar niet tijdloos is, maar zeer de moeite waard!<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> wordt bijgestaan door een dozijn gastmusici,<br />
werd opgenomen in Brussel, Harare (Zimbabwe) en Abidjan<br />
(Ivoorkust) en geproduceerd door de bassiste Manou Gallo -ex<br />
Zap-Mama- (1972/Ivoorkust) die met haar cd ‘Lowlin” een<br />
wereldse stempel zette op de Ivoriaanse muziek.
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> - <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong><br />
Igloo Mondo / Xango<br />
Vermaledijde visumperikelen hielden <strong>Mokoomba</strong><br />
vorig jaar weg uit Nederland. Dit jaar is het anders: de<br />
jonge Zimbabwaanse groep staat zaterdag 26 mei op<br />
de Music Meeting in Nijmegen. Met in de achterzak<br />
de eerste volwaardige cd. Nadat <strong>Mokoomba</strong> in 2008<br />
de talentenjacht Music Crossroads Southern Africa<br />
won, leken alle deuren voor het zestal open te gaan.<br />
Dat viel dus nog vies tegen. Maar met <strong>Rising</strong><br />
<strong>Tide</strong> als visitekaartje lijkt er nu toch veel mogelijk. De Ivoriaanse zangeres en bassiste<br />
Manou Gallo is de producer en muzikale leidsvrouw van deze in Harare, Abidjan en Brussel<br />
opgenomen plaat. De Afrikaanse verscheidenheid en de gedreven ritmes die haar eigen<br />
albums kenmerken heeft <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> ook. Keyboards bepalen het geluid soms vooral, en<br />
de ruwe keelstem van Mathias Muzaza is opmerkelijk. Dertien gastmuzikanten dragen bij<br />
aan elf volle, maar onderscheidende nummers. Waarbij in Masangango de geest van Salif<br />
Keita rondwaart, Nimukonda een stomende reggae is, en Misozi de jit van Zimbabwe en de<br />
soukous van Congo vermengt. Een pan-Afrikaans product zou je deze cd kunnen noemen,<br />
maar ook weer niet helemaal: van een portie latin is de band evenmin vies. En ook niet van<br />
een discobeat, getuige slotnummer Welelye (met bassolo). Zo’n groep die een divers publiek in<br />
de benen kan krijgen – en met dit materiaal moet dat lukken – kun je er op een festival wel bij<br />
hebben. (Ben Ackermans)<br />
May 2012<br />
http://mixedworldmusic.com/recensies.php?id=535&offset=5&poffset=0
http://www.mixedworldmusic.com/nieuws/newsItem.php?n01ID=10633
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> – <strong>Rising</strong> tide<br />
Geplaatst: 24 oktober 2012, laatst bewerkt: 22/10/2012 Eelco Schilder Reageer<br />
<strong>Rising</strong> tide<br />
(Zig zag world IGL235 / www.zigzagworld.be)<br />
<strong>Rising</strong> tide is het tweede album van de groep <strong>Mokoomba</strong> uit Zimbabwe. Dit sextet ontwikkelt<br />
zich langzaam maar zeker als één van de belangrijkste vertegenwoordigers van het<br />
hedendaagse Afro-fusie geluid. Samen met maar liefst dertien gastmuzikanten weet de band<br />
een opzwepend geluid neer te zetten. Toch valt op dat de groep vooral teruggrijpt op de<br />
bekendere Afro-fusie geluiden en maar in een enkel nummer, zoals in het ijzersterke<br />
openingsnummer Njoka, echt de verbinding weet te leggen met de hedendaagse<br />
muziekstromingen. Dat neemt niet weg dat dit nieuwe album een uitstekende band laat horen,<br />
maar het zijn juist die uitschieters richting meer eigentijdse klanken die laten horen dat er nog<br />
een wereld aan mogelijkheden open ligt. Heerlijke plaat met bij vlagen uitstekende moderne<br />
Afro-fusie muziek.<br />
http://www.newfolksounds.nl/mokoomba-rising-tide/cds-kort/2012
jueves, 15 de noviembre de 2012<br />
MOKOOMBA ''RISING TIDE'' (ZIMBABWE,2012)<br />
(Gracias, MARHALI!!)<br />
New hotshots of pan-African funkiness<br />
Hearing this new album by Zimbabwean funksters <strong>Mokoomba</strong> for<br />
the first time is a truly exciting experience, on a par with first coming<br />
across Congolese rapper-musician Baloji or Guinean kora rock<br />
band Ba Cissoko. The opening bars of the first track, ‘Njoka’,<br />
featuring the scratchy-but-melodic vocals of lead singer Mathias<br />
Muzaza, strident salsa piano chords, Congolese guitar riffs and a<br />
full-on brass section, will burst open your ears. And it only gets<br />
better.<br />
‘Masangango’ opens with some desert blues riffs that sit beautifully<br />
alongside the half-singing, half-rapping vocals that pour from the<br />
singer’s mouth. A steady knocking of a drumstick and the tinkling of<br />
bells and beats keep the song in check, though the pent-up energy<br />
threatens to burst the dam. ‘Mwile’ is Afro-salsa that could have<br />
come out of West Africa, sitting at odds with the southern African<br />
vocals and keeping the listener intrigued. ‘Nimukonda’ is much<br />
more southern African in style, finally belying the group’s roots<br />
(though with an unexpected leap into a sweet ska-reggae beat).<br />
Lead vocalist Muzaza grew up in Zimbabwe of Angolan-Zambian<br />
parents, part of the Tonga ethnic group who have their own distinct<br />
music and language. Much of this music draws on those influences,<br />
but these are also tracks with an urban edge and a truly pan-<br />
African sound in the best of ways. The music is bursting with raw<br />
energy and humour and is tied together excellently by the<br />
