#4836, New Music From South Africa

Hear new music from South Africa, including the 15-piece ensemble IzangoMa, Soweto band BCUC, and a cappella choir Afrika Mamas. Plus, a sound art piece by cellist Abel Selaocoe.

There’s new electro-acoustic spiritual jazz music meant for dancing by the experimental 15 piece collective of Mozambican and South African musicians based in Pretoria, called IzangoMa. Then, hear Soweto band BCUC (Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness – ‘Bantu” means “people” and “uhuru” means “freedom”), in music that blends the traditional sounds of South African communal singing with funky bass lines and a punky, hip hop attitude, (Bandcamp liner notes). Also, sample music from the South African a cappella women’s choir, Afrika Mamas – yes, all women’s voices, composers too – in a work by Ntombifuthi Lushaba, from their record, Iphupho.

Listen to the original score of the film UPRIZE!, by the South African Avant-Jazz collective SPAZA ('Spaza' is a word for an informal neighborhood store in South Africa, according to the label, Mushroom Hour Half Hour.) Plus, hear a sound journey by South African cellist and composer Abel Selaocoe for the BBC Arts and Arts Council England’s Culture in Quarantine program. Created specifically to be listened to on headphones whilst walking, Selaocoe’s work is called “Ulibambe” which comes from a Zulu saying meaning ‘Hold the sun, so it may not set.’ That, and more. - Caryn Havlik

Program #4836, New Music from South Africa  (First aired 01/18/2024)

ARTIST: Ladysmith Black Mambazo / Paul Simon
WORK: Homeless [3:52]
RECORDING: Graceland
SOURCE: Warner / Rhino 74803
INFO: Available at Amazon.com

ARTIST: Afrika Mamas
WORK: Ntombifuthi Lushaba: Iphupho [2:49]
RECORDING: Iphupho
SOURCE: ARC Music EUCD2771
INFO: arcmusic.officialstore.co.uk

ARTIST: IzangoMa
WORK: Wathint' Imbokodo [7:37]
RECORDING: Ngo Ma
SOURCE:  Brownswood Recordings
INFO: https://izangoma.lnk.to/NgoMaID

ARTIST: BCUC
WORK:  Ntuthwane [7:21]
RECORDING: Millions of Us
SOURCE: On the Corner
INFO: bcuc.bandcamp.com/album/millions-of-us

ARTIST: Abel Selaocoe
WORK: Ulibambe [13:01]
RECORDING: Walking Home
SOURCE: operanorth.libsyn.com/podcast/Walking Home
INFO: operanorth.co.uk/watch-online/walking-home

ARTIST: SPAZA
WORK: Banna Ba Batsumi [8:43]
RECORDING: UPRIZE! (Music from the Original Motion Picture)
SOURCE: Mushroom Hour Half Hour
INFO: spaza.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Thandi Ntuli with Carlos Nino
WORK: The One (second part) [5:35]
RECORDING:   Rainbow Revisited
SOURCE: International Anthem
INFO: https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/rainbow-revisited