December Celebrations: A Remembrance And A Release

REMEMBRANCE:

Heita all! Back in 2009, I was doing a PR interview for Ownership on Radio 2000 in Jo'burg with Angela Ludek (Hi Angel!). It also happened to be Madiba's 91st birthday on that day so at the close of the interview, she asked me (just as she asked the umpteen or so previous guests that day) what I would like to say to Madiba on his birthday. I remember kind of balking because I didn't feel like there was anything that I could say that either hadn't already been said by the previous guests (leaving me to sound pretty unoriginal) or would't fall short of worthy for he who is really one of the greatest and most impactful members of our species in history.

Well it's sort of how I feel now only instead of a handful of previous interviewees, we're talking the whole bloody world now - including some of the worlds most well spoken and erudite statespersons, scholars, journalists, poets, musicians etc... . I think it's fair to say that most of the time when we use superlatives, it's really hyperbole, but in the case of Mandela: not. Still feeling a bit unqualified to expound on all that Madiba was to humanity, I realize that it's a very human thing to want to publicly express our feelings in a situation like this regardless of how articulate (or in articulate) we are and I'm no exception. So I'd just like to share a couple of public comments that stood out for me, my 2 cents more, one pic that says it all and a little something from my heart.

Desmond Tutu called Madiba "a moral colossus" and President Obama called him one of the most "profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this earth." That pretty much says it for me emotionally, but let's not forget that his political acumen ran just as deep as his humanity - he was one of the most brilliant statesmen and politicians of all time. All that said, nothing sums up his impact for me, better than the pic off to the side here

Hamba kahle Tata. Siyakuthandanjalo.

NEW CHRISTMAS RELEASE:

AVAILABLE NOW - click here!

OK onward then. With it being the holiday season and all of the attention focused on South Africa right now, I decided it would be nice to release a couple of South African style Christmas songs that I've had on my mind and the back burner for a while now.*

* (more on how this all came about at the bottom).

Ukhisimusi Omuhle - A South African Christmas is a digital "45" that I'm making available exclusively (for now) on my official download website. As noted in the announcement that went out on the fan page, it's a festive two-song offering celebrating Christmas, in a South African style, with the songs loosely interpreting 2 popular Christmas carols - conveying the emotional spirit of their western counter parts while drawing on South African traditions for their musical character. The "A" side is a sort of Silent Night" like interpretation and it features Sis Thuli Dumakude giving a captivatingly beautiful and tender vocal performance. 

The "B" side is a more playful (and a bit more obvious) interpretation of Jingle Bells that I recorded on mbiras. I tried to strike a nice balance between the "voice of the ancestors" resonance of the traditional Shona playing style with the classic grandeur of the Western Christmas carol form - sort of Mujuru meets Dickens if you will (chuckle). I think the songs are beautiful, joyous and playful and hope you will too!

For now, it's only going to be available during the holiday season. It makes a unique and clever stocking stuffer and it's only *2 bucks!* I hope you'll get a copy for yourself, a few more (or many!) to give as gifts for friends and family (there's a gift option as you check out) and spread the word (and cheer) to everyone else you know in your social networks! And when you're all through, you can sit in front of the tree with a nice cup of hot chocolate or rooibos, with your "buds" in, celebrating Christmas Mzansi-style!

Merry Ho Ho to all, Ukisimusi Omuhle, Happy Holidays and thank you all for supporting artist-owned music. And of course I'd be remiss if I didn't tag this with:

A Million Years of Peacetime...

Uxolo

Ema

*PS - A little more background on this project if you're interested:

Back when Thuli was still with Lion King on Broadway, she had called me to see if I'd participate in some sort of "Broadway Stars" Christmas project either performing with her or recording a song for a compilation CD to sell through Broadway Cares for AIDs funding. As we were brain storming which X-mas song to do I kept feeling, "I know it's for a good cause but it all feels sooooooo cliche." So I started thinking, "What if we did something that was more South African?" We thought of a couple X-mas songs that we could translate into Zulu but again, it just felt too contrived. Then I thought, what if instead of *translating*  a song into Zulu and just wrapping the original music in a South African veneer, we create an *interpretation* that lyrically and musically conveys the spirit and emotional tenor of whatever song it is, but is composed from South African cultural sensibilities?

So at one point in the studio, I was explaining the concept to Thuli. I started playing a traditional Maskanda guitar pattern, softly and slowly to demonstrate how we could interpret one of the many traditional Christmas ballads.Thuli started tenderly repeating ubusuku obuhle (beautiful night) and usefikile uJesu (Jesus has arrived) and even found a way to hint at a familiar melody. Even in this raw form it was so beautiful and intimate, that I immediately tossed up a couple of mics to capture it. We recorded the basic track right there on the spot in one take. Then she went back and threw in a couple harmonies for good measure and BAM! Out of the park! We had a Zulu Silent Night.

The concept went from one song to an entire album. We started brainstorming songs: "How 'bout a 'Scthathamiya Hark the Herald? Or an Mbira Jingle Bells? Or a *MARABI* Santa Claus is Coming to Town???" Oh man all the synapses were firing now. And now we were getting excited bout the possibilities of offering it up alongside the Zulu beadwork animals that Thuli provides to Lion King through her women's self-help organization, Thembalethu Beaders - the sale of which benefits the women who make them as well as provides Aids funding for Broadway Cares.

Sadly, there were too many complications on the organizational end and the full project ended up on the shelf. But not before I managed to rough out a couple of the ideas in the studio. I even got Tony Cedras of Paul Simon fame (although a great musician/composer in his own right) to come in and lay down just the coolest Marabi piano part for the aforementioned SCICT (we really had so much fun and laughed a lot on that session)! Anyway, I've always loved the concept and hope to revive it. We'll see how the 45 does!

