We recently spoke with the legendary Soweto Gospel Choir and Masauko Chipembere of the South Africa-founded musical duo Blk Sonshine, both featured on our new South Africa CD, to get a better sense of how the eclectic blend of cultures, styles and influences in South African music has impacted the contemporary sound emerging from this historical country. – Putumayo World Music
BLK SONSHINE / “Blk Sonshine Mixtape”
from Breath of Life
Source: Breath of Life – (BoL Mixtape – June 7, 2010)
02 Blk Sonshine Mixtape.mp3 (35.28 MB)
Masauko Chipembere and Neo Muyanga
It all depends on what you want to call good music. Somewhere in their heritage nearly every human culture has a folk music tradition and part of that tradition usually includes “troubadours,” i.e. roving musicians who sing popular music about topical events and timeless emotions such as love and heroic persons and events. Troubadours are particularly strong in African heritage cultures.
Country blues singers are America’s most prominent and most recent troubadour lineage. When I first heard Blk Sonshine I was a bit confused. I liked the music a lot but I couldn’t align all the sonic pieces. Who were these cats? I knew they were continental Africans but they sounded a bit too comfortable in the language. They identified Africa as home but sounded like they had hung out on Mr. Walter’s South Central L.A. porch for a healthy spell.
The music had contemporary black music structures and they even had a couple of freestyle raps on their debut release. And the audience fit right in so snugly I was sure that this was not simply a gig recording. I tried following up and finding out more but the trail ran dry and I just let it go.
Fortunately, in the fullness of time, the puzzle was assembled and mysteries did unfold.
Founded in in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1996, Blk Sonshine is a collaboration of Masauko Chipembere and Neo Muyanga. Masauko was born in the United States to parents from Malawi who were living in exile at the time of Masauko’s birth. He studied music at Cal State Northridge.
Neo Muyanga was born in Soweto, South Africa and studied at The United World College in Trieste, Italy where he majored in philosophy, minored in physics, and also studied classical music.
These then are not self-taught folk artists but instead Blk Sonshine are college educated musicians who have decided to return to their roots and make music of two worlds, a duality that is at the heart of the post-colonial, urban African personality. Their background also explains how it is they cast such a wide net stylistically while remaining focused on the conditions and concerns of their people.
Their self-titled debut album was recorded in California at the House of Blues studios while Blk Sonshine was touring. Good Life, the second album is actually their third album—the original second album was “lost” during the recording process in South Africa and it took over three years for Blk Sonshine to put together a follow-up to their phenomenally successful debut, whose single “Building” went to number one in South Africa.
They remind me of Taj Mahal, who is also both college educated and roots oriented. This is truly world music and, as Louis Armstrong noted, it’s a wonderful world.
—Kalamu ya Salaam
Blk Sonshine Mixtape Playlist
Blk Sonshine
01 “Building”
02 “Bahlalefi”
03 “Perfect Love”
04 “Soul Smile”
05 “Fingerpainting A Masterpiece”
Good Life
06 “Good Life”
07 “Nkosi”
08 “Testify”
09 “Watch This Woman”
10 “Gliding”
From http://www.capetownfifafanfest.com
It’s not the end of the world if you have missed out on your World Cup tickets, you can catch ALL the games live as well as hundreds of live acts at the Cape Town Fifa Fan Fest. Taking place on the Parade Ground, in front of Cape Town’s iconic City Hall, the Cape Town Fifa Fan Fest is set to be the biggest party in Cape Town over the World Cup.
Every match day each game will be shown on a 17sqm screen for your viewing pleasure. In between the games you can catch the best live acts South Africa has to offer, indulge in our local food, have a few drinks, or catch some 5-a-side soccer action. Besides that there will be daily entertainment and amazing themed days.
And the best part? Entry is FREE!
Have a look at the latest line-up.