production and multi-instrumental skills of Ivorian bassist Manou Gallo, who plays on much of the CD.<br />
This is one album not to miss.<br />
Words by Rose Skelton<br />
<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong><br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong><br />
Reviewed by Banning Eyre<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> is quite simply the most impressive band Zimbabwe has produced in recent memory.<br />
Surprisingly, its members do not hail from the country’s Shona majority—like iconic bandleader/songwriters<br />
Thomas Mapfumo and Oliver Mtukudzi—or even the large Ndebele population in the south. Rather, these<br />
six musicians come<br />
from the tiny Tonga minority. The Tonga lived along the banks of the Zambezi River (bordering Zambia to<br />
the north) until most were driven to higher, and dryer, ground by flooding that created Lake Kariba. But<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong>, formed in 2001, do not dwell on the Tonga’s tragic past. Instead, they trumpet the energy and<br />
dynamism of their region’s best known geographic feature, the august Victoria Falls. That’s the kind of<br />
energy and confidence this band wants to project, and on <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, they succeed mightily.
Lead singer Mathias Muzaza has been all over<br />
southern Africa, absorbing music and culture. He<br />
speaks 6 languages, and sings with a sharp,<br />
clear voice capable of gale force exertions we<br />
might expect to hear from a West African griot.<br />
Muzaza and guitarist/singer Trustworth<br />
Samende wrote most of the 12 songs on the CD,<br />
which range from funky rap, to expert<br />
Congolese grooves, including quasi-reggae and<br />
even a Latin tune along the way. You won’t hear<br />
any of the sounds generally associated with<br />
Zimbabwe—no mbiras, marimbas, or Ladysmithstyle<br />
choral work. Although <strong>Mokoomba</strong> exploit<br />
Tonga rhythms and melodies, they are out to<br />
create a global fusion, a music rooted in their<br />
home reality while still open to the sounds of the<br />
world.<br />
After winning awards in Zimbabwe, recording a<br />
debut CD and touring Europe in 2009 and ‘10,<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> caught the ear of ace Cote D’Ivoirian<br />
bass maestro and producer Manu Gallo. Gallo is<br />
a veteran of Kiyi M’Bock, Zap Mama, and has<br />
released a number of fantastic solo CDs in her<br />
own right. She produced <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, and her<br />
savvy judgment and familiarity with high-end<br />
Afropop production help to make every track<br />
shimmer.<br />
“Njoka,” the title track, is a brilliant mash-up of<br />
beat box vocals, warm guitar riffing, and punchy<br />
percussion and brass work, all backing Muzaza’s<br />
edgy lead vocal and rich layers of backing vocals<br />
from the rest of group. This band can sing, and<br />
they prove it on every track. For a taste, check<br />
out the video of “Njoka”, which presents an intriguing black-and-white look at downtown Harare after more<br />
than a decade of economic decline. “Mwile” is the Latin track, and Muzaza’s keening vocal works<br />
beautifully in this context. “Misozi” explores the Congo connection, beginning with folksy acoustic guitar<br />
picking reminiscent of the old copperbelt pickers (from the Zambia/Congo border). Later, the song revs into<br />
full Congo pop mode, with animated stop time riffs, sweetly soaring guitar leads, and great rhythm<br />
breakdowns. “Nimukonda” nods to melodious old-school reggae, and then rough-and-ready dancehall.<br />
The sheer density of ideas in this session is impressive, but it never feels like the musicians are merely<br />
checking off stylistic boxes. Their commitment and verve enlivens every performance, right up to the clubby<br />
crescendo, “Weleye,” where Gallo’s suave production touch is once again a unmistakable and powerful<br />
asset.<br />
This is an A+ international debut from a band nobody saw coming. Reports are they are even better<br />
onstage. In all, <strong>Mokoomba</strong>, riding their own rising tide, are the best news we have heard out of Zimbabwe<br />
in years.<br />
http://afrocubanlatinjazz4.blogspot.be/2012/11/mokoomba-rising-tide-zimbabwe2012-192k.html
By Rose Skelton in Dakar, Belinda Otas in London, Glenna Gordon in Lagos, Billie<br />
McTernan in Paris, Alexander Macbeth in Berlin, Parselelo Kantai in Nairobi<br />
For Africa, 2012 was a year of sporting triumph, as men and women brought home medals<br />
galore from the Olympic and Paralympic games. Kenyan David Rudisha smashed the 800m<br />
world record<br />
and Botswana won its first medal, a silver for Nijel Amos. The Olympics turned the world’s<br />
attention to theatre too, with a ground-breaking run for African theatre companies staging<br />
Shakespearean plays in indigenous languages at The Globe in London, something that will return<br />
in 2013 for a longer run. In music, the Zimbabwean musicians of <strong>Mokoomba</strong> made a feisty<br />
international release with the much-applauded <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, and in film Senegal had some hefty<br />
releases including La Pirogue and Tey.
