http://afropopshop.org/New Music From Mabulu on Calabash Music2008-11-21T05:19:27ZThe Calabash Music Teamsupport@calabashmusic.comKarimbohttp://mabulu.afropopshop.org/#album_646432006-12-12T07:40:55ZMusic from Karimbo1. N’twananu (music: Eduardo Massango, words: Mabulu) lead vocal - António Marcos, Lisboa Matavele, Chonyl drum, percussion - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo chorus - Chonyl rap - Chiquito 2. Yingisa (music: Mabulu, words: António Marcos) lead vocal - António Marcos drum, percussion - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo chorus - Chonyl Ragga - Mr. Arssen 3. Mahanhela (Alberto Mutcheca) lead vocal - Alberto Mutcheca drum - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo chorus - Chonyl rap - Chiquito 4. Shitaratwini (Joaquim Dimande) lead vocal - Chonyl drum, percussion - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo 5. Ngole Ngole (António Marcos) lead vocal - António Marcos drum, percussion - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo sax - Orlando da Conceiçao 6. Shihitani Sha Mina (music: Mabulu, words: Lisboa Matavele) lead vocal - Lisboa Matavele drum - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo chorus - Chonyl 7. Karimbo (António Marcos) lead vocal - António Marcos drum - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo rap - Chiquito 8. N’dambi (Jorge Muzima) lead vocal - Jorgito drum, percussion - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo chorus - Chonyl, Martinha, Jorgito rap - Chiquito sax - Orlando da Conceiçao 9. Niyaliwile (music: Mabulu, words: António Marcos) lead vocal - António Marcos drum, percussion - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo chorus - Chonyl rap - Chiquito 10. Swi Fambu (Alberto Mutcheca) lead vocal - Alberto Mutcheca drum - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo rap - Chiquito 11. Shikwata (António Marcos) lead vocal - António Marcos drum - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo rap - Chiquito 12. Kombela Ka Shikwembu (Lisboa Matavele) lead vocal - Lisboa Matavele drum - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo chorus - Chonyl 13. N’mbinheto (António Marcos) lead vocal - António Marcos drum - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo rap - Chiquito 14. Ngoma Macandju (trad) lead vocal - António Marcos, Lisboa Matavele drum, percussion - Jorgito lead guitar, rhythm guitar - Zoco bass guitar - Eduardo rap - Chiquito ragga - Mr. Arssen sax - Orlando da Conceiçao Recorded and mixed in March 2000 at Studio Mozambique Recording Ltd (promusic@zebra.uem.mz) Recorded, Mixed and Produced by Roland Hohberg All tracks published by Riverboat UK Music I had already lived in Mozambique for ten years, working in different local music companies, like Mapiko, EME and Rightsound, before founding Mozambique Recording, the first private recording studio in the country, in 1998. Until then only a few albums featuring Mozambican artists had been released internationally, all of which had been recorded abroad, without the special local feeling and sometimes without a cultural identity. Investing in better local recording conditions is not an easy job in a country like Mozambique, where the population is one of the poorest in the world. High import taxes for studio equipment, and a lack of repair possibilities and instrument shops, are some of the most significant difficulties. It was under these conditions that we started the Mabulu project in October 1999, by recording the first two demo tracks. Mabulu means ‘Looking for a dialogue’ in Shangana language. The idea behind this project was to bring Mozambican musicians of different generations, life experience and groups together. The oldest of them, Lisboa Matavel (also known as the troubadour of Mozambique), is the Grand Old Man of marrabenta (Mozambican rhythm). He started to sing in the early 1960s, as a roving musician in the streets of Xipamanine, and it was here that he got to know marrabenta, among other popular rhythms. As a result of his efforts, he succeeded in opening a club which, in addition to the performances put on with his group, became a meeting point for many musicians and bands and a permanent cultural interchange. Another vocalist in the Mabulu project, young enough to be his grandchild, is the 22-year-old Chiquito, a representative of the new Mozambican Rap generation. Growing up during the civil war, his singing expresses the same hopes as the two-generations-older Lisboa Matavel. They are singing for peace for their African continent, and respect and understanding between the generations. Soon after founding this project, Mabulu started touring through the rural areas around the capital city of Maputo, with support from the Swiss non-governmental organisation