Amandla Freedom Ensemble Presents – Born to Be Black: A Celebration of the Conscious Soul Journey across South Africa through Musical Collaboration

CCFM Avenida Samora Machel Maputo Mozambique 30 September 2016

Born to Be Black is the culmination of an endeavour to bring a journey of musical fireworks from an intergenerational dialogue between the intense piano improvisations of Andile Yenana and the extraordinary dynamic range of South African percussionists Louis Moholo Moholo, who played a pivotal role in the influential community of South African exiles who transformed the evolution of British jazz from the 60’s and revered American jazz firebrand saxophonist and educator Professor Salim Washington.

All three figures remain massive figures in the South African music landscape – this progressive collaboration of masters is also paired with the audacious and far-reaching musical musings of the Amandla Freedom Ensemble led by young trumpeter Mandla Mlangeni.

Veteran South African drummer Louis Tebogo Moholo Moholo returned to his homeland in 2005 and will be revisiting the anthemic and freewheeling improvisations that will be delivered at CCFM, a premier artistic and cultural venue in the heart of Maputo, Mozambique on Saturday 30 September 20:30.

 We invite you to join the journey of a unique musical offering between the Amandla Freedom Ensemble, Louis Moholo, Salim Washington and Andile Yenana. The Amandla Freedom Ensemble have in recent years positioned themselves as a musical tour de force with an original cultural identity and agenda of creating new music that speaks to both young and old.

Described by the Jazz Times (USA) as an “urban arts ensemble which wraps elliptical melodies in three-part harmonies, rich with impasto, swinging like broken chandeliers.”

During 2015 the ensemble extensively performed within the SADC regions and to date they have participated at the Harare International Festival of Arts in Zimbabwe, the MTNBushfire Festival in Swaziland and subsequent tours in Maputo, Mozambique. The AFE have concluded the extensive run in a culmination of performances at several music festivals such as the Fete de la Muziq and the Standard Bank Jazz Festival in Grahamstown.

A successful CD launch and a subsequent nomination for Best Jazz Album has seen a deluge of collaborations and performances with many and diverse artists such as Afrika Mkhize, Herbie Tsoaeli, Mark Fransman and several notable engagements position the ensemble at the forefront in creating an original platforms to showcase new and original sounds. The Amandla Freedom Ensemble is steadily capturing the attention of many jazz patrons and new audiences wherever it performs.

Born To Be Black draws on an exciting and vibrant group of musicians with an appetite for different genres in a setting primed for all kinds of audiences.

Featured Soloists:
Louis Moholo (drums)
AndileYenana (piano)
Prof. Salim Washington (bass clarinet, flute and oboe)

Amandla Freedom Ensemble is:
Mandla Mlangeni (trumpet)
Oscar Rachabane (penny whistle and tenor saxophone)
Sisonke Xonti
(baritone saxophone)
Gontse Makhene
(percussion) Ariel Zamonsky
(bass)
Tumi Mogorosi (drums)

Born To Be Black: A Celebration of The Conscious Soul is a vision, which encompasses the echoes of South African township groove and no-holds-barred freedom alongside the vibrant and mesmerising chants of the drums. In the rich jazz history of old lions making inspired new music with a young ones, ‘Born To Be Black’ is in every way a proclamation of our rich musical history.

For media:
For queries, media accreditation, interview request, access to high res pictures etc, please contact JT Comms on media@jtcomms.co.za or 011 788 7632

 Born To Be Black: A Celebration of The Conscious Soul is supported by ANT Funding Grant from Pro Helvetia Johannesburg financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).