Mabulu

Last updated
Mabulu
Origin Mozambique
GenresMarrabenta, Soukous, Jazz, Swing, African
MembersLisboa Matavel, Chiquito, Chonyl, Mr Arssen, António Marcos, Alberto Mutcheca, Dilon Djindji, Moreira Chonguiça, Ernesto Ndzevo,

Mabulu is a band from Mozambique. Their name means "looking for a dialogue" in the Shangana language - a reference to the fact that the group comprises members from different generations. [1]

Mozambique country in Africa

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini (Swaziland) and South Africa to the southwest. The sovereign state is separated from the Comoros, Mayotte and Madagascar by the Mozambique Channel to the east. The capital of Mozambique is Maputo while Matola is the largest city, being a suburb of Maputo.

Tsonga people ethnic group

The Tsonga people are a Bantu ethnic group native mainly to South Africa and southern Mozambique. They speak Xitsonga, a Southern Bantu language which is closely related to neighbouring Nguni, Basotho, and Vhavenda. A very small number of Tsonga people are also found in Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The Tsonga people of South Africa share a common history with the Tsonga people of southern Mozambique; however they differ culturally and linguistically from the Tonga people of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Contents

Formed in 2000, their debut release was "Karimbo" but the recording of their first album in March that year was seriously affected by the heavy rains and cyclones along the Mozambican coast. In solidarity with the thousands of victims of the floods, they instead performed for disaster relief efforts. Their second release, Soul Marrabenta (Riverboat), came a year later. [2]

Marrabenta is a popular style of Mozambican dance music combining traditional Mozambican dance rhythms with Portuguese folk music. It was developed in Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, during the 1930s and 1940s.

Lead singer Chonyl died in Maputo in September 2007, aged 27. [3]

Discography

Albums
Contributing artist
<i>The Rough Guide to Acoustic Africa</i> 2013 compilation album by Various artists

The Rough Guide To Acoustic Africa is a world music compilation album originally released in 2013 featuring acoustic music spanning Sub-Saharan Africa. Part of the World Music Network Rough Guides series, the album contains two discs: an overview of the genre on Disc One, and a "bonus" Disc Two highlighting griot Noumoucounda Cissoko. Disc One features artists hailing from Niger, Madagascar, the DRC, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, South Sudan, Sudan, Senegal, and Guinea. All but three tracks are guitar-based. The extensive liner notes were written by Daniel Rosenberg, and Phil Stanton, co-founder of the World Music Network, produced the album.

World Music Network is a UK-based record label specializing in world music.

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References

  1. Jon Lusk (November 2001). "BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music, Category "Newcomer"". www.bbc.co.uk/radio3.
  2. Tom Pryor (17 November 2006). "Global Rhythm: Mabulu". Global Rhythm Magazine.
  3. "Circulodesocoligia Blogspot: Morreu o Brilho do Mabuku!" (in Portuguese). 19 September 2007.