Zimbabwe’s United States-based roots reggae singer/songwriter Kulcha Far I, born Christopher Bongani Hakata in Harare, Zimbabwe, is hoisting the African roots reggae flag up high on an international level. Kulcha, like many youths growing up at that time, took off on his reggae journey when Bob Marley and the Wailers came to play at Zimbabwe’s independence in April 1980.
Kulcha, one of the most down-to-earth and affable artists out there, continues to perform spirited and energetic shows in the United States.
Genre: Traditional WebSite Lágbájá is widely considered to be one of Africa's most exciting and interesting contemporary artists. Combining sophisticated compositions with a dynamic stage show and enigmatic personality, he is the current rage in Nigeria, in constant demand for live performance and ubiquitous on the airwaves. His monthly shows at his own Motherlan' Niteclub, in the heart of Ikeja - the capital of Lagos state, sell-out well in advance.
Mention African song and most people think of South African practitioners of the vocal arts - Solomon Linda, Miriam Makeba and perhaps more than anyone else in recent memory, Ladysmith Black Mambazo. It is Ladysmith Black Mambazo who has come to represent the traditional culture of South Africa. They are regarded as South Africa's cultural emissaries at home and around the world.
Genre: Traditional WebSite Guitarist Louis Mhlanga was born on 10 November 1956 in Harare, Zimbabwe. At the tender age of 10, he started playing guitar.
Completely self-taught, he mastered the instrument by copying artists like Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and many other influential bands in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Besides the Western influence from music he listened to on the radio broadcasts, Mhlanga studied the southern and west African guitar tradition intensively.
The Bantuz Band was founded by Loveness Wesa of Zimbabwe. Rooted in the traditional music of Southern Africa, Loveness Wesa's original Afro-pop is played on contemporary instruments. The Bantuz are Wesa's house band, so named as an expression of her belief that it is the affinity for the music and culture that makes someone a Bantu, rather than the color of their skin, ethnicity or nationality. It is a deep part of Wesa's dream to nurture a group of multi-cultural performers who use the arts to break the international barriers
Loveness Wesa is the first female artist in her native country Zimbabwe to write, choreograph and produce dance theatre shows performed by mostly women. Wesa has traveled the world as a cultural ambassador for Zimbabwean women artists, bringing to her audiences not only traditional African dancing, and singing but she also does drumming wh ich used to be a taboo for women in her culture to be found behind the drum, she is also spreading a message of peace, freedom and understanding through her works. She was first exposed to the traditional music and dance of her country as a small child watching her mother, aunt and grandmother who were Sangomas – the traditional spirit mediums who use song and dance to channel ancestral spirits. She has toured around Africa and Europe and the Americas. In 1998 Loveness founded the Kgotso African Dance Theatre (now known as Kgotso African Cultural Arts) as a vehicle for bringing works by women and youth artists to Zimbabwe’s stage. She merges a variety of traditional dances from throughout the African continent to create a coherent story that is comprehensible to any audience. She has performed for people like the Queen of England, Prince Edward, South African president Thabo Mbeki, the president of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe, George Bush senior, Bono, Portland Mayor Porter, Paul Rusesa Bhagina of Hotel Ruanda, the Hawaii congressman Neil Abercrombie and many more official delegates. Wesa has also shared a stage with artist like Khanye West, Wutang Clan, Snoop Dogg, and Oliver Mutukudzi. She is also available for tours with her band and her dance troupe; she is also available for workshops and private classes, in dance, drumming, singing, story telling, basketry weaving and sadza batik. “I play Afro-Pop songs with roots from traditional Ndebele/Zulu, Shona, Sotho and Venda music. I learned this unique style from my Venda great grandfather, Sotho grandmother, Ndebele mother and Shona father. I have adopted the music to modern instruments creating a sound that is uniquely rare, beside the music I learned growing up; my biggest influences had been Miriam Makeba, Harry Belafonte, Thomas Mapfumo, Dorothy Masuka, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Mahotela Queens and Oliver Mutukudzi”
Genre: Reggae WebSite Lucky Dube has been hailed as 'The shining star of African reggae (afropop.com) and 'South Africa's biggest selling contemporary artist' (Mail & Guardian). However, he isn't merely this, he's a modern day hero with a message that has touched millions of people's hearts around the world. With an incredible 21 albums under his musical belt, he has proved himself one of not only South Africa's, but also the world's greatest reggae superstars. A man with superb musical taste and genuis, an artist with a message, with a reason and a rhyme behind everything he does.
