Amampondo

Amampondo

Amampondo is a South African percussion ensemble which was started by Dizu Plaatjies in Langa Cape Town in 1978. The other founding members were Simpiwe Matole; Michael Ludonga; