Amampondo
Amampondo was formed in 1980 by Dizu 'Zungulu' Plaatjies, Mzwandile Qotoyi and Simpiwe Matole; and was originally made up of seven young men from the same neighbourhood in Langa township, outside Cape Town. They were raised in an environment of traditional dancers and singers, which meant that they begun to realise the importance of their culture at a very young age. Amampondo, which means 'the people of Mpondo', the fabled land of the Xhosa Kingdom in the Eastern Cape was founded with a strong desire to preserve and protect South African traditional music. Their goal has always been to carry traditional sounds into the future rather than see it washed away by the wave of westernisation and the growing influence of American music amongst the African youth. Decades later Dizu Plaatjies,Mzwandile Qotoyi, Mandla Lande and Simpiwe Matole together with the newer members are still bound by their dedication to African culture.
The journey of this eleven-man percussion ensemble has been a long one. Starting out on the streets of Cape Town, they busked to raise cash for more instruments and by 1981 were playing at the Scratch Club. During the same time they were also working with ethnomusicologists to study the traditions found in Nigeria, The Ivory Coast, Uganda, Zimbabwe and the Transkei. Working with the rhythms, dances and songs of the Xhosa, Zulu, Shangaan and Sotho people, the group created a pan African sound that soon won them critical acclaim. In 1983 they travelled to Johannesburg where they played at the Market Theatre. Here they were reviewed to see if they were suitable for export as ambassadors of South African music. Planning on spending two weeks there they stayed six years, given work and subsequently sent to perform in Israel, Reunion and Taiwan. These travels however led to some amount of trouble for the band later on.
In 1988 Amampondo were asked to play at Nelson Mandela's seventieth birthday concert at Wembley. This spectacular performance established their international reputation as one of the world's best percussion groups, and seen by millions on television worldwide was a huge success for the band. All their fees were donated to the ANC demonstrating their political activism during this period, but unfortunately on their return the ANC's cultural desk had banned them from performing either outside or inside South Africa. They claimed it was a result of them playing in Israel and Taiwan, but having just played at Mandela's concert the boycott was somewhat surprising. Unable to perform for four years, the band stayed in Langa and concentrated upon educational programs in an effort to teach South African culture in schools. These workshops and the satisfaction gained from giving something back to society helped keep the band together.
Eventually help arrived with the assistance of Archbishop Desmond Tutu with whom they had previously recorded an album Give Praise Where Praise Is Deserved after he won the Nobel peace Prize. He wrote to the ANC complaining about the boycott, and it was shortly reversed unleashing Amampondo once more onto the international stage. Carrying their clearance letter they set off for Germany and France in '92 with five months grace before the boycott was reinforced ! However by this time Mandela was about to walk free giving them his blessing. When he was released he started recommending them for work having seen one of their videos whilst in prison. He promoted them as ambassadors of South African music and to this day they remain his favourite band. It was he who nominated them to represent their country at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games held in Atlanta in '96.
In 1994 they met with Robert Trunz, owner of MELT, who became instantly enamoured with their music. Due to other contractual arrangements he was unable to sign them until '96, but their debut album for MELT, Drums for Tomorrow (BW096) was certainly worth the wait. Produced by Cameroonian virtuoso Brice Wassy this album incorporates the familiar marimbas, drums, chants and acappella singing as well as adding other African instruments alongside saxophones and trumpets. It also features guests from around the world such as Airto Moreira from Brazil and Changuito from Cuba, Emmanuelle Sejourne from France and Chris Stiefel from Switzerland on keyboard. Introducing global influences, the spirit of the album remains true to Africa.
Another important step in their career has been their collaboration with Gabriel ‘Mabi’ Thobejane, who since leaving Sakhile, has found a new spiritual home with Amampondo. From October through to the middle of November 1998, the fifteen Amampondo members braved the Scandinavian winter and toured extensively throughout Sweden, Norway and Finland, performing and running educational workshops at festivals, clubs and schools. Hosted by the School of Music at the University of Gothenburg, their goal was as much to heighten the interest in traditional African music, as it was to demonstrate the importance of such music and instruments as tools in the education of music students and teachers, thus redressing the previous reliance on Eurocentric music teaching methods in South African schools and worldwide.
Whilst preserving the spirit of tradition, they also want to carry this forward and make it more accessible to the masses. This is demonstrated in their collaboration with techno outfit, Juno Reactor whom they met in 97. Dizu Plaatjies, Simpiwe Matole, Mandla Lande, Michael Ludonga, and Mabi Thobejane toured with Juno Reactor supporting Moby on a five week tour of the US bringing the music of their homeland into the realms of contemporary dance music. Clad in body paint and full costume Amampondo wowed the crowds with their acrobatics whilst beating out their percussive rhythms alongside Ben Watkins' techno and guitar riffs. They have since collaborated on Shango (ELM8033), Juno’s new album and are touring the album internationally.
In October 2000 six members of the band performed with the great British jazz saxophonist, Alan Skidmore, around Great Britain and Berlin. Simpiwe, Mandla, Michael, Blackie, Mzwandile and Alan continued their creative collaboration that begun in 99 when they guested on Skidmore’s album ‘The Call’, released on Provocateur Records.
In addition to this Dizu and Mzwalinde Qotoyi also work together as DZM Projects, which is dedicated to recording and advancing the cause of traditional South African music. They featured on the bootleg.net release,Ethno Trance Live (BNET002) and have recently worked on an album fromMadosini. Educating people about the importance of preserving their heritage, Dizu also teaches African instruments and dance at the University of Cape Town’s College of Music.
