Phillip Kakaza
Ella and Louis, Neneh and Youssou, Sam and Dave – today they’re names that go together like bread and butter. New to this territory of legendary musical collaboration comes the one happening here and now between local R&B/hip-hop funkmaster E’Smile, explorative drummer Barry van Zyl and bass guitarist Andre Abrahamse. Under the collective name Baba Do, they’ve recorded a song called Planet J that’s destined to be a killer track this summer.
The song is featured on a new collaborative CD called Re-Rooted, produced by Fresh records and featuring the cream of South Africa’s new generation of musical visionaries: Paul Hanmer, Kaolin Thompson, Ian Herman, Warrick Sony …
Re-Rooted is a compilation of new ethnic rhythms that have evolved in the past decade, crossing a myriad of cultural and musical boundaries that explode with happiness on the dance floor.
It’s a local sound which finds its source and inspiration in the multi- cultural, musical history of Johannesburg’s gold mines, coal fields, factories and dusty backyards. Added to this is the influence of today’s modern technology and cyber-culture.
Re-Rooted has roped in musicians, DJs and engineers from Southern Africa and Europe who together have invented a sound for the new millennium.
Apart from the unique cultural mix, the project is founded on the “gold stones of the City of Dreams”, as Cape Town- born muso Abrahamse calls Johannesburg. “It is about musicians who came from different parts of the continent, about how they met in the City of Gold to pursue their musical careers.”
With influences ranging from marabi, to hip-hop, to indigenous jazz, Re-Rooted has produced unique South African sounds that certainly have the potential to influence other musicians – even globally.
So, here is a CD that will make your head bounce. Among the best is the track Elungelo – remastered by two British DJs, collectively called RSL – which marries drum ‘n’ bass with Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s mbumbe song Lelilungelo Lelakho. The resultant composition combines ethnic dance sounds with a pop flavour.
In the tune Seven Tananas presents hardcore dub grooves, ambient vocal samples and backing beats that mesmerise you into a rhythmic trance.
In a brilliantly punctuated gospel song called Noyana, Herman Tladi’s harmonic voice adds to the collection’s irresistible danceability.
But perhaps the best track is Baba Do’s aforementioned Planet J, an outstanding example of how the collection interweaves diverse musical styles.
The initiators of Baba Do’s contribution to the project, Abrahamse and Port Elizabeth-born jazz muso Van Zyl, have not only drawn E’Smile into their track, but have also featured other talented vocalists: Dave Birch of the rock band Squeal and Shangaan pop singer Sunglen Shabalala. The project also involves singers Gina Shmuckler, Terence Reis and Jenny Delenta. Planet J encompasses a variety of South African languages including English, Zulu, Sotho, Afrikaans, Shangaan and isicamtho.
Baba Do’s contribution stands as a unique example of how Re-Rooted celebrates the diversity of culture and language, influencing the musical scene in Johannesburg. Even the name Baba Do refers to a term derived from isicamtho meaning bass and drum.
Energetic Wolmaranstad-born star E’Smile, aka Ismail Morabe, whose major influence comes from American soul singers of the ilk of James Ingram, says that working with musicians from other stables has been an enrichment. “It’s time to break away from working in small corners, and being stereotyped in our creativity,” he says about theRe-Rooted experience.
E’Smile is as good an authority on collaboration as you get. Not only does he enjoy popularity with the kwaito outfit Skeem, but he has also toured at home and abroad with Prophets of da City.
In endorsing the Re-Rooted concept, he says: “I think all music genres, whether R&B or kwaito, will reach extraordinary heights. But only if we open up to new ideas.”
Re-Rooted, then, is the start, and not the end. To paraphrase Abrahamse: As long as there are still different races, cultures and musicians in Gauteng, there’ll be new ground to break.
Re-Rooted is available at any good record shop