WeeklySA_AdminAPPROACH: The seasoned African artist’s latest offering pushes the boundaries, showcasing his genius and long journey…
By Gugu Sibiya
Ordinarily, great albums are hard to come by and something like looking for a needle in a haystack to find. Then once in a blue moon, quite unexpectedly, comes along a sizzler to make up for the drought and to whet unsuspecting music fans’ appetite for something off the top drawer.
Just like the latest show-stopping double-CD from seasoned artist Louis Mhlanga, the Zimbabwean-born award-winning guitarist and producer based in South Africa, which most certainly will set the local music scene ablaze.
Mhlanga’s newly dropped offering Living for the Living, not only raises the bar above all his previous endeavours produced during a long and illustrious career on the African music scene, but it also marks the progression of his remarkable journey.
Sounding chaffed over his 11th album, Mhlanga said he started working on the music a while ago. “When the pandemic struck and we found ourselves under lockdown, I revisited the collection of songs I’d accumulated, listened and reworked them. After choosing a couple, adding new ones, I ended up with a 19-tracks”.
About the title, the guitar maverick says, “I believe it’s self-explanatory. As people, we live through each other. Despite all of that, Living for the Living is a happy, celebratory album. Unlike my previous works, I opted to take an instrumental approach, humming on Shingirira, which means determination in Shona. Another deviation is that, except for two tracks, I stayed away from the piano”.
An enthralling guitar-driven project, peppered with hauntingly beautiful melodies for the violin, cello and percussions, Mhlanga’s CD does not disappoint. It goes beyond what aficionados have come to expect from him. Another captivating facet about this eclectic work is the calibre of seasoned musicians he’s brought on board.
“On Shingirira, I roped in an amazing accordion player, Madagascar’s Regis Gizavo. We also dropped a 12-track album entitled Stories, split into six songs each between us. We hit the road, doing shows in Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. We were about to tour French-speaking countries when Regis sadly died after a performance in an island”.
Other cream-of-the-crop guest artists include percussionist Tlale Makhene and steel pan star Andy Narrell.
“As usual, Tlale brought his gift and A-game. Andy said he didn’t care what he was going to do as long as he’s on board. On percussion and steel pans, he hooked up three brilliant Cuban percussionists. Listening to them, I was blown away,” he gushes.
The duo’s friendship and collaborations go back to the days when Narell heard for the first time the collaboration album by Mahlasela and Mhlanga on the plane coming to play here. He loved the way Mhlanga strummed his guitar, tracked him down and ended up playing at the two South Africans’ show at the Baseline in Melville in Johannesburg. Following their first appearance together, he invited the guitarist to his mega music show.
“He asked me to bring my guitar, invited me on stage but I questioned how I was going to play his music as it has lots of movement. (Yet) It worked out fine! I’m always fine when I have my guitar with me.
Next thing I was on a plane to Paris, France to feature on his Fire in the Engine Room offering. We’ve worked together since then and our friendship just blossoms,” adding that the steel-pan wunderkund is among the best musos he knows.
“Living for the Living is about showcasing my experiences in life and the music influences that have shaped me. I’ve dabbled in traditional, African, funk, rock and classical music which I was exposed to. You can pick up those nuances in my songs,” states the globe-trotting muso.
“Covid slowed things down but slowly people are clawing their way back to normalcy. Uppermost on my mind is promoting Living for the Living and collaborating with artists in Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe” says a content Louis.
Mhlanga started playing the guitar at the age of 10, imitating the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and other rock stars from the 60s and 70s. He also studied both Southern and West African guitar traditions, and successfully incorporated the traditional mbira (thumb piano) patterns of the Shona people into his unique modern electric guitar style.
Mhlanga is known for his collaborations as much as his solo work. He features on the 1996 collaborative album Place of Hope alongside international stars like George Duke, James Ingram and Al Jarreau.
He can also be heard on Andy Narell’s Fire in the Engine Room (2000) and Live in South Africa (2001). In 1999 he recorded Live At The Bassline with Vusi Mahlasela. Musik Ye Afrika, another collaborative band, is the brainchild of Louis and his long-time friend, bassist Jimi Indi.
They recorded their first album in 1997, following it in mid-2003 with United We Stand, featuring stars like Oliver Mtukudzi, Busi Mhlongo, Chiwoniso Maraire, Marcus Wyatt, Bushy Seatlholo and Sydney Mnisi. Keeping the Dream (2004) was another collaborative album, this time with Dutch bassist Eric van der Westen, also featuring Senegal’s Habib Koite. – Additional reporting from Music In Africa
Mhlanga’s first solo album, ‘Mukai’ (2000) received high acclaim and further established him in the South African market.
The Louis Mhlanga Band came into being in 2001, featuring formidable South Africa jazz heavyweights Andile Yenana (keys), Denis Lalouette (bass), Sello Montwedi (drums) and Basi Mahlasela (percussion). They were invited by SAFM to perform a recorded concert during the 2001 National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, resulting in the release of ‘Shamwari’, Mhlanga’s first album on the Sheer Sound Label.
The SAMA-nominated follow-up in 2004, ‘Tinganekwane’ (Stories), showcased Louis’ signature style, revisiting traditional Zimbabwe flavours interspersed with some surprises.
