WOMAD

Mabulu

From Mozambique

2001 BiographyMozambique has had more than its fair share of visits from the four horsemen of the apocalypse in the last three decades, the last of which brought the devastating floods of 2000. Whilst the winds were raging and the deluge was in full force, a group of local musicians huddled together in the studio of the German producer Roland Hohberg in the Mozambican capital Maputo to record a groundbreaking new album. The idea was to bring together the old dons of Mozambique’s musical heyday when the clubs of Maputo’s Xipamaine district offered the best diversions in Southern Africa with the young turks of the country’s fast emerging rap and ragga scene. The older generation were represented by sexagenarian Lisboa Matavel, a star of the marrabenta rhythm that was all the rage in the swinging era of 1960s Xipamaine - and the only slightly younger Antonio Marcos, also a marrabenta stalwart. The younger crew were headed by the 22 year old Chiquito, leading rhymester with Mozambican rappers Mad Level and the gorgeous young singer Chonyl. This bizarre cross-generational ensemble recorded under the name of Mabulu which means "dialogue" in the local Shangana language. The result was a refreshingly original blend of invigorating marrabenta grooves with Zimbabwean-flavoured guitar licks, Madagascan vocal inflexions and no-nonsense word-flow from the rapping crew. In other words, the stars of 60s swing met the MTV generation, got on famously and made some wicked music to boot. The album which Hohberg produced in his studio came out earlier this year on Tugboat Records entitled ‘Karimbo’. It has received almost unanimous approval from the critics. Mozambique is a country dearly in need of dialogue and Mabulu are living proof that it’s good to talk but it’s even better to dance! Biography by Andy Morgan, June 20012001 short biographyThe self styled 'future sound of Mozambique', Mabulu feature several generations of Mozambiquan artists - from the 62 year old Lisboa Matavel to 22 year old rapper Chiquito, combining the traditional textures of Marrabenta together with African rap and dance beats.