'Amuzed' - 03/04/98

Daničle Pascal competition below

"OO" what a night!

The new James Bond movie, 'Tomorrow Never Dies', has just opened in SA. It's an ironic title as a previous Bond flick was titled 'Never Say Never Again' and saying "never dies" in the same sentence as "James Bond" and "movie" is looking for trouble. Anyway, inspired by 007, I decided to be a private eye (my eye's so private, I have to put my head in a cupboard every time I need to blink heh heh) for the evening and catch a secret peek at a gig at the River Club entertainment complex in Cape Town. I say "complex" because it is superior to most of the other similar venues around town.

So I arrived at the upstairs concert room to catch the end of the Boo set, a three-person band who insisted that their raucous fans down the front should preferably boo their appreciation instead of cheering - very original and helps to avoid any ambiguous criticism. Next up were SA's own Manhattan Transfer - Madness Ensemble, the HoneymOOn Suites, who refer to themselves also as the Rhythm Methodists. During the break, while waiting for the roadies to set up the stage, I paid some attention to the music being played to entertain the punters.

First up was the album by OOM called 'Beats And Peaces', which can best be described as a SA Music 'Potjiekos' as it is a hybrid stew with all the better SA dance, reggae and kwaito elements generously mixed in. It is a production by Ian Osrin who is grabbing lank attention for his production work at his Jo'burg based Digital Cupboard studio. Besides Ian, OOM also features Jon Ackerman who ran Street Records in Braamfontein which, for many years, was the coolest alternative record store and the best record library in town.

The Honeymoon (tour) is just beginning!

After playing the OOM CD, they played something that sounded like a new U2 single. I headed off to the mixing desk and discovered it was the new WonderbOOm EP called 'Isit?'. I didn't hear it all as the HoneymOOn Suites were on stage by now and they immediately grabbed my attention with their Afro wigs that gave the entire band a Sly and The Family Stone appearance. To cement the analogy, they played an extended funky groove that went on for at least 15 minutes.

Although the sound mix was mostly horrible, the band's enthusiasm, strong material and serious commitment to having a huge party whenever and wherever they play, contributed to another in the long series of great Suites concerts. They are off on their national tour to promote their debut CD, the confidently titled 'Greatest Hits'. WonderbOOm were on last but I had other things on my agenda so I bought a copy of their CD on my way out and suggest you visit their new website at http://www.wonderboom.co.za. This is a band I plan to keep my public eye on in the future.

O'Yaba Daba Doo

After releasing four excellent albums and one compilation and appearing on stages far and wide, the SA reggae band O'Yaba freaked out a lot of their fans by giving the appearance of having split permanently. This seemed a shame as they had created quite a devout following all over the globe as evidenced by the numerous requests we received for their CDs. Well, they seemed to have made friends and have released their new album appropriately titled 'Crazy Love' which was produced by the legendary West Nkosi. O'Yaba are serious contenders for the "Best reggae act in SA" title currently held by Lucky Dube. But O'Yaba will have to also keep their eyes on Vuyani Qali and Joint Effort (This month's winner of the "Trans Sky" award for great SA band names) who are also carving out a creditable reputation after their 'Africa Wake Up' song on the New World Music compilation (see last weeks's review) garnered a ton of interest. O'Yaba's new album will be reviewed next week.

Alivebrotherforyou

As mentioned a while back, the new live album from the Blues Broers will be released in the next few weeks. 'The Cellar Tapes' was recorded over a period of a week in December '97 at the Hidden Cellar in Stellenbosch and the 14 tracks were recorded by Willem Moller. The final mix was done "on-site live" and the album was mastered by David Torrey of DRT Mastering in the USA. This will be the first commercially released SA live rock album of the '90s and the first since the legendary 'Live At Jameson's' album by the late, great and severely missed James Phillips. The Blues Broers are renowned for their manic live shows so this album should be a blast.

There is also a new live album by Sibongile Khumalo called 'Live At The Market Theatre'. There was a CD launch at the Market Theatre in Jo'Burg last week and those who attended are still raving about it. Sibongile, who was dubbed "The Empress of Song" by the compere for the evening, John "De Niro" Kani, is off on a promotional tour to Australia. At the launch she performed some of the material off the new album including a cover of Winston Mankunku's 'Yakhal Inkomo' and her version of 'Meadowlands' which features on the album as part of a 'Township Medley'. A highlight of the concert was when Sibongile spied Hugh Masekela sitting in the audience and hauled him up on stage for an impromptu jam-session.

I am a DJ, I am what I play

Last week I mentioned the Q-Radio website which is streaming SA music radio stations over the Net. There is also a very worthwhile music site called The DJ which is like a Net jukebox and which allows you to hear all kinds of international music from its comprehensive database. The DJ can be found at http://www.thedj.com/. The DJ has a particularly excellent South African section and provides a continuous stream of quality music for those who need some aural stimulation whilst surfing around.

Some Amuzine contents

This week we Review the very lekker new compilation from Tea Time Music called Tea 'N Tequila featuring four songs each from a hot quartet of new Jo'burg rock bands, Tripping Billy, Mao, Ethel My Love and FUZiGiSH. There's also the manic Lager Mentality interview with Daniele Pascal as well as some of her CDs to be won (see below). You are very welcome to submit your informal reviews, views and comments to our interactive The Show Must Go Online section. Pop across to the Gig Guide for a quick check on who's strutting and fretting their ways across the musical stages this weekend. Don't forget to order all these CDs mentioned above as well as any other SA CD at our easy to use, cheaper at the price, efficient and effective One World online SA CD store. You know it makes cents!

Stephen "Sugar" Segerman
stephen@intekom.co.za

Five CDs currently caressing my lobes:

James Iha - Let It Come Down
The quiet oriental ou from the Smashing Pumpkins serves up a gentle batch of songs as a musical catharsis before the next Pumpkins onslaught.

O'Yaba - Crazy love
A cool mixture of reggae styles and speeds, harmonies and harmonious rebonding.

Various - The Tea 'N Tequila compilation
I was reviewing this and just, gulp, fell in love with it and now I don't have the heart to take it out of my CD player.

Wonderboom - IsIt?
You have to hear 'She Cries' and 'No Left Turn Unstoned'. Actually, all six tracks here are wonderboomerful!

The House Of Love - All their albums (not an album title!)
One of my all-time favourite bands. I have been renewing my adoration for all their works as head "House" honcho, Guy Chadwick, has just released his first solo album and I can't wait to hear it.

The One World Top Ten Chart
(The best selling SA CDs on the Net!)

1. Tkzee - Palafala
2. Makhendlas - Jammer
3. Boom Shaka - Ain't no stppin' us
4. Rebecca - Somlandela
5. M'du - Always Da Case
6. Just Jinger- Something For Now
7. Ma Humble - Imbumba
8. Sibongile Khumalo - Live at the Market Theatre
9. Henry Ate - Slap in the face
10. Bongo Maffin - Final Entry

CDs available at One World online CD store at: http://www.oneworld.co.za

Amuzine Daničle Pascal competition:
5 copies of her latest CD, 'Broken Dreams', to be won!

Question: Who is the legendary Canadian singer that Daničle met in Montreal?

Send your answer to stephen@intekom.co.za. (Closing date:
April 20). The winners' names will be published in Beat Speak. You can find the answers by reading the Lager Mentality inteview.

by stephen 'Sugar' Segerman