Helvetas. With this special mix of rural entertainment end civil education, Mabulu try to draw the attention of their audiences to topics like aids, drugs and child prostitution. After a few weeks of rehearsals and performances, which were overshadowed by Mozambique’s tragic flood disaster, we started to record the songs of the first Mabulu album in March. The sessions were seriously affected by the heavy rains and the cyclones beating along the Mozambican coast over many weeks – power cuts, the destroying of the studio roof and difficulties for the musicians in reaching the studio each day were just some of the challenges that faced the participants. Deeply affected by the disaster and in solidarity with the thousands of victims of these terrible floods, Mabulu created the song ‘N’dambi’ during the recording sessions. It seemed unbelievable that the first album to be recorded in Mozambique and find its way to an international audience should have been created under this very critical situation, and one of the most tragic moments in the history of our beautiful country. I want to thank all the musicians who participated on this album and the friends who gave us moral support. Roland Hohberg Producer 1. N’twananu 3:12 (Understanding) If we want to understand each other We have to try to start talking Our dialogue is the first step To resolve our problems How you were suffering my Mozambique Without the dialogue of your children Without the words of the wise man Without the melody of reconciliation 2. Yingisa 3:21 (Listen To Me) It seems you shun me It seems I married you without your will Why are you making me wait so long Only trusting your fathers Listen, come back I’ve waited so long 3. Mahanhela 3:42 (Modern Life) We have to respect our marriage And defend our matrimony Against the consequences Of the modern life 4. Shitaratwini 3:04 (Dancing) I saw you on the streets Playing Mathakuzana Playing Xingomana Dancing Marrabenta Let me dance with you Show me how to dance This beautiful rhythm This dance will Initiate our conversation 5. Ngole Ngole 2:54 (Lonely) Sitting on the corner Asking for bread Everyone is looking For distance 6. Shihitani Sha Mina 3:34 (My Life) A retrospective of the artist before he dies All the places where he was singing And the gratitude to his wife Who accompanied him for more than forty years 7. Karimbo 3:02 (Stamp) The story of a man who looks for a job Whenever he finds a place to work it is the same When he asks his boss for money at the end of the month He only receives stamps. 8. N’dambi 3:40 (Floods) Look what the floods have done And help me please My house is destroyed The fields disappeared The harvest gone away And the children are hungry 9. Niyaliwile 3:07 (Being turned away) My poverty is known to me And my pain is known to you Who lived together with me For a long time I am being turned away My dear. 10. Swi Fambu 2:50 (Shoes) A story of a man who puts shoes on for the first time And he learns how good it is to have shoes When he steps on a nail he don’t feel nothing When he kicks a stone he don’t feel nothing Even if he kicks another man 11. Shikwata 4:04 (The survivor) The story of a whole family who died and the only survivor Who relates everything: the war, the hunger, the floods 12. Kombela Ka Shikwembu 4:21 (Asking god) If you want something ask God He will give it to you 13. N’mbinheto 3:41 (Misfortune) The song of two brothers dreaming of leaving their country They are doing everything together, helping each other, But abroad they go their different ways 14. Ngoma Macandju 3:42 (Cashew) A popular song of sitting and dancing by the fire And drinking the juice of Cashew]]>Soul Marrabentahttp://mabulu.afropopshop.org/#album_646582006-12-12T07:40:55ZMusic from Soul MarrabentaSoul Marrabenta is the result of Mabulu’s growth through the great variety of their local and international experiences in 2000. The meeting of different cultures during the tour in 2000 increased the overall awareness of the artists, who had never previously performed abroad for their country, Mozambique. Mabulu have all grown as artists and in doing so have crafted a more mature sound on this new album. Soul Marrabenta distils the vibrancy and dynamism that Mabulu’s concerts exude and take it to new height adding influences like kwela (South African penny-whistle music) and chimurenga (Zimbabwean dance) – among others – to the bed rock of the contagious sound of marrabenta mixed with Mozambican hip-hop. In addition to these elements, the band has taken a new direction by recording a number of acoustic tracks, and have integrated the saxophone into their compositions, thereby adding another dimension to the pure energy of their live performances. The oldest members of multi-generational