Freshlyground Biography

FRESHLYGROUND

Zolani Mahola / Vocals
Josh Hawks / Bass guitar, vocals
Aron Turest-Swartz / Keyboards, vocals, percussion
Kyla-Rose Smith / Violin, vocals
Simon Attwell / Flute, sax, mbira, harmonica
Julio Sigauque / Electric & acoustic guitar
Peter Cohen / Drums

Freshlyground have a busy year ahead of them for 2006: a national tour of South Africa in May, a UK tour in July, followed by Germany and Belgium in August. The band are then heading home to record their 3rd album with producers JB Arthur and Victor Masondo of Instinct Africaine in Johannesburg. They plan to release the new album in November 2006. Currently the album Nomvula is double platinum in South Africa, and there is increased interest from Europe and the US: Freshlyground hope to secure an international release before the end of the year.

Freshlyground formed early 2002, and is made up of seven talented and diverse musicians from South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. In 2003 Freshlyground launched their debut album, Jika Jika, the success of which firmly cemented the band as one of South Africa’s most successful young acts. In the same year this seven-piece Cape Town based bandenjoyed much wider exposure, playing at numerous music festivals including the Harare International Festival of the Arts and the Robben Island African Festival. Freshlyground were invited to Harare International Festival of the Arts 2004 as the South African representative for the festival, where they headlined the closing ceremony, performing a song with Zimbabwean icon Oliver Mtukudzi. 2004 started off playing before President Thabo Mbeki at the opening of Parliament on the eve of celebrating 10 years of democracy in South Africa. One of the most exciting musical events in South Africa 2004 was the esteemed North Sea Jazz Festival. Freshlyground played alongside the likes of Miriam Makeba, Stanley Clarke and Femi Kuti. In July 2004 the band performed at the prestigious Villa Celimontana Festival in Rome while taking a break from the recording studio. Freshlyground were invited to play at the Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan in March 2005. They then traveled to Germany to front the celebration of 5 years of partnership between Cape Town and Aachen.

Freshlyground completed recording their second album in Johannesburg in June/July 2004 under their independent Freeground Records label, in conjunction with Instinct Africaine. ‘Nomvula’ was recorded and produced in Joburg by Joe Arthur and Sibusiso Victor Masondo and released in late 2004. After a somewhat slow start - but with a strong word of mouth buzz based on the band’s live performance reputation - momentum picked up as the sheer quality of the album begun to shine through. Radio picked up on ‘Doo Be Doo’ and the catchy song has gone on to become a favorite amongst a diverse spread of stations and their listeners. However, album tracks such as ‘I’d Like’, ‘Zithande’, ‘Things Have Changed’, ‘Manyana’ and the title track ‘Nomvula’ (with its stunning music video directed by filmmaker Ian Gabriel) are proving the depth and strength of this remarkable record. In addition to the Nomvula video, the band has just released music videos for “I’d Like” and “Doo Be Doo”.

‘Nomvula’ was nominated for three South African Music Awards in 2005, but the band didn’t manage to snare their debut SAMA. Undaunted and more determined than ever, the guys continued their path to success. Fronted by the diminutive but dynamic Zolani Mahola, the band exudes a live performance energy that has been the bedrock of their success. The experienced rhythm section of Peter Cohen (drums) & Josh Hawks (bass) is complimented by guitarist Julio Sigauque, keyboardist (& some time dancer!) Aron Turest-Swartz, Simon Attwell (flute, mbira, sax and harmonica) and violinist Kyla Rose Smith. Although all hailing from diverse backgrounds, between them the band weave a musical magic that is highly infectious and undeniably groovy.

Last year Freshlyground signed an extensive record deal with Sony BMG Africa, and in partnership with Sony BMG Africa, Freshlyground are now putting together plans to build on this local success and spread their musical wings globally. With trips to Japan, Germany, Belgium (for the huge Pukkelpop Festival), Tanzania and Mauritius already under the belt in 2005, the band manage to avoid neglecting local audiences hungry for their share of the Freshlyground magic.

In August last year, Freshlyground appeared at the big Oppikoppi ‘Wired’ festival and the ‘Word on the Street’ events, and hosted a concert in Cape Town to raise funds for the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, appearing alongside globally acclaimed troubadour and Sony BMG Africa label mate Vusi Mahlasela. They had numerous high profile gigs across the nation heading into Summer 2005, making them quite possibly the hardest working band on the live circuit. Freshlyground have performed in every major city in South Africa promoting the album Nomvula, and the demand to see the band live grows with each appearance.

Keith Lister, Managing Director of Sony BMG Africa had this to say about the company’s involvement with Freshlyground: “We’re delighted to be able to continue working with such a unique and exciting group of musicians … for Freshlyground, the sky literally is the limit.”

