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Another African nation in the midst of a highly
publicized struggle against an oppressive leader
is Zimbabwe, where Robert Mugabe, who 25 years
ago was elected as the first black president
of the previously white-minority dominated Rhodesia,
has come under increasing international disdain
for alleged election-rigging and often violent
suppression of criticism. In a situation parallel
to Nigeria's downward economic spiral, there
has also been tremendous economic upheaval with
rising inflation and food shortages, leading
to greater strain on the nation's increasingly
poor population. Against this backdrop, two
towering figures in Zimbabwean music have new
releases to bring the world's attention to their
country's struggles.
 Thomas
Mapfumo is a legend in Zimbabwe and
through his open challenges to the leaders of
his country over the better part of 30 years,
can be closely compared with Fela Kuti. Back
in the 70's, he became wildly popular as the
voice of protest against the leaders of white
Rhodesia, which led to his imprisonment in 1979.
More recently he has lambasted the government
of Mugabe and the ongoing corruption. In a painfully
cyclical turn of events, despite his popularity
in his native country, Mapfumo's music is being
banned in Zimbabwe once again, and the man himself
has been forced to live in exile in Oregon.
His new release is entitled Rise
Up and is only available as a
digital download from Calabash
Music's website. Though this method of distribution
may seem awkward to some, the idea is that Mapfumo
can sell directly to his fans in a way that
bypasses the usual distribution network as he
evenly splits all profits with Calabash.
While, Mapfumo can be compared to Fela in his
strident messages of liberation and social justice,
musically they are quite different. His chimurenga
music, which relies heavily on the mbira (or
thumb piano) is lilting and melodic, full of
almost gentle serpentine rhythms and seems to
have more of a guitar music base than Fela's
funk and soul foundation. Mapfumo's vocal delivery
is also quite understated even if his messages
are not, and someone who does not know the Shona
language in which he sings might be unaware
of the lyrics' cutting edge. The effect is an
undulating, entrancing style which is both thought-provoking
and soothing. Although his exile in the US is
quite sad, the silver lining for American fans
is that Mapfumo may be able to tour here more
frequently, and his live shows are something
to behold.
 Oliver
Mtukudzi is another prominent Zimbabwean
artist who has been drawn into his country's
political controversy through the attempts of
the ruling Zanu PF party to co-opt his music
for its own purposes without his permission.
As a result, Mtukudzi has unwillingly become
politicized and has had to make public declarations
of his independence and his belief in a united,
free Zimbabwe. One of the country's top selling
artists, he has never shied away from heavy
lyrical topics (especially AIDS) but he has
been forced to defend his reputation against
false accusations of involvement with the Mugabe
government.
In the wake of this controversy comes Mtukudzi's
new record, Nhava
(released on Heads Up International), which
gives a great view into his signature style.
Mtukudzi was a band mate of Mapfumo during the
late 70's, and there is certainly some similarity
between the two artists beyond the fact that
they both sing in the Shona language. However,
Mtukudzi's music has a more contemporary feel
and will sound less exotic to untrained western
ears. There are multiple influences incorporated
into this record, but the sound is certainly
original. Most songs are built around an acoustic
guitar intro and then blossom into full band
arrangements with prominent background vocals
and intricate instrumentation. The sound on
Nhava is brighter and probably more
commercial than Mapfumo's Rise Up.
Although it still has great lyrical levity a
Mtukudzi writes lyrics full of wisdom and advice
for the people of his nation.
If Nigeria and Zimbabwe represent countries
where great potential for peace and democracy
have disintegrated into social upheaval in the
wake of government repression and corruption,
South Africa represents the hope of what could
be. In 1993, after over fifty years of the racist
apartheid system's institutional discrimination,
South Africa embarked on a new era of social
equality that despite great problems with crime,
poverty, and the AIDS epidemic, has been a model
for what a stable democratic government can
become.
 One
of the best known South African musical exports
is the remarkable vocal group Ladysmith
Black Mambazo, which formed in 1974
and came to international attention through
its appearance on Paul Simon's groundbreaking
1986 Graceland record. Since then,
the group has become world renowned for its
distinctive vocal style which combines traditional
Zulu singing with the influence of Christian
church choirs.
The group's most recent release,
No Boundaries (Heads Up International),
finds Ladysmith Black Mambazo collaborating
with the English Chamber Orchestra to create
a unique hybrid of its own style, known as isicathamiya
music, and western classical music. This is
a record that will appeal to people who like
their music to be on the lighter side.
Joseph Shabalala and the rest of the group
are in excellent form as always, and there are
individual tracks that work brilliantly, including
"Homeless," which was included on
Graceland, as well as a lovely version
of Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring."
Generally, the better tracks on No Boundaries
are those where the orchestra is kept in the
background, and the record sounds forced when
the group sings songs that are more western
in origin. Still, No Boundaries shows
the incredible level of international respect
that Ladysmith Black Mambazo has earned and
just how far the journey from the rural apartheid-era
townships has taken its members.
The multitude of social and political problems
that have plagued even the most developed nations
on the African continent are not likely to disappear.
However, even if struggle appears to be in the
foreseeable future for so many African nations,
it is also assured that great music will be
provide a window into the turmoil and hopefully
remain a potent weapon against it.
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