Mabulu are 73-year-old Dilon Djindji and Lisboa Matavel, ten years his junior and the living legend of marrabenta music. For decades they were rivals for the throne of the ‘King of Marrabenta’, yet now they are working together on one project with tolerance and understanding. Lead singer António Marcos, guitarist Zôco, bass guitarist Edú, drummer Jorgito, young female vocalist Chonyl and the rapper Chiquito all participated on the recording of Mabulu’s debut album, Karimbo, and here on Soul Marrabenta. In addition to the oldest living marrabenta musician, Dilon Djindji, the project integrated the talented 20-year-old vocalist Nené. Other musicians were invited to make guest appearances on the album, such as the Mozambican saxophone player Moreira Chonguiça (who now resides in South Africa), the mandolin player Ernesto Ndzevo, the popular singer Abílio Mandlaze, Zico and the rappers from Auto Squad, as well as a group of 10-year-old schoolchildren. One of Mabulu’s greatest strengths is its combination of artists from different generations, all with rich and diverse experiences to relate. The songs reflect the hardship and fears, as well as the hope and joy of life, in Mozambique, a country recovering from civil war and natural disaster. In the classic African songwriting tradition, Mabulu’s lyrics on Soul Marrabenta cover a wide range of subjects – the tracks’ themes range from a love song written by Dilon Djindji, dedicated to his old flame Elisa Mabai, to the serious social issues that affect life in Africa, such as AIDS and poverty. There is also a tribute to the (now lasting) image of the devastating floods of early 2000 – ‘Rosita’ is named after the baby born in a tree surrounded by the deluge, which was captured by global news. After they returned home, Mabulu began performing concerts for the population in the rural and suburban areas around Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. Their music educated as well as entertained the local people and gave them the courage and inspiration to complete the hard work of reconstruction after the floods, in an area where the soul of marrabenta has its birthplace. Mabulu have already written Mozambican music history – with their debut album Karimbo, they were the first group from Mozambique to release a locally recorded album on the international music market. With Soul Marrabenta, and the release tour in Europe and South America, the group has shown its development and proved that a Mozambican renaissance is under way. 1 Bula Bula / Pronounce Yourself 3:42 (Joaquim Dimande) lead vocal: Nené backing vocals: Zôco, Jorgito, Zico drums, percussion: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco timbila: Zôco For a long time I told you That I need you Try to believe And let us live together This song is based on the smandji mandji rhythm, played in the southern Africa region. However, with the addition of a timbila, a xylophone instrument, it is more identifiable with the music played in the southern provinces of Mozambique. 2 Palavra D’Honra / Word Of Honour 5:05 (Abílio Mandlaze) lead vocal: Mandlaze backing vocals: Auto Squad rap vocal: Chiquito ragga vocal: Zico drums: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco mandolin: Chimanganine A very popular song in Mozambique that invites both young and old to enjoy different traditional alcoholic drinks, like xindere and xilalassi. If you visit Mozambique you have to taste it, and maybe sing with the locals: ‘I swear with my word of honour, I will drink this till I’ll die.’ The mandolin makes all translations unnecessary. 3 AIDS 4:28 (Joaquim Dimande) vocals: Nené, Edú, António Marcos, Jorgito, Lisboa Matavel, Chonyl, Chiquito acoustic guitar: Zôco saxophone: Moreira Chonguiça Take care AIDS is killing This sickness Destroys the life Of adults and children The beauty of life Is in danger My brother, take care Don’t let AIDS kill you This virus doesn’t sleep This virus kills silently Don’t leave your friend alone When he is positive In this song, the voices of all the group members are united to break the silence. Mabulu regularly play in the rural areas and various districts of Mozambique to help to educate the people, and to create debate and awareness between the young and old generations on subjects like AIDS, about which there is still a lot of ignorance on the African continent. 4 Rosita 3:36 (Lisboa Matavel) lead vocal: Lisboa Matavel backing vocal: Chonyl drums: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco saxophone: Moreira Chonguiça A child was born in a tree And others were born Under the tree Each birth Is a moment of glory Let us pray And sing and dance Floods Floods once again in our country In Beira, Quelimane, Xai-Xai, Inhambane In Maputo The livestock died The people died The children died Once again in our country Rosita is the name of a baby who was born in a tree during the floods in February 2000, when Karimbo, the first Mabulu album was being recorded. One year later, on Rosita’s first birthday, this song was recorded for this album, while Mozambique was again suffering severe flooding. 