So for now you get a taste of it in my little holiday offering. Merry Ho Ho everyone!

WHERE THE F#!% HAVE YOU BEEN?! (and WTF's next?!)

I've been getting this question a lot in one form or another for almost two years now. I realize with the exception of the occasional quip or socio-political opinion on FB to demonstrate I'm still on the planet, I've been pretty much, an absentee artist. So, right off the bat, I'm here to tell ya that the pendulum has swung back in the other direction and I have re-emerged. Or to quote George Castanza: "I'M BACK BABY!"
(don't you just love how much Seinfeld still contributes to the "Boomer" lexicon lol). Anyway, I've spent the summer in the "shed" (musicians help the lay people out)...fresh haircut...back to running again...had a lovely birthday and an equally lovely labor day weekend with friends and family down the shore...season's changing...guess I'm finally ready to respond.

NOTE: if you're not really interested in the "wherethefuckhaveyoubeen?" part, skip on down about 4 paragraphs to the "whatthefucksnext?" part (but if you're just a little bit curious...)

WTFHYB?
After the frequently intractable and budget draining (albeit, still exciting and gratifying) South African launch of Ownership, I returned home to Jersey, intent on taking about 6-8 months to re-charge and re-tool before starting the next album and taking another "crack at it" with the band in South Africa. During this time, I did a house concert tour and a string of solo performances (as all of you friends and die-hard fans can attest to - thanks for the support). But as that period came to a close, I found myself  faced with *circumstances* that required me to go on a "slight" career hiatus.

You see, while I was over eMzansi trying to pry doors open and battling the screeching, irrational nine-headed hydra that is the music/entertainment biz, my wife Pattie (Patricia professionally), motivated by a most admirable conviction to "do good and do well," had launched a new business in the healthcare field, providing in-home care for people in North Jersey . By the time I returned she was in full operation, but contending with her own industry "beasts" (to light-heartedly continue the metaphor). Quite simply, she needed my help. So, I put my career on hold and joined her.

Now as I was writing this, I was considering inserting a paragraph on how "dissonant" I felt during this period but I was afraid it would sound too much like a rant or lament and I never want anyone (especially you babe) thinking that I harbor any anger, resentment or regrets over this. I say "circumstances" to mean literally and without sarcasm, the unpredictable, uncontrollable variables that impact on our lives while (to quote John Lennon) "you're busy making other plans". For love and survival, you adjust accordingly.

Although here's a picture of me during that period:

 

Old Man in Sorrow (On the Threshold of Eternity)

 

BWAAA HAA HAA!!! (c'mon, just havin' some fun...)

OK, 'nuff said about that. At the beginning of the summer, *circumstances* allowed for me to return to my element and I'm now looking up into the limitless sky. Phambili we say in Zulu - forward.

WTFN?
Right then, business at hand... . I spent the summer priming the pump; I've now thrown the switch and am happy to report that all tubes, wires, tines, synapses, callouses, reflexes and laryngial muscles are firing up quite nicely thank you very much. So here's what's what: 

• NEW MATERIAL: I'm writing again and am very excited about what's flowing out (plus I still have a whole trove of material from the post-Ownership period waiting to be realized). That said, you can expect several preview and single releases in the upcoming season and a new album out of me in 2014, followed up by both solo and full band performances with an eye on a support tour. It's all still "in the chute" as of yet but preparations are underway.

• LIVE: 
  
  I am resuming my live solo show. I'm currently rehearsing it and will start booking for NY/NJ in October (including Asbury Park, 'cause YOU GUYS have been heart-warmingly tenacious in trying to get me down there in spite of my silence lol!). It will be the same format as before but I'll be previewing some new songs, reworking material from Ownership (as well as keeping some of the previous faves), tossing in some fresh stories/anecdotes and a few surprises for good measure (could be a song; could be a guest performer!). I have some new "handlers" in my camp now, who want me to expand the venue targets for this show beyond house concerts and performing arts centers to include clubs and colleges as well.

• MORE LIVE:
  
  My long time South African sister - singer/actress/choreographer Thuli Dumakude - and I have reunited to start working together again. We are also in rehearsals right now and will be doing shows both as a duo and in full band formats in NY and along the US East Coast. We're also exploring touring and theatrical possibilities here and in SA; and we are discussing the long overdue follow up album to Senzeni Na?. Again, we'll keep you posted, but look for performance announcements from the mailing list (see below) and on our repsective FB pages.

• STUDIO: I've re-opened Ikhaya Studios (v2 if you like) and am about to announce a significant upgrade - one that will not only be a game-changer for what comes out of the studio sonically, but should be of particular interest to producers, mixers, songwriters and drummers looking to get back to that currently in-demand vintage sound (hint) without killing your budget. 

• ARTS-IN-ED: Attention teachers, principles and coordinators, I'm also once again offering my arts-in-ed programs through Transhumance Music and Arts Impact and am currently booking school assemblies K-12 for 2014. Booking inquiries can be made at  info@emaworldrock.com

• HOUSEKEEPING: My crew will be freshening up the website and reinstating the "World Rock Shout Out" Mailing List,  so those of you who are subscribers will once again start getting regular (but not too) updates to keep you posted on live shows, new releases, special events, etc. (if you're not on it yet and would like to be, click  here and sign up!. 

Lastly, I'd like you all to please note that in spite of the cornucopia of metaphors I've used in writing this, I made it through this entire piece without a single clichéd "rebirth" reference like "phoenix," "Lazarus," "lotus flower," "ocean waves returning," (gag, ach, ahuck...), *BUT* I have inserted several references that will be found in upcoming new songs so hang on to this if you want to do a lyrical scavenger hunt down the road!

OK we're all caught up now. To be continued...

Oh and:

"a million years of peacetime."

Ema