Friday, July 21, 2006
Acoustic Africa - Madala & Greg
Robert was once again a brearer of gift's! New MELT releases are always very exciting, and this trip to the Cape is no different. It's going to take me some time to work through them - I do have a day job - but I guarantee that the samples that I will feature will be awesome pieces of South African talent.
One of Roberts gift's to the Peak'ers is the Acoustic Africa DVD (MZADV 002) featuring Madala Kunene on steel string guitar & vocals; Greg Hajiyorki Georgiades on guitar, oud & bouzouki; Ashish Joshi on tabla & percussion and Ernest Mothle on double bass.
It has live performance footage from the 2004 Fort West Village Heritage & Cultural Festival that was sponsored by the Alliance Francaise in Pretoria, and recorded by MELT. The DVD also has a host of other artists such as L.A.P. (Live African Percussion), Carlo Mombelli & The Prisoners of Strange and the Thongo African Band - an awesome traditional dance band from the Mtambalala hills above Port St. Johns in Pondoland (it's coming!!!).
Greg plays a hybrid of North and South African ethno grooves and melodies, and combined with Madala's 'Madalaline' style of guitar, which is a combination of blues & soul with African folk, the result is beautiful. Madala's singing just add's that trance-like quality to some of the tracks, like the video Robert let me feature here.
So this is "Martha Gotta Free", composed by Madala, published by MELT 2000 Publishing cc and available for bookings through Peak!
Labels: Ashish Joshi, Greg Georgiades, L.A.P., Madala Kunene, MELT
