THE MAHOTELLA QUEENS - A SOUTH AFRICAN LEGEND
Amid the plethoria of packaged popsters that are deemed worthy of VIP
treatment, stands a timeless trio that truly deserves the status of musical royalty!
South Africa´s legendary Mahotella Queens: Hilda Tloubatla,
Nobesuthu Mbadu and Mildred Mangxola are indeed queens - The Mahotella
Queens - 3 doyennes, who since the mid-sixties, have been singing,
dancing and selling-out shows worldwide. What is still making them so
special ...
Maybe 40-plus years of performing together, that makes it seem that
these sisters have been doing it forever ... Theirs is not the
artificially manufactured majesty of mass hype; instead it is
innovation, hard work, perseverance and sheer musical magic that
qualify them to wear crowns.
The Queens are on tour around the globe now since almost 50
years. Their successful summer tour in 2012 included concerts in
Hyde Park during the Jubilee Celebrations for THE QUEEN. 2013 will see
the Queens return to Europe for another summer tour:
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
Together
with the ‘Makhona Tsothle Band’, and the late, great, bass
"groaner", Mahlatini, they invented “Mbaqanga” - a potent
mix of various South African and imported styles - an explosive sound;
intimately regional yet widely universal, which not only changed the
course of music in their country, but continues to captivate the world.
With the warmth of captivating songs and energetic dance routines, they
carved their path through the 1960's, and across the ‘70’s
triumphantly, setting international stages alight by the
mid-‘80’s, well into the ‘90’s…. and
onwards….
When asked how many recordings they’ve released, Hilda responds with:
“Whooo! …it’s too much…from our first hit in
’64 ‘til now… I can’t even estimate!”
1997 saw their final performance as the full band, because a series of
tragedies struck. In 1998, on the very day they buried West Nkosi, a
key member and coproducer who was killed in a car crash, their lead
guitarist Marks Mankwane died. And finally, when their famed
counterpart, Simon”Mahlathini” Nkabinde died in 1999 after
a lengthy illness, the Queens stopped singing and resigned themselves
to retirement.
But spurred on by the hope of keeping Mahlathini's spirit alive, the
trio returned, as undivided as always - together taking up the torch
they illuminated their future, affirming their individual skills as
soloists, songwriters and arrangers.
First they released “Sebai-Bai” in 2001, featuring a new
backing band alongside World Music stars like Madagascar’s
accordion master, Regis Gizavo. They embraced international elements in
this album dedicated to Mahlathini and the ‘Makgona Tsohle
Band’.
Then in 2004 came the electro-Mbaqanga explorations of
“Bazobuya”, followed in 2005 by “Reign &
Shine” - a predominantly accapella album of naked beauty,
interspersed with touches of instrumental accompaniment, but loaded
with social and moral messages.
This was closely followed by Kazet, an international variation with a couple of delightful additions.
Using their decades-old style, the’ve traversed the fickle landscape of an
unforgiving industry with resilience and inventiveness. Always willing to
experiment, The Queens continually add new ingredients and everfresh
adaptations to the deeply-rooted recipe of their ‘mbaqanga’ pot – giving them neverending appeal.
Now, as their latest opens with a church organ riff that swiftly turns
to Mbaqanga swing, heralding in the envigorating presence of
Nobesuthu’s song – it’s obvious that this is a gospel
album.
Then come the harmonies of Hilda and Mildred, and ‘Hallelujah!’ responds an uplifting male voice.
And “Hallelujah!” it is - because while gospel is still the
most widely popular, and best-selling genre of South African music, its
flaw [in musical terms], is that it tends to be agonizingly formulaic,
with endlessly repetitive renditions that mostly seem so mournful.
Well, here’s the album for those that hanker for inspirational
songs that celebrate spirituality and exuberantly express
gratitude.This is a praise project that will fulfill followers of the
faith, and possibly even convert a few secular musical sceptics.
The Queens didn’t specifically set out to do a gospel album, but
being born-again Christians, they’d had it in mind; so when the
record company approached them, proposing such a release, they were
elated.
And it makes sense, because moving through the album, it’s clear
that their church choir sessions form the basis of this sound. And
perhaps it’s the regularity of this religious ritual, that adds
to the intimacy with which they converse in amazing overlays.
More likely it’s the 40-plus years of performing together, that
makes it seem that these sisters have been doing it forever! But the
apparent ease with which they weave their vocals is also result of
ongoing, and continued hard work – this is mastery inherent and
earned!
As Hilda says:
“I guess we are true musicians – born musicians –
we’re talented! We’ve got the spirit of true musicians,
hence we know how to go about a song… how to do a song, like
with “Town Hall” [a song we know how to sing]… &
people ask, how do you do it, how do you start, cos we don’t see
anyone doing a sign to say now we’re going to do this…?
Its in us… we’ve been together for a long time, hence we
know exactly what to do..”
And as their voices interweave, so do the styles… assimilations
embroidered into a tapestry of rich expression, which gently defy the
limitations of local gospel, elevating it to a new level. Uncontrived,
a sincerity seeps through as they blend sacred hymns with touches of
marabi, soul, jazz, and of course Mbaqanga.
Overall, this is a joyful statement of faith - spiritual exuberance
uncontained - but for those still in need of some serious
‘praise’, there are also some slower, more sombre songs.
Alongside the solid artistry of their regular band, the acclaimed
bassist, Jabu Sibumbe is added. This longtime veteran of South African
sound was fatefully called in to session after the Queens’ bass
player was involved in a car accident:
“He was a blessing from god, hence we said, we need Jabu to be
our producer, he’s beautiful, he’s done a great job.”
Then there’s a glistening guitar that threads a Southern African
rumba flavour throughout. In asking of this artist so distinctive but
apparently unknown, the invisible force of destiny is again exposed,
with Hilda responding:
“Aaah! O my god… John… We just got this boy… he’s new, very new, we
rehearsed with him, for not even a month, maybe a week… what a
beautiful guy, my heart is sore… and when I talk about him, I
say we found a guitarist who plays exactly like Marks Mankwane, our
first guitarist.. it’s like youre listening to him!”
But tragically, after only a week of recording, John Papo died, so all
that remains are his intermittent solos of such mindblowing excellence,
that one wonders if he’d said all he had to, and then left…
Also noted is the regular reappearance of that powerful male voice
first heard on the ‘Hallelujah’ of the opening track. On
“Usathane Uyadelela”, a traditional rearranged by Mildred,
he’s superbly featured in the same call-and-response style that
made them so famous - but this is no would-be Mahlatini! While this
voice also has a rich resonance, there’s no gruffness here -
it’s beauty is smoother, more velvety, and yet there’s
something strangely familiar….
And no wonder, because this young star is Alfred ‘Ali’
Temo, Hilda’s son – so the legacy continues…
But at the same time, this latest offering affirms that besides being
icons of unity and empowerment, living legends that represent history
…the Mahotella Queens are still ruling now!
This recording has been described as [Valpre] the finest South African
spring water, bottled at it’s source. And having been cleansed by
this purity, we come to the end, with Hilda singing “on the high
level of the holy spirit” , so we can rest assured that …
“It is Well!” ( NICKY BLUMENFELD – MARCH 2007)
2008 saw the Mahotella Queens in agreat line up with Freshlyground
and Hugh Masekela perform at the AVO Session n Switzerland.
Their concert will be presented on TV in over 40 countries worldwide in
2009.
2010 the Queens perfromed with Hugh Masekela at Rio Loco Festivalö in an hommage show to Miraiam Makeba.
Since 2010 the Queens are back on tour in Europe and played countless beautiful concerts.
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