Igloo/Discovery Records<br />
An excellent new album by a young band from Zimbabwe, a country that was a powerhouse of<br />
African music back in the 1980s. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> are from Victoria Falls in the north, and they blend<br />
local Tonga and global influences in their varied, self-written songs. <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> starts out with<br />
the furious Njoka, including funk and rap elements, and is helped along by excellent guitar work<br />
from Trustworth Samende. Lead singer Mathias Muzaza demonstrates his powerful vocals in<br />
soulful songs that echo the country's greatest musical hero, Oliver Mtukudzi, before switching<br />
direction to bring in West African and Latin sounds, plus a dash of reggae. The impressive<br />
production is by Manou Gallo from the Ivory Coast, who once played bass for Zap Mama; here<br />
she adds keyboards and fills out the sound by using 13 guest musicians, playing everything<br />
from brass to kora and cello.<br />
August 23 2012<br />
http://artswrap.co.uk/article/mokoomba-rising-tide-review
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> Are Fucking Ace<br />
Does my pretty little head in (it doesnʼt take Bletchley Parkʼs Lost Heroes to figure<br />
out that thatʼs code for “ugly little head in”) that year in year out #aoty charts totally,<br />
utterly & completely ignore African music.<br />
I know what youʼre thinking, youʼre thinking “What do I expect in a year bereft of a<br />
Tinariwen release”. And I guess youʼre probably right but Iʼd have thought the Staff<br />
Benda Bilili album Bouger Le Monde would have received some signal considering<br />
that the doc about them was so popular (albeit back in 2011). And everyoneʼs<br />
familiar with Toumani Diabate & Amadou & Mariam arenʼt they? And how about The<br />
Malawi Mouse Boys - theyʼre repped by the same people who ʻdoʼ Tinariwen so<br />
news of their album must have dropped in most music critics / journalist inboxes<br />
surely? And their album is not only magic but writing about them is so easy because<br />
of the story about how they got their name.<br />
“Ack Ack” anyway, as they say, itʼs hardly like it used to be during African musicʼs<br />
heyday when Peel was pushing Zimbabwean music like there were no tomorrow &<br />
Andy Kershaw had a weekly show on Radio 1.<br />
I may do a quick top 10 African / Roots albums before the yearʼs out but till then<br />
hereʼs one of my favourite releases of such this year, <strong>Mokoomba</strong>ʼs <strong>Rising</strong><br />
<strong>Tide</strong> (Igloo).<br />
http://dbigcrux.tumblr.com/
Mookomba - <strong>Rising</strong><br />
Between Zimbabwe and Zambia lies a region of abundant wildlife known as the<br />
Victoria Falls. It is an impressive swallow dive of the Zambezi river, a natural border<br />
between the two countries and a crossroads for many ethnic groups of Austral Africa<br />
of which stand out the Tonga people. The music brought to us by a young sextet called<br />
Mookomba, just like this landscape, is refreshing and torrential. And the release of<br />
their second album, "<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>", confirms all the expectations raised by their 2009<br />
first album.<br />
The outfit is back this time under the artistic direction of renowned Ivory Coast bass<br />
player, Manou Gallo, who brings jazzy, funk and afro-groove arrangements into the<br />
production. To these are added soukous and Afro-Latin sonorities. The result is a very<br />
versatile cocktail full of enthusiasm but which doesn’t neglect the instrumentation nor its<br />
socially relevant lyrics.<br />
Since mid-May they have embarked on a European tour that will take them to Germany,<br />
Belgium, Hungary or Russia. Convincing and charismatic just like its leader, composer<br />
and singer Mathias Muzzaza, who speaks no less than six African languages, “<strong>Rising</strong><br />
<strong>Tide</strong>” shows us that, from a remote region of Zimbabwe, it’s possible to make music just<br />
July 15 2012<br />
http://www.groovalizacion.com/article4987.html?lang=es
Reviews<br />
Stuart James<br />
<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> ~ <strong>Mokoomba</strong><br />
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful<br />
Excellent pan-African album, November 22, 2012<br />
A great album by a Zimbabwe band, with excellent contemporary production values (the album was produced in a way that suits both<br />
the dance floor and headphones: the production does not detract from the sound of the band or the African musical ethos). The CD<br />
has some high energy dance tunes, and draws on a wide range of African musical styles to create a refreshingly vibrant mix of<br />
uplifting sound. While some of the music may seem familiar, it is put together in, arguably, quite a different way, mixing up styles<br />
from all over the continent: and it is brilliantly done. A lot of fun, and a CD that rewards listen after listen with new nuances and<br />
depths. Highly recommended.<br />
http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2JILZPZTQ11JB/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp
Show Review: <strong>Mokoomba</strong>’s rising tide floods London thepeopleshub.com<br />
Show Review: <strong>Mokoomba</strong>’s<br />
rising tide floods London<br />
http://thepeopleshub.com/?p=2046<br />
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FOR the opening number, Mathias Muzaza makes a deliberate and<br />
instantly transfixing late entrance onto the stage. The little frontman of<br />
the six-man troupe of Zimbabwe’s real hope for musical renaissance on<br />
the global arena, is a bobbing canister of energy, boundless aura and<br />
unabashed pizzazz as he takes to the stage.<br />
