A colourful and powerful cultural explosion took place in central Harare on 12 February, with a performance of SUKI AFRICA – a unique Afro-Asian music collaboration between four rising music stars from Africa and three leaders of Asian music renewal, who blend their individual creativity and musical traditions into one unique performance – an amazing and rare cultural fusion between Asia and Africa.

The performance at Harare’s popular live arts venue ‘The Mannenberg’, featured Zimbabwe’s own mbira star Chiwoniso Maraire who has achieved iconic status at home, together with Peter Solo (Togo), Erik Aliana and Chouchou Bass (Cameroon), Chang Jae-Hyo (Korea), and Sakaki Mango and Ndana (Japan).

 

The idea of creating a cross-cultural Afro-Asian collaboration was born during the Japanese music festival “Sukiyaki Meets the World” where the musicians first met and realised an astounding performance where each musical colour takes its role and keeps it spirit, but shares its codes, meanings and creative backgrounds, in fantastic harmony.    

 

Chang Jae Hyo, Korea’s famed exponent of traditional percussion and “shamanist” singing technique with soft gongs and trance-like rhythms, exchanged melodies and patterns with the soaring voice and 1000-year old mbira tradition of Zimbabwe’s Chiwoniso Maraire which could only be described as “transcendental”.  The enchanting West African ‘voice’ of Togo guitarist Peter Solo combined with Japan’s world acclaimed, multi-award winning instrumentalist Sakaki Mango, together with the brilliant master of Cameroonian poly-rhythms Erik Aliana and Japan’s virtuoso ‘world-music’ band N’DANA, wove mind-boggling magic for the enrapt Harare audience. 

 

Speaking of artistic collaborations, Chiwoniso said “There’s this whole new beginning of working with new artists, where you hope they’re going to feel where you’re coming from, that they’re going to understand what you’re thinking.  I feel there is a magic in music, that there is a magic in being able to move and reach out to certain people, saying, ‘Hey, I feel you’ and them reaching back saying, ‘Yeah, I feel you too!’ ”  The result is a rich, electrifying performance of music of the world.

 

The Harare performance of SukiAfrica was the last stop of a 4-nation African tour which included South Africa, Swaziland and Tanzania.  The tour was supported by the Japan Foundation with regional coordination by African Synergy Trust (SA), and a Zimbabwe partnership of the Alliance Francaise, Pamberi Trust and Delta Corporation bringing the show to the Mannenberg in Harare.

African Synergy Creative Director Paul Brickhill remarks “After 5 years and 150 tours by African Synergy, this is the only Asian-African musical collaboration that we have toured or even heard about, which explores the roots of musical traditions so deeply.  It is an exciting and pioneering collaboration, a first of its kind”. 

African Synergy Trust operates the ‘African Tour Circuit’ project which, with Zimbabwean arts development organisation Pamberi Trust, brings a vivid and colourful programme of live arts to Harare, staged at the Mannenberg - an exciting and intimate concert venue which has become known internationally through the many artists of the world who have performed on its stage.  In the last year alone, Harare audiences have enjoyed a close encounter with visiting artists from South Africa, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, Denmark, Netherlands, France and Italy.   

On the home front, the Mannenberg also features some of Zimbabwe’s best music – from jazz to reggae, and from hiphop to fresh fusions of modern and traditional Zimbabwean music styles.  Artists featured there include top names such as the world famous Oliver Mtukudzi, Victor Kunonga, Dudu Manhenga and reggae star ‘Micinity’.  The club’s restaurant is open from 6pm, and early midweek events include free film screenings, comedy and theatre.  Within easy reach of city centre hotels, the Mannenberg, and its adjacent sister club The Book Café are a bright spot on the cultural map of the city, and well worth a visit!

 

Chiwoniso Maraire (Zimbabwe) – mbira/vocals - Backed By the mesmerizing interlocking melodies of the mbira, Chiwoniso’s voice resounds with defiant strength and profound tenderness; one of the most exciting talents in African music today.  A household name in Zimbabwe and a fast rising name in world music, the mbira singer-songwriter’s chart-topping CD ‘Rebel Woman’ had music critics throughout the world raving and became a world-music best-seller from December 2008 to February 2009.  Her astonishing performance schedule over the last several years has included tours to many countries of the world.

 

Peter Solo (Togo) - guitar/vocals - the enchanting and powerful West African guitarist/singer has toured Europe, Asia and Africa and is establishing himself as one of Africa’s of ‘emerging greats’.  His music bears witness to a unique journey of experiences and openings.  Full of willpower and individuality, his music is rooted in Togolese tradition while absorbing West African and other far-reaching influences.  The result is a highly original expression of a powerful, lively and palpable culture.  He won the 2003 Togo Best Album prize, is a regular performer on French radio stations Radio France International and Radio Nova, and toured Japan and Korea in 2009.

Erik Aliana (Cameroon) - guitar/vocals – A symbol of new musical generation in Cameroon, rooted in the poly-rhythms of Cameroon with contemporary influences, Erik has toured festivals worldwide and garnered a virtual ‘cult’ following.  The incredible variety of instruments, polyphonies and rhythms of Cameroon are a wonderful source of inspiration for Erik.  “The sound of the forest or the coast resume their duties to the modern and urban ‘Makossa’ or ‘Bikutsi’, and through the very personal performance of Erik, become the echo of a new Africa, strong with deep and rich roots, shining with young and beautiful leaves”.  Erik won the 1999 REMY prize in Cameroon, the Masa selection 2001, and tours in major festivals in Europe, North America and Asia.

 

Chang Jae-Hyo (Korea) - vocals/percussion - An internationally acclaimed composer and percussionist, one of the major influences in Korea’s musical renaissance who tours widely and is regarded as ‘the ambassador’ of Korean music. Chang Jae-Hyo gives a unique and personal colour to the trance dimension of Korean percussions.  

 

Sakaki Mango (Japan) – multi-instrumentalist and Japan’s foremost expert in African music, this multi-award winning artist has travelled and studied African music widely, and is today regarded as Japan’s greatest ‘world music’ exponent, 

with Best Album prizes in 2006 and 2008.

 

Ndana (Japan) – An award-winning band who, with the ‘Ainu’ roots of northern Japan, express a very direct and simple approach to music: ‘the happiness of sounds’.