The Mahotella Queens represent so much of what is the best in the music of South Africa: the finely honed art of passionate singing, the latticework of funky rhythms, and the breathtaking art of spectacular live performance
Genre: Traditional WebSite Malaika releases the sophomore album Vuthelani to a sceptical media and entertainment industry but with the palpable weight of an expectant music-buying public. These young three musicians, for unlike in kwaito where people are musicians by virtue of a record contract, are without a doubt unequalled in the history of South African pop music that a debut album Malaika hit multiple platinum (7 in all), that is over 350 000 units sold, literally handing them major artists status who can command first-rate appearance fees and top billing at festivals. There is simply no group or artists who had ever managed such a feat with a debut album. So the weight to produce the second album that would equal, if not surpass, the debut was all the more heavy.
The success of Malaika was a feat that was to postpone studio time for the recording of the follow-up that is Vuthelani and, interestingly, divide the South African Music Award Committee (Sama committee) and present it with the most integrity-challenging contest that it ever faced in its eventful decade-long history.
New Dallas band The Mambos are African cultural ambassadors - A new African musical outfit, the Mambos, has been assembled in Dallas, drawing a rich experience in musical talent spanning decades. The group's band members have vast experiences in Ghananian and Zimbabwean music genres such as museve, rhumba, chimurenga and Tuku.
Watching Ndere Troupe perform is like taking a most relaxing trip across the African continent and being treated like a most respected king. That is the experience that Ndere has taken to the Netherlands, Belgium , Germany, Austria, U.K. , Kenya, Denmark, Canada, Japan, Gabon Libreville, China, U.S.A (Chicago, Texas, New York, Philadelphia & Washington D.C,) Libya, Tanzania , India, Sudan and Macedonia among others.
Dance is the most intrisic means of self expression when we pour out our most sincere emotions. In Africa, dances carry all the meanings and philosophies of life. They are the great books from which knowlege is only accessed by participation. That is why we never separate audience from the artist. As the saying goes, ‘Those who dance together, eat together’. If all the human beings always danced together, the colossal budgets for weapons and warfare would be rechanneled to improving the quality of human life.
Ndere’s versatile artists celebrate human happiness through a seemingly endless repertoire of dances that they ebulliently execute using different parts of the body namely:
Nyakusa African Children's Dance Troupe is comprised of young African American dancers ages 4 upward, with the goal for American children to explore their cultural heritage through dance and other cultural performances.
Says school founder Lillian Malit-Onyango: "If we want to strengthen our community, we have to start by unifying our people in such a way that they become proud of who they are."
The idea to start a cultural program was triggered by a visit to a local school during black history month, where Lillian realized that children were not in touch with their African culture, nor did children know anything about the world around them.
Tuku is one of Zimbabwe's most distinguished and successful musicians. He is a prolific musician with more than 30 albums to his name, composer of more than three movie soundtracks, a contributor to Mahube, Southern Africa's 'super-group', even an actor, Oliver Mtukudzi has done it all.
Genre: Traditional WebSite Oumou Sangare is Mali's great diva, a champion of women's rights, and one of the world's most astounding female vocalists. The best-known performer of the Malian popular music style of Wassoulou, "Sangare Kono" (Sangare the Songbird) fronts an 11-piece band that draws on the sacred hunting-music traditions of southern Mali. With politically charged lyrics supported by strong, hypnotic grooves, Oumou Sangare is an icon in Mali and around the world
Rattletree Marimba is a Zimbabwean style marimba band based in Austin, Texas. They play high-energy dance and trance music that is guaranteed to get the dance floor moving from the first song!
