Alexander Sudheim While most major music festivals tend to arrive in the world as humble, diminutive creatures that take many years to swell into significance, Awesome Africa has entered the scene at the top end of the market in impressive style. Only two years young this week, the festival formerly known as Living Treasures has summoned a formidable array of talent from the front ranks of top calibre international artists. Taking place from September 22 to 25 in the spectacular natural amphitheatre provided by the Shongweni Resources Reserve just outside Durban, the event is a breathtaking showcase of some of the finest sonic emissions South Africa and the world have to offer. Though Awesome Africa bills itself as “Africa’s greatest music festival”, in this case the marketing hyperbole is forgivable, for it really is rather difficult to imagine a better line-up to do justice to such a claim. Headlining the festival is Angelique Kidjo, the Benin-born diva whose suave blend of traditional African melodies with irresistible pop harmonies has helped carve a phenomenally successful global career which has produced numerous hit albums in 39 countries. One of the few “world music” artistes whose songs possess genuine crossover appeal, Kidjo knocks ’em dead in the mainstream markets of Europe and the United States, as well as on her home turf of Africa. Other heavyweights from beyond the borders include Senegalese superstar Cheikh Lo; British/Indian techno-anarchists FunMental; legendary US slide guitarist Bob Brozman and England’s Phil Manzanera, founder member of Roxy Music and erstwhile Pink Floyd guitarist. Flying the flag for the home team are top kwaito outfits Bongo Maffin, TRO, Playaz and Mafenswa; world-famous “Urban Zulu” Busi Mhlongo; smooth soulman Jimmy Dludlu; supergroup The Flames, who reunite especially for the festival; ominous trip- rock outfit Ohm; hardcore rap/rock renegades Sideshow; maskanda magnate Madala Kunene and melodic rock ensemble Sunways, to name but a few. Aside from the line-up, one of the most exciting aspects of the festival is its collaborative dimension. Catalysing a host of unprecedented partnerships, Awesome Africa rescues the concept of “fusion” from the progressive jazz doldrums and injects it with visceral energy and conceptual flair.
Bob Brozman, considered by many to be the world’s meanest wielder of slide and steelstring, leads an all-star slide guitar jamboree with Japanese maestro Takashi Hirayusi, Reunion’s “dancing accordion” guru Ren’ Lacaille and India’s Bhattacharya Brothers, the world’s foremost exponents of the 24-string Hindustani slide guitar. Dubbed the “Three Oceans Collaboration”, the enthralling experiment is completed by rising Durban maskanda star Mfiliseni Magubane.
Another seminal collaboration is between avatars of South African folk Landscape Prayers, rambunctious Italian musical family The Modena City Ramblers and rock guitar doyen Manzanera. Durban’s version of a collaboration between Cypress Hill and Limp Bizkit comes in the form of the experimental partnership between attitude-laden hip-hop/kwaito kings TRO – who had the whole of Splashy Fen chanting “the bruin ou’s/ are the main ou’s!” earlier this year – and gut-busting rap/rock/metal/hip-hop fusioneers Sideshow, in a performance set to break more than a few musical and cultural boundaries. The charged pop/rock of Sunways ought to take on an interesting new dimension in the company of Mamelodi gospel choir The Boyfriendz, while both hard-rocking tribal outfit THC, Grammy-winning US New Age band Sapien, hot Puerto Rican percussionist Efrain Toro and ace South African drummer Barry van Zyl are sure to surprise one another in their collaboration. All told, it’s a string of top-class international artists; the cream of South African music; a range of styles running the gamut of the musical spectrum and a host of inspired collaborations to hit you on both a conceptual and sensual level, all set in the dramatic surrounds of a nature reserve, only add up to one thing: a damn fine music festival. It’s awesome, it’s African and it’s happening this weekend, so cancel the round of golf, the poker game and the Tupperware party and get thee hence to Shongweni. Awesome Africa takes place from September 22 to 25. Tickets (available through Computicket) are R45 a day or R110 for the entire festival. Tel: (031) 202E9093 or 083E326E3234