5 Elisa Mabai 3:10 (Dilon Djindji) lead vocal: Dilon Djindji rap vocal: Chiquito drums: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco Elisa Mabai Is suffering I never saw a noble woman Dressed in coal sacks If you love me Come to me If you want me Stay with me If you hate me Stay distant You are angry When I talk to someone When I play with someone Elisa Mabai How you are suffering The boss with the tie He wants you But you are dressing in your coal sacks Something hurts you You are angry When the boss takes another woman But when he wants to be with you You are complicated You want to see him alone With your picture in his hand But he wants to be by your side This is not right Elisa This life wants to see you smiling This song is an example of the original marrabenta rhythm as it was played in the 1960s, in the streets and nightclubs of Lourenco Marques (now Maputo). The dialogue created between a young rapper and an older marrabenta star brings different views, which are based on the same tradition. 6 Tshina / Dancing 3:35 (Jorge Muzima) lead vocals: Jorgito, Nené, Zico, Chonyl drums, percussion: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco saxophone: Moreira Chonguiça I want to dance I want to sing Dancing and singing For you Playing xizambe Makes me feel happy And gives peace To my soul A song – based on the South African kwela rhythm – that invites you to dance. 7 N’Binheto / Misfortune 4:03 (António Lodingue Matusse) lead vocal: António Marcos backing vocal: Chonyl rap vocal: Chiquito acoustic guitar: Zôco You deceived me Causing me pain You don’t throw away your bread Because the hungry souls could catch it But now you throw me away Causing me pain A bitter song of two brothers who hope to leave their country. They do everything together, helping each other to fulfil their dream. However, once abroad, they go their separate ways. 8 Ku Lunga / Honesty 4:35 (António Lodingue Matusse) lead vocal: António Marcos drums, percussion: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco My honesty causes me to suffer I ruined my back Lugging heavy sacks I didn’t go to school I don’t know how to write I don’t want to be a diplomat Sitting on a truck trailer Model 112 Receiving orders With a sack on my head Carry this Fetch that The only thing I learned Is working in the fields But there are no fields In this town My back has become curved Carrying those heavy sacks My humility will kill me My honesty will kill me A song about a simple worker who (due to the war) took refuge in the town, ruining his health by his honesty. 9 Catembe 4:06 (António Lodingue Matusse) lead vocal: António Marcos rap vocal: Chiquito drums, percussion: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco I caught the ferryboat to Catembe They served me seafood Prepared with peanuts Peanuts prepared By the daughter of João And by the daughter of Muzumbe In Mafalala I crossed paths with a religious man Strong in his way I got strong by his side Come and listen At sunrise I caught the boat I thought I had arrived too late To catch the boat to Catembe Seafood was served It was mouth-watering I enjoyed the meal in peace Another day I again went to Mafalala Oh my god I saw a phantom Dressed like a religious man Looking at me I looked at him He was ashamed and disappeared Maputo now is a colourful, pulsating and noisy capital, but the ferry trip to Catembe (a small village on Maputo Bay) is short, and upon reaching the shore there is a tranquil view of the multi-storey buildings of the city. Mafalala is a famous city district of Maputo, where in the past many artists, painters, sculptors and musicians lived. 10 Tsunelani / Come Closer 3:36 (Jorge Muzima) lead vocals: Chonyl, Nené backing vocals: schoolchildren drums, percussion: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco timbila: Zôco, Edú My brother We need more schools In our country They have been destroyed By the war And the floods Friendly nations Come closer Influenced by the chimurenga rhythm of Zimbabwe, this song is a call for solidarity. The war and floods in Mozambique have destroyed many schools, and help is needed for their reconstruction. 