NOTEWORTHY PERFORMANCES:

  • Macufe Festival, Bloemfontein, 27 Sep –2 Oct ‘05
  • Standard Bank Arena, with Kenny Latimore and Chante Moore, 23 Sep ‘05
  • Desmond Tutu HIV-Foundation Benefit Concert, with Vusi Mahlasela, 2 Sep ‘05
  • Pukkelpop Festival, Belgium, 20 August, ‘05
  • Grahamstown National Arts Festival, Grahamstown, 2 July ‘05
  • Aichi Expo 2005, Nagoya, Japan, 26 March ‘05
  • Gugulethu Human Rights Memorial Concert, Gugulethu Stadium, Cape Town, 21 March ‘05
  • Old Mutual Collaboration with Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, JHB, 18 March ‘05
  • Treatment Action Campaign March to Parliament, Cape Town, 16 Feb ‘05
  • 10 Years of Democracy Closing Celebration, Athlone Stadium, Cape Town, 11 Feb ‘05
  • Standard Bank Jazzathon 2005, with Selaelo Selota, Cape Town, 7 Jan ‘05
  • Reconciliation day Festival, with Letta Mbulu, Cape Town, 16 December ‘04
  • Home For All Logo Launch, Western Cape Premiers Party, Cape Town, 16 December 04
  • Spier Arts Summer Season, collaboration with Oliver Mtukudzi and Mahube, Stellenbosch, 15 December ‘04
  • Elim Home Charity Performance, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, 21 August ‘04
  • Oppikoppi, Northam, Pretoria, 08 August ’04 and ‘05
  • National Theatre of the Arts, Windhoek, Namibia, 29 July – 07 August ‘04
  • Villa Celimontana Festival, Rome, Italy, 10 June ‘04
  • Olympic Torch Ceremony, Grand Parade, Cape Town, 12 June ‘04
  • Harare International Festival of the Arts, collaboration with Oliver Mtukudzi, Harare, Zimbabwe, 02 May ‘04
  • ANC Election Party, with Jimmy Dludlu and Zola, CTICC, Cape Town, 17 April ‘04
  • North Sea Jazz Festival, Cape Town, 10&11 April ‘04
  • Brett Kebble Art Awards 2004 Press Launch, Kiliminjaro, Johannesburg, 24 March ‘04
  • Freedom Parade, 10 years of Human Rights, Athlone Stadium, 22 March ‘04
  • The Design Indaba, CTICC,Cape Town, 27th February '04 and February ‘05
  • Celebration of 10 years of Democracy, Green Market Square, Cape Town, 5th February '04
  • Opening of Parliament, CTICC, Cape Town, 5th February '04
  • Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concert, National Botanical Gardens, 25th January '04 and March ‘05
  • Vodacom Sounds of Summer 2004, V&A. amphitheatre, 4th January ‘04
  • RE:GEN Moral Regeneration Festival, Cape Town Company Gardens, 27th Dec. ‘03
  • Robben Island African Music Festival, Heritage Day, with Oliver Mtukudzi, Jonathan Butler, Judith Sephuma, V&A. Waterfront and Robben Island, 23-24 September ‘03
  • HIV/AIDS Awareness benefit concert, Jammie Plaza, UCT, 20th February ‘03

PRESS COMMENTRY:

The Practice Room, 3rd January 2006

John Ross:

In the United States we have come to see interracial bands as no big deal. It has taken us a while; Benny Goodman caused controversy in 1935 by playing on stage with pianist Teddy Wilson, and later with Lionel Hampton and Charlie Christian. It may seem like that was a million years ago, but in fact most of us know people who were alive when it happened. But these days, when white and black musicians perform together it’s hardly worth mentioning.

When it happens in South Africa, though, it’s still worth mentioning. Apartheid ended only nine years ago, and a truly integrated society is probably decades in the future. That’s why, according to Craig Timberg in the Washington Post, the success of the seven-piece Afro pop band Freshlyground is so interesting: “The racial mix of Freshlyground would draw little notice in Europe or the United States. But in a South Africa still struggling to unite its fractured population after centuries of rigid discrimination, the band has become a sensation, drawing audiences in both traditionally black venues and traditionally white ones.

“…South Africa remains a country where, despite the end of legal segregation in 1994, blacks and whites live mostly separate lives. Cultural expressions -- music, dance, theater, books, food, sports, TV programs, churches -- continue to be seen as either black or white. Despite some progress, the society remains much as the architects of apartheid, which means "separate" in Afrikaans, intended.”

Social impact aside, Freshlyground plays infectious, danceable music; it’s easy to understand why audiences are eating them up. They’ve expanded the typical band instrumentation by adding flute and violin to the more familiar bass, drums, keys and guitar; singer Zolani Mahola floats over it all.

Cape Etc magazine, 28 December 2005

Karen Rutter:

Weird stuff happens at Freshlyground gigs. Strangers smile at each other. Old people get up and dance. Cool teenagers sing the chorus lines. I know, I know... it sounds a bit like one of those rainbow nation advertisements for banking or beer. But the band really does have that kind of effect. It pulls people together.

In a country that used to be characterised by division, this is no small feat. In the past, there were few South African acts that managed to blur musical and social boundaries — Mango Groove and Juluka are probably the best known, although they operated in a different context, their cross-cultural compositions poking a defiant "up-yours" at the apartheid authorities…

…Diplomatic, democratic, and dangerously infectious, Freshlyground are the genuine thing. It's no wonder their audiences are so damn nice!