Muzaza quickly sets up a festal atmosphere, introducing his band, and<br />
for the next hour and a half of non-stop jamming, repeatedly makes it<br />
known to his audience that this chart-topping band is “from lovely<br />
Africa, lovely Zimbabwe!”<br />
Their free gig at the South Bank’s Queen Elizabeth Hall on Friday<br />
night was jam-packed; and to the troupe, its was clear that the novelty<br />
of a huge, multiple-stop tour had long worn-off. Hailing from the<br />
tourist town of Victoria Falls on Zimbabwe’s horned North-Western<br />
border tip with Zambia, Botswana and Namibia, the collective have<br />
adhered to the artistic integrity of expressing their music in the<br />
“minority languages” of the communities they grew up in. Songs off<br />
<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> are sung in Tonga, Nyanja, and Chokwe.<br />
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2012 from TweetDeck<br />
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Meeting <strong>Mokoomba</strong> in London<br />
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2012 from Posterous<br />
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Show Review: <strong>Mokoomba</strong>’s rising tide floods London thepeopleshub.com<br />
Unheralded at home for having a limited connection with fans for not<br />
having songs in the main national languages, Shona or Ndebele, one<br />
would hope that, after their European tour success, <strong>Mokoomba</strong> will<br />
finally become the proverbial prophets who find honour at home. This,<br />
the group is well aware of, as our podcast below reveals (do hit the play<br />
button).<br />
Its been close to three decades since Zimbabwe had a group that caused<br />
such global excitement with the Chinhoyi quartet of the Bhundu<br />
Boys, and early signs suggest that <strong>Mokoomba</strong> are worthy heirs.<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong>’s music takes chunks of West African influences courtesy of<br />
<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>’s Ivorian producer, Manou Gallo; while traces of<br />
Reggae, and Congolese Soukous are also commonplace. On stage,<br />
Muzaza’s vocal range is at times a cloned match of the legendary Salif<br />
Keita’s boom; and occasionally a reminder of Papa Wemba ‘s honeyencrusted<br />
voice.<br />
Yet neither of the two greats would match this pint-sized maestro-inthe-making,<br />
for deft footwork.<br />
Influences<br />
I spoke to <strong>Mokoomba</strong>’s bassist and spokesman, Abundance Mutori<br />
soon after the show. Below is what he had to say:<br />
play audio pause audio<br />
Meeting <strong>Mokoomba</strong> in<br />
London<br />
makiwahenry<br />
0:00<br />
/<br />
5:00<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> last week took the number one spot of the iTunes World<br />
music charts, for their sophomore album, <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>. The<br />
accomplishment came as they were mid-way of a whirlwind tour of<br />
Europe which has seen them rock gigs in Greece, Belgium, Switzerland,<br />
Italy and the UK.<br />
http://thepeopleshub.com/?p=2046<br />
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after #Obama fever fades<br />
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2012 from TweetDeck<br />
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August 2012<br />
http://www.songlines.co.uk/topoftheworld/top-of-the-world.php?id=72
<strong>Mokoomba</strong>: <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> – review<br />
Igloo/Discovery Records<br />
An excellent new album by a young band from<br />
Zimbabwe, a country that was a powerhouse<br />
of African music back in the 1980s. <strong>Mokoomba</strong><br />
are from Victoria Falls in the north, and they<br />
blend local Tonga and global influences in their<br />
varied, self-written songs. <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> starts<br />
out with the furious Njoka, including funk and<br />
rap elements, and is helped along by excellent<br />
guitar work from Trustworth Samende. Lead<br />
singer Mathias Muzaza demonstrates his<br />
powerful vocals in soulful songs that echo<br />
the country's greatest musical hero, Oliver<br />
Mtukudzi, before switching direction to bring<br />
in West African and Latin sounds, plus a dash<br />
of reggae. The impressive production is by<br />
Manou Gallo from the Ivory Coast, who once<br />
played bass for Zap Mama; here she adds<br />
keyboards and fills out the sound by using 13<br />
guest musicians, playing everything from brass<br />
to kora and cello.<br />
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/aug/23/mokoomba-rising-tise-review?newsfeed=true
<strong>Mokoomba</strong>: Freshly Ground<br />
Mookomba is a freshly ground music group from Zimbabwe,<br />
currently touring Europe promoting their latest effort,<br />
<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>.This group of six energetic young men, is<br />
quickly becoming a force to reckon with on the<br />
international music scene, having already made waves in<br />
their homeland.<br />
Banning Eyre from Afripop Woldwide reviewed their album,<br />
stating: “<strong>Mokoomba</strong> is quite simply the most impressive<br />
band Zimbabwe has produced in recent memory…”!<br />
Songline Magazine‘ a U.K publication is hailing them as the<br />
‘New hotshots of funkiness’.This album has been well<br />
received, judging from the out-pour of glowing reviews<br />
from different quarters.<br />
They are part of ‘The New African Sound’ aptly described by<br />
African Unsigned -a young generation of African artistes<br />
with authentic sounds.Their tonga rhythms are highly<br />
intoxicating, captivating, and reminiscent of an era when they did this, to say the least. Their track Messe<br />