Fri 11 June Jimmy Dludlu
Sat 12 June Oliver Mtukudzi, Oliver Mtukudzi
Sun 13 June Goldfish
Mon 14 June BLK Sonshine, Coda
Tues 15 June Moreira Project,Tucan Tucan
Wed 16 June Loyiso, Dance for Life
Thurs 17 June Liquid Deep, Plan B
Fri 18 June The Rudimentals
Sat 19 June Kalahari Surfers, Johnny B + da Realistics
Sun 20 June Robbie Jansen +friends, Dave Ferguson
Mon 21 June Gang of Instrumentals, Fezeka High School
Tues 22 June Brasse vannie kaap, Allou April
Wed 23 June IQulah, Azania with String Quartet + McGinity
Thurs 24 June The Roger Milla Ensemble, AmaBhulu
Fri 25 Jun Ghorwane
Sat 26 June Phuzekemisi
Sun 27 Jun Danny K, Keeno Lee
Mon 28 Jun Flat Stanley
Tues 29 Jun K’Naan, Junior Kiswanga
Wed 30 June NO GAME
Thurs 01 July NO GAME
Fri 02 July Karambola, Regan & Nicodemus
Sat 03 July Freshly Ground, Krushed + Sorted
Sun 04 July NO GAME
Mon 05 July NO GAME
Tue 06 July Capsolys, Gugs Tenors
Wed 7 July Abekaya
Thurs 08 July NO GAME
Fri 09 July NO GAME
Sat 10 July The Rockets, Claire Philips
Sun 11 July Prime Circle, Flash Republic
Every single game day will be packed with entertainment, the Cape Town Fifa Fan Fest really is the only place to be during the World Cup, whether you have a ticket or not.
For a full line-up with times (may be subject to change) click here.
‘Good Life’ nominated for a SAMA in Best Adult Contemporary Album: English
by Jean Barker
From Channel24
There’s only one thing more amazing than a brilliant solo singer-songwriter, and that’s a brilliant collaboration.
When Neo went off on his own missions after the release of Born in a Taxi (1998); writing soundtracks, operas, working solo, and so on, it seemed we wouldn’t get to indulge ourselves with his pop side for a while. But it’s time to welcome back the partnership of Neo Muyanga and Masauko plus top notch guests for Good Life, a celebration of some of the best things: hope, pride rebellion and love.
Yes, it is a sort of a post-struggle, struggle album. Sort of. Veterans of the 80s ongo-bongo days in wooden-floored bars will be reminded of their youth by this earnest pan-african fusion pop. But Good Life is no hippie jam. Each track is finely crafted, meaningfully arranged, and beautifully recorded and mixed, with SA’s hottest bassist Concord Nkabinde providing the invisible backbone, Neo’s and Masauko’s voices blended with dry delicacy out front and Tlale Makhene tickling the percussion parts.
The lyrics tackle topics ranging from responsibility on “Testify” (because “our ancestors didn’t die for this”) to crushes (“Aweright”) to fallings out on “Round the Bend”, to getting it right on right with the beautifully impressionist “Gliding” and the intense images of “Leaves”. The highlight? Well mine is “Pen in My Hand”, a joyous, funny, uplifting song with a healing creative power.
Good Life is an odd one. So much of it is about what we need to fight and rebel against, and yet I defy anyone to listen to it and not wind up smiling in the end. It’s a good life, see, because some people are still fighting the good fight – and not because we’ve already won the battle.
These two are individuals and you can hear it in their different approach to music, but when they come together their synergy makes them one. Perhaps that’s what makes Blk Sonshine one in a million.
“When we play, that’s as happy as I’m gonna be,” Chipembere says gleefully.
‘I go into the musical space with great respect because it comes from that spiritual and mystical realm,” says an introspective Neo Muyanga, one half of Blk Sonshine. He recently reunited with Malawian-born Masauko Chipembere, ending the band’s five-year absence from the music scene.
Full article at http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-12-11-on-the-sunny-side
Blk Sonshine 