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DT 2502CD
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Seengwa is a tribute to the already almost forgotten musical traditions of the Sambla people of the region of the same name in Burkina Faso. The Sambla belong to the very rare peoples worldwide who have developed a language with the xylophone (the Sambla call it Balafon). It represents the tonal language of the Sambla translated into music and serves as a "substitute language". Musicians who do not understand this language cannot master this instrument. Mamadou Diabate connects it with the "here and now" through collaborations with top-class musicians from Europe and his homeland. The renowned Austrian jazz saxophonist Wolfgang Puschnig is just one of the six musicians who complete Mamadou Diabate's six-piece "Percussion Mania". In the piece "Duniya Banaba" the Balafon language is translated into French for the first time by poetry slammer Malika La Slamazone from Burkina Faso. Seengwa takes listeners on a rhythm journey -- from tradition to modernity. Mamadou Diabate and Yacouba Konate provide the keynote for this with their two balafons as lead instruments and lead into African spheres through djembe and calabash, enriched with wonderful melodies and polyphonic singing of two vocalists, strings, piano and kora as well as electric and bass guitars. Mamadou Diabate's extraordinary creativity is a never-ending stream of musical creativity that keeps the special cultural and musical traditions of his homeland alive.
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CD
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NOM 20212CD
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Feel the South African spirit through Nomfusi's music and her personal township stories. Delicious Tunes Records announce the new album by South African singer songwriter Nomfusi: The Red Stoep. Melodic Maskandi guitars, combined with big brass arrangements and groovy South African township rhythms are taking you deep into downtown Johannesburg. The colorful array of genres on the album includes also soulful ballads with a hint of gospel, and several jazzy, danceable Afropop songs. With The Red Stoep Nomfusi returns to her South African roots and presents a mature side of her musical journey. Driven by the deep desire to tell her personal township story of growing up in her mother's tiny shack in KwaZakhele, the album takes listeners on a walk through her childhood memories -- everyday stories of township life influenced by her mother's spirituality as a "Sangoma" (a traditional healer), and the harsh reality of single-motherhood in the Eastern Cape province. Social injustices and gender-based violence against women are important issues for Nomfusi, and she explores them in stark detail on songs like "Nomanhamle". Through her musical activism, Nomfusi aims to raise global awareness for better protection of vulnerable populations. Musically, the album speaks through melodic Maskandi guitars combined with big brass arrangements and groovy South African township rhythms. The colorful array of genres on the album includes soulful ballads with a hint of gospel, and several jazzy, danceable Afropop songs. The album's title alludes to the patio-like steps in front of Nomfusi's mother's shack; a place where one could sit down in the warm sun, have casual talks with friends and neighbors, and observe the vibrant life of the township. The "red stoep" stands for a "welcoming entrance". With The Red Stoep, Nomfusi invites everyone to experience the stories of her African heritage through the music. Performed by: Nomfusi Ngonyama (lead vocals), Mark Williams (lead guitar), Khola Phalatse (bass), Lungile Maduna (drums), Sanilde Mgcina (keys), Nomhle Nongogo (backings), Kenny Mtyida (backings).
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