Messe is what caught my attention. One word, enthralling. You should see their live performances, ai ai ai!!<br />
What are you waiting for? Click on for more juice with an exclusive from the bass guitarist, Abundance<br />
Mutori.<br />
54interviews: What does the name <strong>Mokoomba</strong> mean?<br />
AM:The word <strong>Mokoomba</strong> is a concept. It signifies the Zambezi River as the vibrant source of life for the<br />
Tonga people and our culture as our provider of food, water and recreation.<br />
54interviews: There are six members in the band, how did<br />
you guys connect? What is the role of each member of the<br />
group?<br />
AM: All of the six band members come from Victoria Falls<br />
and Binga in Zimbabwe: Mathias Muzaza is lead vocalist,<br />
Abundance Mutori the bass guitarist, Trustworth Samende<br />
the lead guitarist, Coster Moyo the drummer, Donald Moyo<br />
the keyboardist and Miti Mugande the percussion player.<br />
AM: We all live in the same neighborhood in Victoria Falls<br />
and have known each other since school days. We formed<br />
the band in 2007 and in 2008, we learnt of a great contest
for young up-coming musicians in called Music Crossroads Southern Africa that we entered. We were<br />
lucky to win in Zimbabwe and went on to compete regionally with the best bands of other Southern<br />
African countries (Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique). We came first there also. The grand<br />
prize was a European tour, an opportunity to record our first six track album Kweseka (Drifting Ahead)<br />
as well as several intensive workshops with professional coaches led by Zig Zag World’s Poney Gross,<br />
to prepare us for the tour.This was the first big stepping-stone for the band.<br />
54interviews: What would you categorize your music’s genre as being?<br />
AM: We call our music Afro-Fusion. We fuse our Tonga beats with funk, reggae, Latin touches and pop<br />
influence, blended in with a distinctive <strong>Mokoomba</strong> groove and lyrical content. Mathias Muzaza’s unique<br />
vocal talent is another key element. It is unmistakable; it comes from the depth of our spiritual<br />
tradition and touches deeply the soul of audiences all over.<br />
54interviews: Oliver Mtukudzi is the godfather of the Zimbabwe music scene, but you guys have come<br />
through with so much gusto and fervor, with your captivating Tonga rhythms, seeming as if ready to<br />
take over the reigning mantle from him.(my opinion) How has the reception been in Zimbabwe?<br />
AM: We do not see ourselves as taking over Oliver’s crown as such. Oliver is a legend of an older<br />
generation and we have a lot of respect for his achievements. I think our aim is to show how rich and<br />
diverse Zimbabwean cultural traditions are beyond the familiar mbira, chimurenga and jit rhythms and<br />
to expand audiences and tastes for contemporary Zimbabwean music. Initially, the fact that we don’t<br />
sing in Shona language (the majority language) was a surprise to audiences, but over the past couple<br />
of years we have been gaining ground rapidly. We have been fortunate to have support from our peers,<br />
the local press as well as radio and television. This has been followed up with invitations to take part<br />
in major concerts and festivals in different parts of the country. Home base support is very important<br />
for us because that is the foundation for our creativity so we are very happy and hope to keep it<br />
growing.<br />
54interviews: Messe Messe, the track featuring DJ Gregor Salto produced by Africa Unsigned for the<br />
Stand Up Take Action –End Poverty Campaign 2009” was what got my attention initially. What does it<br />
mean (message)?<br />
AM: ” Messe Messe” means “Everyone”. It is a simple message – a call for action for people to stand as<br />
one in the fight against poverty. Together we are strong.<br />
54interviews: <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> is the name of your latest album, what is the inspiration behind the title?<br />
AM: The title of our new album “<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>” shows the evolution of the band over the years. We<br />
started doing music together and it best describes the growth of the band physically, mentally and<br />
above all musically. The title also captures how we are becoming stronger, our reach is becoming<br />
wider and our confidence about engaging wider and wider audiences is also rising. Thanks to Celine Le<br />
Provost, our manger’s assistant for coining this title J.<br />
54interviews: The album is linguistically diverse as there are multiple languages represented<br />
throughout your album such as “Chokwe” from Angola, “Lubale” from Zambia. This of course, makes<br />
your sounds the more appealing outside of Zim borders. How are you guys able to sing so fluidly in<br />
other languages? Has this fluidity translated to recognition in the countries that these languages<br />
originate?<br />
AM: The town of Victoria Falls is located on the border with Botswana, Namibia and Zambia also very<br />
close to Angola. All the people in this region are raised to understand and speak all of the regional<br />
languages because we interact with everyone there. Mathias’ parents for example come from Zambia<br />
and Angola increasing his ability to write songs in those languages. This is part of our culture and<br />
whether we sing in Lubale, Tonga, Chokwe, and Ndebele we are bringing the traditions and beauty of
the languages and the cultures into the music. Our ability to communicate is no doubt a huge<br />
advantage when we play in regional festivals or seek airplay. However, we believe that the power of<br />
the music carries us further than the language because we have seen how well audiences in Europe<br />