Rattletree is quickly making it's mark in the music scene in Austin ,TX-the "live music capitol of the World". Playing over 100 shows in 2007 alone, they have played the stage at some of Austin's biggest music festivals, including SXSW, First Night, Eeyores Birthday, Bob Marley Fest, and Pecan St. Fair. Rattletree has been featured in The Austin Chronicle, Austin Daze, and Austin Music Magazine.
Genre: RhumbaSoukousNdomboloMerengue WebSite Ricardo Lemvo has established himself as a pioneer with his innovative music, combining Latin and African elements from salsa to soukous with an occasional merengue or Afro-Portuguese excursion. This Congo-born artist of Angolan ancestry is the embodiment of the Afro-Latin Diaspora which connects back to Mother Africa via the Cuban clave rhythm. Lemvo is truly multi-cultural and equally at home singing in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Lingala, and Kikongo.
Genre: Traditional WebSite To millions of his followers in South Africa, on the African continent and around the rest of the world, he is simply known as Ringo - and to them there is only one Ringo.
He burst on to the scene during the Shell Road to Fame contest with his friends and fellow band members, Peto, back in 1986. Today he has proved to be a constant crowd-puller at concerts around the country, who remains a firm favourite with his fans.
After Peto, Ringo started a band called Gecko Moon with Alan Cameron, a fellow Peto member. The band had a hit with Green-Green, a crossover track that was well received.
Genre: African Gospel The Charambas & Fishers Of Men The gospel legendary singer Pastor Charles Charamba who rose to stardom with his original compositions that weave social commentary and spiritual redemption makes a United States debut tour with his wife and fellow singer Olivia. His vocal style that is supported by indigenous rhythms can make you rise on your feet to dance the night away yet the lyrics provoke spiritual reflection that leaves you yearning for more. Pastor Charamba's first album introduced his work to the world but his next album John 3 V 16 literally rocked audiences both in religious and secular communities. The meteoric success of this bestselling album defined Charamba as an appealing singer whose voice blends tenor and alto falsetto and from that point he never looked back. In 2004 he brought another gift to the world in the form of Chapters and Verses, an album that disappeared from the shelves at the pace it was stocked. Within four weeks the album had sold in excess of 100 000 copies. His catalogue touches on issues that range from spiritual redemption to social issues such as the importance of marriage and fidelity in preventing HIV/AIDS.
Genre: Reggae WebSite The Melodians are one of Jamaica's greatest Rocksteady groups, cutting a series of classic singles during the late '60s and early '70s that included the internationally famed "Rivers of Babylon" and "Sweet Sensation." In 1966, when driving rhythms of ska were abandoned in favor of the slower, more soulful Rocksteady, Jamaican performers discovered a freedom of expression they had previously been denied. In overcoming the limitations of ska the dawn of the Rocksteady age begun. .A few groups rose to notoriety with none more popular than The Melodians.
Genre: Traditional WebSite ”Chimurenga,” the Shona word Mapfumo has adopted to refer to his work, means “struggle,” and it's as accurate as any to describe his socially and politically conscious music. But it also masks the joy and celebration inherent in his swaying choruses, lilting rhythms, and hip-moving grooves. You don't have to struggle one bit to get into this stuff.
"Vieux Farka Touré's beautifully realized debut recording both honors and extends the life work of his father, Ali Farka Touré: to explore and promote the rich music of Mali's desert north." -Banning Eyre (Senior Editor, Afropop Worldwide) Modiba is proud to present Vieux Farka Touré: the self-titled worldwide debut by the son of and successor to the late international superstar and two-time Grammy Award-winner Ali Farka Touré.