11 Buya / Come On 3:21 (Joaquim Dimande) lead vocal: Nené drums, percussion: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco saxophone: Moreira Chonguiça Come and make me happy Let my soul be cheerful And let me say That I love you 12 Ulombe / Honey 3:26 (Dilon Djindji) lead vocal: Dilon Djindji backing vocal: Zico rap vocal: Chiquito drums, percussion: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco The honey is tasty And alleviates the pain Come and think about it Take care of your life Calm down your heart And let it lead everything Don’t be misled By those who want To consume you We are passengers And we won’t take Anything with us If you try bitter things You will miss the honey of life 13 Vanana / Children 3:49 (Joaquim Dimande) lead vocal: Nené backing vocals: Mingas, Nené, Chonyl drums, percussion: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco saxophone: Moreira Chonguiça Look at them It is not their fault Look at the children Escape from the weapons God forgive us It is not our fault Let the children Grow up in peace 14 Hlamalani / Admiration 4:16 (Lisboa Matavel) lead vocal: Lisboa Matavel backing vocals: Chonyl, Nené drums, percussion: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco Be admired my people One day Matavel will die Come and be happy You, my God, look at me And give peace to my heart In each musician’s life comes the day for his last song. He invites the people to come together and to be happy with his last melody. 15 Maldeyeni / In The Villages 4:02 (António Lodingue Matusse) lead vocal: António Marcos backing vocals: Nené, Chonyl drums, percussion: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco My heart doesn’t live in this town It lives on the other side of the water South of the Limpopo River Growing up on the other side Where there is richness Breeding ducks, chickens and rabbits You can’t breed goats in the town If you do that you have to buy heels And if you want to breed cattle You have to buy shoes Finally you will have to brush their teeth Someday you have to visit Chiconela You have to visit the Limpopo River 16 AIDS (But Hope) 5:31 (Joaquim Dimande) vocals: Nené, Edú, António Marcos, Jorgito, Lisboa Matavel, Chonyl, Chiquito drums, percussion: Jorgito bass: Edú guitar: Zôco saxophone: Moreira Chonguiça An estimated 1.4 million Mozambicans are living with the HIV virus, meaning that sixteen per cent of the adult population is infected with HIV. The number of new AIDS cases each year is about 100,000 and the majority of AIDS cases are in fact undiagnosed. A large proportion of Mozambicans are now living with the disease, either directly (in that they are themselves infected) or indirectly (in that relatives, friends, colleagues, or neighbours are infected). Education, information and communication about the disease is urgently needed, and the performance of musicians in the rural areas has proved to be important. There is concern about the situation in Mozambique, but there is also hope that the AIDS expansion can be stopped. The artists and instruments on this album express this hope. Appearing on this album are Agueda Manuela Das Dores Bonifacio – NENÉ Angela Chonilal Duarte Jose – CHONYL António Lodingue Matusse – ANTÓNIO MARCOS Edúardo Massango – EDÚ Francisco António Mbeve – CHIQUITO Joaquim Alberto Dimande – ZÔCO Jorge Manuel Sansao Muzima – JORGITO Lisboa Matavel Fambate – LISBOA MATAVEL Venancio de Conceicao Dilone Jinge – DILON DJINDJI Guest appearances by AUTO SQUAD Abílio Mandlaze – MANDLAZE Anastacio Morais Langa – ZICO Elisa Domingas Salatiel Jamisse – MINGAS Ernesto Ndzevo – CHIMANGANINE Moreira William Chonguiça – MOREIRA CHONGUIÇA We would like to dedicate Soul Marrabenta to the thousands of people who lost their lives, their homes and all their property during the catastrophic floods in Mozambique. Hoping that one day the cry of our people will be heard in the White House… We thank our people for their resistance and their unbroken hope, which encouraged us during the recordings. Thanks to the World Music Network team, especially to Phil Stanton and Sandra Alayón-Stanton, for believing in us. Special thanks to Beni Guentert and Ryuichi Sakamoto for their helpful advice. Thanks to all the journalists who have helped our music to be heard, especially to Rick Sanders (fRoots), Lara Allen (Songlines), Jon Pareles (New York Times), Martin Sinnock (Gramophone), Clive Bell (The Wire, Soundcheck), Dave Haslam (Taplas), Alex Henderson (AMG Expert Review), Nuno Sardinha (RDP Africa) and Yusuf Mahmoud (ZIFF). Mabulu fanclub: mabulumozambique@yahoo.com Visit www.worldmusic.net to listen to sound samples of all World Music Network and Riverboat Records releases Also available on Riverboat Records: Mabulu – Karimbo (TUGCD1021), Eyuphuro – Yellela (TUGCD1022) All tracks published by Riverboat UK Music Recorded and mixed at Studio Mozambique Recording in Maputo by Roland Hohberg email: promusic@teledata.mz Sleeve notes by Alison Smith Photography by Roland Hohberg UK coordination by Duncan Baker Designed by Intro]]>