respond to our music even without knowledge of any of our languages and the same is true in other<br />
parts of the world.<br />
54interviews: Manou Gallo produced your latest album. She is the production force behind such names<br />
as Kiyi M’Bock and Zap Mama. How did you guys link up with her?<br />
AM: We first met Manou Gallo in 2008, the time we won the Music Crossroads Southern Africa<br />
competition in Malawi. She really loved our music and we developed a warm relationship from then<br />
onwards. In 2010, we did a main-stage collaboration with Manou as part of the Harare International<br />
Festival of the Arts. So, when we started working on our new CD with Zig Zag World, Poney suggested<br />
Manou Gallo as producer and of course we said yes! For us it was a great opportunity to work with<br />
such a great musician with a lot of ideas and experience. She understands our music very well and she<br />
did an amazing job!!!<br />
54interviews: Since May, the band has been on a European tour promoting the album, gracing stages in<br />
Russia, Finland, Austria etc. How has the reception been in these countries? Where do you get the<br />
most extreme love, and shrieks from girls?<br />
AM: We had concerts in nine different countries namely Belgium, Holland, Germany, Serbia, Hungary,<br />
Macedonia, Austria, Russia and Finland during our last tour. I am happy to say that in all theses<br />
countries we were given a warm reception, meeting friendly people and had wonderful audiences for<br />
all our performances. So far however, we have had (extreme love and shrieks from girls) in Buryatia in<br />
Russia, where we played at the Voice of the Nomads Festival in Ulan-Ude, we would love to return<br />
there soon J!!<br />
54interviews: You guys have generated a lot of buzz in the European performance circuit, having had<br />
three successful tours. What do you attribute to this success? How have you guys been able to sustain<br />
this momentum?<br />
AM: I would say our success has been largely due to the uniqueness of our music, our high-energy<br />
stage performance, the band’s cohesion and unity and the dedication and skill of our international<br />
management company Zig Zag World, always working to expand and develop our audiences across all<br />
parts of Europe. There are not many bands from Southern Africa touring Europe so we are honored<br />
when a lot of people tell us that we giving a breath of fresh air to African music. The successful<br />
European tours have been an eye opener for us as a band and have helped us increase our confidence<br />
and musicianship; these are assets that will help us sustain the momentum.<br />
54interviews: The group is currently managed by Zig Zag World, whose roster of clients is legendary,<br />
to include Guinean Djembe Master Mamady Keita among other notable names. Give us a brief rundown<br />
of how this client/management relationship came to be.<br />
AM: We first met Poney Gross in 2008 when we won Music Crossroads Competition in Malawi. We<br />
worked with him as coach and trainer and recorded our first CD inside the Music Crossroads program.<br />
This gave us time to get to know and appreciate each other and the management relationship became<br />
a natural extension of our collaborations. Poney believes in us and he loves our music, which is very<br />
important for us.<br />
We know through Poney that Mamady Keita is a big fan of <strong>Mokoomba</strong>. Although, we have not had the<br />
chance to meet him directly as yet we are sure this will happen soon! Thanks to Mamady, one of his<br />
band members, djembefola Babara Bangoura, played djembe on <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, which is wonderful.
54interviews: Your album, <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> has gotten rave reviews, from all quarters imaginable. Have you<br />
been nominated for any local/regional (African), or international music awards?<br />
AM: Yes, it has been amazing to see the fantastic reviews we got for the CD, we could not hope for<br />
better! Although we have not received any accolades yet, we feel the biggest recognition we have<br />
gotten so far is to be selected to showcase as part of Moshito 2012 in South Africa and WOMEX 2012<br />
in Greece, given the competition. We just want to keep working hard; the main satisfaction for us is our<br />
work on stage and audience support.<br />
54interviews: The artwork cover for your CD is dope, who is responsible for that creation?<br />
AM: The artwork for the album is a team effort. Marcus Gora, our manager in Africa, who wanted to<br />
capture the personality of each musician, took the photos for the cover and Spanish graphic designer<br />
Luis Umbria put together a collage and the colors to reflect the title and the spirit of the album. Luis<br />
was selected by Poney for his previous work with another Zig Zag World artist: Ialma.<br />
54interviews: One of the top billed arts festivals in Zimbabwe, HIFA is an important platform for<br />
Zimbabwe’s artistes, in which you guys have appeared on for several performances. Aside, from the<br />
exposure, what else have you guys gained from being a part of this annual, six day arts program?<br />
AM: HIFA is the biggest international festival in Zimbabwe. Taking part has given us confidence that<br />
we have the standard to perform at the highest level and also gave us an opportunity to create exciting<br />
new collaborations on stage. In 2012, we developed a unique performance with Gregor Salto, which<br />
became the toast of the festival and showed local audiences how far local music can go.<br />
54interviews: When can we expect you in the U.S.?<br />
AM: Of course, for us the U.S. is a very important territory and it is a priority for our future tours. We<br />
