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Young Africa
Synopsis
By Re-connection
Synopsis, December 2002
Young Africa
YOUTH FUSION FROM DIFFERENT AFRICAN REGIONS
“YOUNG AFRICA" is the project name for the pan African stage presentation which grew out of the Ateliers Croises / Digital Mix youth music workshops hosted by Africa Fete (Senegal) and Making Music’s Re-connection Project (South Africa). The project has been implemented in several African countries, and the initial two Cape Town editions have incorporated performers from Senegal, Mali, South Africa and Angola. The resultant pan-African youth music fusion incorporates digital beats, instrumentation and voices in Wolof, Sotho, Spanish, English, Xhosa and French.
Young Africa is inclusive, and its funky beats, sweet harmonies and lyrical themes reflect the migration and movement of Africa in the new millennium. An album “Young Africa Volume I?is being mastered in Cape Town, for release early 2004. Individual tracks are available for licensing or inclusion in compilations - one track has already been released on the "Phat Global" compilation (Palm Pictures). As a stage show, Young Africa has a working core, but is of versatile configuration, and geared to evolving. The third edition of the project performed to acclaim at the “United Against Racism?concert in Durban, South Africa, September 2001.
Core participants in the project to date have been:
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Patrick ‘Caramel?Hickey (Programming, beats, computers) ?Cape Town
Ma Zansane (Vocals) - of the Waflash Group in Dakar.
Magatte Thiam (Keyboards, vocals) ?of the Waflash band, Dakar.
Michael Thobela Mayeki (Vocals) ?Nyanga, from the group MTF.
Frank Bongani Hewu (Vocals ) - New Crossroads, from the group MTF
Ruth Titi Tsira (Vocals) ?Gugulethu, from the group MTF.
Jamayka Poston (Vocals) ?Angolan immigrant in Cape Town
Lansine Kouyate - Mali (professional balafon session player)
Mandla Zikalala ?Umlazi, Kwazulu Natal (professional bass guitar session player)
Raycliff Samson - Cape Town, vocalist and rapper (a member of Black Noise)
Mamadou Konte (Senegal) and Steve Gordon (South Africa) ?Project Direction
The fourth "edition" of the project was held in Dakar, Senegal in December 2004. This residency was hosted by Africa Fete in Dakar, and saw the South African artists working with Saintrick band, and performing for Manu Dibango's 70th Birthday celebration. The short visit was the first where the South African participants travelled to Senegal.
CONFIGURATION OF PROJECTS
Configuration variation can be expected, as core participants are members of their own bands with varying schedules. Young Africa is a project, not a band, artist lineup varies. Personnel typically include road manager, engineer and translator.
SUPPORTERS OF THE PROJECT
Project support has come from French institutions such as Afrique en Creation, the AFAA, and the IFAS (French Institute in South Africa). The December 2004 Edition was assisted by the South African Department of Arts and Culture. Africa Fete and MMP Re-connection haveplayed an ongoing role in maintaining the project.
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