Music Industry Online, 30 November 2005
Matthew Christensen:

Here is a band with the diversity of their nation built into their every note. Nomvula sounds like the soundtrack to a distinctly South African experience, at times brimming with youthful exuberance and happiness, but not without a certain amount of solemn introspection. This lends the album a sense of real depth. One feels that the separate experiences and moods of a nation have been drawn together and articulated; not at all homogenised or depreciated, but rather held up and celebrated in a spontaneous expression of positive energy.

Sunday Independent, 06 November 2005

Kate Stegeman:

With a sizzling live-performance energy and a delectably groovy African flavour, Freshlyground is undoubtedly one of the most exciting new bands to emerge out of South Africa. The band's live performance is something of a spectacle in itself. Each band member seems to enjoy every moment on stage. Whether they're engaging in some fancy footwork or just grinning at each other, the general impression of their performance is that it is genuine and unaffected. They really shake it up during their more upbeat songs, but the band say these dance moves are loosely choreographed and rely largely on improvisation.

Sound Roots, 07 September 2005

DJ Earball:

From South Africa comes the group Freshlyground; their new CD Nomvula blends African roots with irresistibly catchy pop melodies. And Zolani Mahola's swooping vocals (in both English and African languages) are reminiscent of an early Gwen Stefani - in a very good way. This is the kind of group that could achieve serious global success, because their African-rooted pop is so universal and appealing.
Musically Freshlyground ranges from slow pop ballads ("Nomvula" and "Buttercup") to Safrojazz-inspired dance tunes ("Zithande" and "Mowbray Kaap") to world lounge ("Manyana"). I'd swear that Phil Collins must have had a hand in the poignant, pleading "Father Please." And while not all of their lyrics are translated in the liner notes, the typical pop themes of love and loss are augmented by enigmatic phrases evoking global unity and general positive vibrations. Honestly, even reading the lyrics I don't know what half of them are about. But with such feel-good music, it doesn't matter a whit. On the slow ballad "Human Angels" Mahola sings what might be the Freshlyground them: "Forget about your destiny. Get off your feet and live!"

Email 4 November 2004

Kobus Burger (Beeld):

I’ve been a music journalist for the past ten years, but never before has a South African album blown me away like this. WOW! I can’t stop listening to “Nomvula”… it is not very often that one (as a music journo) gets the feeling you need to go and stand on top of the nearest building and start promoting a particular CD. But with this one it feels that I am wasting my time keeping quiet and not telling EVERYONE to put this one on their Xmas list.

Y Magazine, Aug/Sep 2004

Toast Coetzer:

Their music is easy to like, covering a feel-good spectrum of distinctly South African pop, led by Zolani’s exuberant vocals, in English and Xhosa, and driven by an experienced and well-honed band. Mothers pushing prams in shaded parks will like it; sweaty people in stampvol taxis will like it, drunk students too. And it’s also great when you are alone. It’s bright and happy no matter whether your feet are plodding the grim streets of London or your head is stuck in a gnarly roll of post-breakup-chicken wire. Sure, you’ll like it too.

The Citizen, 10 May 2004

Cathryn Pearman:

With all this under their belt and a following that grows almost daily, one can only think that this is a group that has the voema to take SA sounds to the rest of the world.

Cape Etc, April 2004

Justin Zehmke:

Freshlyground is an almost textbook example of how well consensus can work. From their choice of band name, which was decided upon after having fans vote, from a variety of options, to their music which the band members describe as organically grown through a system of teamwork that distributes contributions fairly evenly between the seven members, they exemplify the joys of the new South Africa. Add to this their prestigious gig at the most recent opening of Parliament and their multiracial, multinational members and one can’t help but think that this is the future of South African music. Judging by the cast amounts of critical and popular acclaim they have been generating it seems they are destined for greatness… I predict that soon Freshlyground will be as ubiquitous as the minibus taxi and just as popular. For now, make sure you catch them live while they are still playing small venues because this band is set to soar.

This Day, 8 April 2004

Craig Canavan:

Among the [RP Emerging Sounds] competition’s many finds is one of the best new bands in the country, the aptly and wonderfully named Freshlyground. They are a conglomeration of seven musicians who create some of the freshest, funkiest African pop since the heyday of Bright Blue and Mango Groove.

Mail and Guardian, 26th March - 1st April 2004

Miles Keylock:

Unlike somany Cape Town bands, Freshlyground have managed to win more than a mere cult following…It's about the creative sparks that fly when cultures co-exist and collide…It's precisely this unpretentious blend of Mahola's classy multi-lingual vocals soars, Hawke's buoyant bass jams, Turest-Swartz's Pan African textures, and Simon Attwell and Smith's shimmering mbira-violin shadesthat makefor an effervescentAfro-pop recipe that transcends any merely "eclectic" fusion.

Contact Details:

Sevi Spanoudi

PO Box 14033

Mowbray 7705

Cape Town

Tel: +27 (0) 72 5006373

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