know that Zimbabwean music is well appreciated there. We have also received fantastic reviews about<br />
our CD in important music blogs like Afropop Worldwide (Banning Eyre) and several radio stations like<br />
First World Music (Akena. Hammagaadji), Africa Mix (Emmanuel Nado), Bonjour Africa (Bouna Ndiaye)<br />
and KAOS-fm (Scott Stevens) are already playing our songs and supporting our music. Our<br />
management is working hard to organize a tour for late 2013, but it is certain by 2014 we would have<br />
made it! In the mean time, enjoy the music video for our song titled Njoka J that gives you a window<br />
into our capital city of Harare today.<br />
54interviews: Parting shot. Anything else you would like your fans to know?<br />
AM: <strong>Mokoomba</strong> is not just a band; it is an experience and a roller coaster ride for us and for audiences.<br />
We love what we do and we take everyone with us. Once you have had the <strong>Mokoomba</strong> experience, you<br />
won’t want to do without it! So Get Ready!<br />
http://54interviews.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/mokoomba-freshly-ground/#respond
<strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong><br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong><br />
Reviewed by Banning Eyre<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> is quite simply the most impressive band Zimbabwe has produced in recent memory.<br />
Surprisingly, its members do not hail from the country’s Shona majority—like iconic bandleader/<br />
songwriters Thomas Mapfumo and Oliver Mtukudzi—or even the large Ndebele population in the<br />
south. Rather, these six musicians come from the tiny Tonga minority. The Tonga lived along the<br />
banks of the Zambezi River (bordering Zambia to the north) until most were driven to higher, and<br />
dryer, ground by flooding that created Lake Kariba. But <strong>Mokoomba</strong>, formed in 2001, do not dwell<br />
on the Tonga’s tragic past. Instead, they trumpet the energy and dynamism of their region’s best<br />
known geographic feature, the august Victoria Falls. That’s the kind of energy and confidence this<br />
band wants to project, and on <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, they succeed mightily.<br />
Lead singer Mathias Muzaza has been all over southern Africa, absorbing music and culture.<br />
He speaks 6 languages, and sings with a sharp, clear voice capable of gale force exertions<br />
we might expect to hear from a West African griot. Muzaza and guitarist/singer Trustworth<br />
Samende wrote most of the 12 songs on the CD, which range from funky rap, to expert Congolese<br />
grooves, including quasi-reggae and even a Latin tune along the way. You won’t hear any of the<br />
sounds generally associated with Zimbabwe—no mbiras, marimbas, or Ladysmith-style choral<br />
work. Although <strong>Mokoomba</strong> exploit Tonga rhythms and melodies, they are out to create a global<br />
fusion, a music rooted in their home reality while still open to the sounds of the world.<br />
After winning awards in Zimbabwe, recording a debut CD and touring Europe in 2009 and ‘10,<br />
<strong>Mokoomba</strong> caught the ear of ace Cote D’Ivoirian bass maestro and producer Manu Gallo. Gallo is<br />
a veteran of Kiyi M’Bock, Zap Mama, and has released a number of fantastic solo CDs in her own<br />
right. She produced <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>, and her savvy judgment and familiarity with high-end Afropop<br />
production help to make every track shimmer.<br />
“Njoka,” the title track, is a brilliant mash-up of beat box vocals, warm guitar riffing, and punchy<br />
percussion and brass work, all backing Muzaza’s edgy lead vocal and rich layers of backing vocals<br />
from the rest of group. This band can sing, and they prove it on every track. For a taste, check<br />
out the video of “Njoka”, which presents an intriguing black-and-white look at downtown Harare<br />
after more than a decade of economic decline. “Mwile” is the Latin track, and Muzaza’s keening<br />
vocal works beautifully in this context. “Misozi” explores the Congo connection, beginning with<br />
folksy acoustic guitar picking reminiscent of the old copperbelt pickers (from the Zambia/Congo<br />
border). Later, the song revs into full Congo pop mode, with animated stop time riffs, sweetly<br />
soaring guitar leads, and great rhythm breakdowns. “Nimukonda” nods to melodious old-school<br />
reggae, and then rough-and-ready dancehall.<br />
The sheer density of ideas in this session is impressive, but it never feels like the musicians are<br />
merely checking off stylistic boxes. Their commitment and verve enlivens every performance,<br />
right up to the clubby crescendo, “Weleye,” where Gallo’s suave production touch is once again a<br />
unmistakable and powerful asset.<br />
This is an A+ international debut from a band nobody saw coming. Reports are they are even<br />
better onstage. In all, <strong>Mokoomba</strong>, riding their own rising tide, are the best news we have heard<br />
out of Zimbabwe in years.<br />
http://www.afropop.org/wp/4453/mokoomba-rising-tide/<br />
August 6, 2012
Hello African Music lovers,<br />
Our latest playlist & audio file are posted. Thanks to <strong>Mokoomba</strong> for our CD of the week.<br />
Their new CD, <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong> is a splendid document. The music is strong, modern, rooted in Africa & spiked<br />
with the spice of Latin, soukous, reggae, palm wine and other influences. The production too is superb.<br />
Manou Gallo becomes one of that rare breed in music, a woman who produces an album for a man or<br />
an all male group. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> are from Zimbabwe. They are comprised of 6 young men, in their twenties<br />
