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Mbombela

from Black Heroes by Tete Mbambisa

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Mbombela, a traditional song, is the only non-original composition on this recording. Mbombela is a train, and as such this song is part of an important body of South African art that is concerned with the challenges and circumstances of travel. This preoccupation speaks to the difficulties faced by migrant workers forced to travel long distances to meet the economic and political demands made by colonial and apartheid era administrations. It speaks of cross-border trains taking people into exile, and it recognises the pain of lovers and families left behind. Think of Zim Ngqawana’s ‘Amagoduka’ (Migrant Workers), Zakes Nkosi’s ‘Ten Ten Special’, Hugh Masekela’s ‘Stimela’ (Coal Train), David Goldblatt’s photographs of workers on night busses to and from KwaNdebele, or Modikwe Dikobe’s poem ‘A Workers Lament’. One of the best known of these works is Miriam Makeba’s version of ‘Mbombela’ recorded with Harry Belafonte in 1965. She sang “Wenyuka umbombela (Here passes Mbombela) Wenyuka ekuseni (Passes in the morning) Webaba uyandishiya (Leaving me behind)”. Although Bra Tete’s version is perhaps most closely related to Zakes Nkosi’s ‘Mbombela’, as Pinise Saul points out, this really is a Tete Mbambisa arrangement to the core.

(Jonathan Eato)

credits

from Black Heroes, released April 19, 2012
Traditional, arranged Tete Mbambisa.
Tete Mbambisa, piano.

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JISA Records UK

JISA Records has been set up to release 'Black Heroes' - a new solo piano recording by Tete Mbambisa. All funds from sales of the recording go directly to Bra' Tete.

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