“We believe that music is a unifying force and our task is to unite people and encourage them to appreciate Africa”explains Dizu, “We started Amampondo because of the lack of African music in our country. The kids are now influenced musically by America and we need to change that.”
Having travelled the world transporting their music to over thirty countries on every continent, their dynamic display traverses cultural and historical boundaries and has made them the popular percussion ensemble that they are today. The closing of the millennium marked a milestone in the life of Amampondo, celebrated in the release of ‘Vuyani’(BW2143) in October 2000. Completed at the end of 99, ‘Vuyani’ is a celebration of twenty years of music making in the life of this exceptional group. The album includes some of the band’s favourite past tracks revamped and performed in different ways with some superb new tunes as well, and is guaranteed to carry you through Africa to the heart of the motherland, lifting spirits and awakening the dancer within everyone. ‘Vuyani’ not only celebrates the coming of age of the group, but also the immense talents of Simpiwe Matole, as a multi-instrumentalist and fine producer of the new album.
Members of Amampondo at the time were:
Simpiwe Matole Soprano marimba, vocals, dance/acrobatics
Born on 29 May 1963, Simpiwe is the only boy in a family of daughters and was thus given the name of 'gift'. He went to school in Langa until Standard 9 and completed his education in Transkei. Simpiwe's father, Themba, is a jazz pianist and Simpiwe is more than proficient on piano, but his forte is his masterful playing of the marimba and xylophone, which he learned as a member of the church choir he joined in 1978. Through the choir, he also met Dizu Plaatjies and joined Amampondo. As the leading marimba player on the Cape, Simpiwe made a guest appearance on the Barungwa album, The Messengers(BW070) and produced the debut album from Achisa as well as contributing to their recently released second album ‘Bill of Rights’. He has also contributed to the Spotlight South Afrika compilations with a solo track on Jazzin’ and Jivin’ and produced the latest album Vuyani celebrating Amampondo's twentieth year of making music.
Mzwandile Qotoyi Bass & piccolo marimba, African drums, percussion, vocals, and dance
Born on 12 November 1951, in Langa, Mzwandile is known as 'The Big Man'. As a boy, after school he used to jam in the streets with his home-made guitar and drums and then went on to study classical music at the University of Cape Town. As a teenager he started playing in the St. Francis Cultural Church Choir, where he met Dizu Plaatjies and the other members of Amampondo.
Mzwandile also collaborates with Dizu on DZM Projects. The pair are featured on Ethno Trance Live (BNET002) and have produced an album from the Queen of Xhosa folk music, Madosini – Power to the Women (BW108) and Fidel Pondo (MZA016)
The late Michael 'Nkululeku' Ludonga (RIP) African drums, tenor marimba, vocals, dance
Born on 15 November 1962, in Langa, Michael was given the name 'Nkululeku', - 'freedom' - because of 'the end of the war'. Michael's father is a singer and composer, so he comes from a musical background and played a snare drum with the local Drum Majorettes. However his musical career really began in the church choir where he met other members of Amampondo.
Mandla Lande African drums, percussion (djembe/congas), vocals, dance/acrobatics
Born on 30 May 1962, in Langa, Mandla means 'power' and is the name given to him because of his strength as a child. He went to school in Langa and, upon leaving, played football for the Young Chiefs team. He joined the church choir in 1976, where he met the other members of Amampondo, but music was a part-time interest until he joined the group in 1983.
Blackie Zandisile Mbizela Bass marimba, percussion, vocals, dance
Born on 27 December 1961, in Langa, 'Zandisile' has no direct English translation, but is derived from the fact that he comes from a small family line. Blackie joined St Anthony's church choir after leaving school, where he learned to play marimbas and met up with the other members of Amampondo.
Nondzondelelo Fancy Galada Lead and backing vocals, percussion, dance
Born in 1970 in Langa, Nondzondelelo started singing a repertoire of mainly African choral music at the age of eleven with the Thembani Lower Primary School choir. In 1987 she joined Heshoo Beshoo, a traditional marimba, song and dance group, and soon became the group's lead singer. Following successful tours of Canada in 1991 and 1993, she went freelance in 1994, continuing to work with Heshoo Beshoo, but also with the Township pop outfit, Chisa, (not to be confused with Achisa) and Amampondo. In 1996, as one half of the female Township pop duo, La Fancy, she released a debut album on Polygram (SA), called Jazino.
Mantombi Matotiyana Lead and backing vocals, umrhumbhe, isitolotolo and dance
Mantombi was born in Tsolo in the Eastern Cape and started music at an early age- singing, dancing in diviners and traditional ceremonies. First performed with Amampondo (then under Mountclare Productions) in 1992 and recorded the album 'Image of Africa'. Has since toured extensively with Amampondo.
Dave Mxolise Mayekana
Barungwa founder Andrew Missingham said about Dave:
“Capetonian singer/songwriter, Mxolise Mayenkana is a man with whom I simply had to play again. His guitar is his second voice and its delicacy and purity which seemed the perfect foil for Shaluza Max's upfront passion.”
Dave first collaborated with Amampondo and the MELT Outernational Meltdown possie in 1994 where he met Andrew. He works as a composer and producer with various groups and joined Amampondo in 2002 after a series of concerts with a group of master percussionists called PedXulu.