perhaps. The lead singer’s voice is a strong instrument, masculine, with a hint of a rasp. He doesn’t<br />
decorate his melody lines with lots of noticeable technique but no one listing can doubt his capacity to<br />
deliver exciting, rousing vocals. They group might remind some of the Bhundu Boys only because they<br />
are 6 young men from Zimbabwe who play exciting music and display their professionalism via their<br />
choreographed stage presence. Unlike the Bhundu Boys though, <strong>Mokoomba</strong> members sing in Chi-Tonga,<br />
not Shona. And there is scant reference to jit or chimurenga in their repertoire. All in all, I’m very excited<br />
for the prospects for this group & I hope they go far. And hopefully, unlike the Bhundu boys, they can resist<br />
the temptations of fame and stay focused, sober & practice modesty & safe sexual behaviours. How can<br />
forget that all but one of the Bhundus dies of Aids and the lead singer took his own life before Aids could.<br />
I sincerely wish <strong>Mokoomba</strong> would avoid all these pitfalls. If they do, a long and successful career can be<br />
April 22 2012<br />
www.firstworldmusic.org/2-playlist.html
HOME / THE MUSIC CLUB : NEW ALBUMS DISSECTED OVER EMAIL.<br />
The Music Club, 2012<br />
Entry 3: Should we be suspicious of hipsters’ newfound love of R&B?<br />
From: Jason King|Posted Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012, at 11:12 AM ET<br />
(…) Though there’s a surfeit of great albums this year, it seems that less people in<br />
aggregate hear more than a handful because there’s simply too much product in<br />
distribution (20 million on-demand tracks on Spotify) for any one person to listen with any<br />
real attentiveness. Sure you heard Channel Orange, but did you hear Quantic’s brilliant<br />
Look Around the Corner? How about <strong>Mokoomba</strong>’s vibrant <strong>Rising</strong> <strong>Tide</strong>? Listening to music in<br />
the streaming era is like negotiating an avalanche: Try to stay ahead of it if you can, but<br />
chances are you’ll soon be gasping for air, if you surface at all. (…)<br />
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/the_music_club/features/2012/music_club_2012_the_top_albums_and_so<br />
ngs_of_the_year/music_club_2012_why_frank_ocean_received_pop_culture_s_warm_embrace.html
News<br />
International Artists Bring New Excitement to<br />
Zimbabwe<br />
Zimbabwe has long struggled with such issues as land seizures,<br />
violence, election irregularities, human rights abuse and economic<br />
troubles. But each year, Zimbabwe hosts a week-long event that provides<br />
a respite from the daily drudgery. The Harare International Festival of the<br />
Arts (HIFA) brings international artists from around the globe.<br />
Music is known as the universal language. If that maxim is confirmed anywhere it is at the Harare<br />
International Festival of the Arts, or Hifa, in Zimbabwe.<br />
There are artists from Europe, Latin America, Central America and Africa. One can hear music being sung<br />
in nearly every language imaginable, and the effect is the same. Happiness.<br />
The German reggae music band Jamaram is playing in their native language. Fans try sing along. The<br />
festival is not just about music. There are actors, dancers and other practioners of the performing and visual<br />
arts. Samm Monro, better known as Comrade Fatso, is a British-born Zimbabwean artist participating at the<br />
HIFA. He says the arts festival plays an important role in Zimbabwean culture.<br />
"I think HIFA week is really an important week in Zimbabwe," said Monro. "It gives us an opportunity to see<br />
what we can do as Zimbabweans. It creates an amazing space of mixing between Zimbabwean cultures,<br />
classes, et cetera."<br />
Jamaram is a German eight-member music group performing three shows at the HIFA. One of the shows is<br />
performed free of charge for Zimbabweans who can not afford the festival's $20 entry fee. Jamaram member<br />
Samuel Philip says music is not just about entertaining people.<br />
"No matter where you are from in the world when you do music… it does not matter, music brings people<br />
together. It is the classic. It is the universal language," he said.<br />
HIFA organizers say they want the arts festival to become as grand as the popular Rio Festival in Rio De<br />
Janeiro, Brazil, to develop Zimbabwe’s ailing economy. HIFA Chairman George Mutendadzamera says the<br />
13-year-old annual festival is more than just artists entertaining Zimbabweans.<br />
"It is the economic impact of HIFA," he said. "The bottom-line is when you have a festival we drink. There is<br />
employment creation. We generate wealth. Last year we created something short of 1300 jobs."<br />
While artists and HIFA organizers are positive about the festival’s cultural and economic benefits, Stanley<br />
Kwenda, the director of Artists for Democracy thinks Zimbabwean artists are being overshadowed by their<br />
international counterparts.<br />
“Local artists like <strong>Mokoomba</strong> should get more time,” he said. “They are as good as international artists. This<br />
crowd as you can see has been energized by <strong>Mokoomba</strong>. We did not get what we wanted from <strong>Mokoomba</strong>.<br />
Let us have local groups which are of international quality. We want them to give local artists more time than<br />
they give to Oprah music, like they do to foreign artists. <strong>Mokoomba</strong> is fantastic.”<br />
Whatever the criticism, the HIFA Arts Festival is an event that has rocked Zimbabwe. And with HIFA’s close<br />
Sunday, many might wish for more to help them forget their miseries in the troubled nation.<br />
http://www.voanews.com/content/international-artists-bring-new-excitement-to-zimbabwe-150285855/370520.html
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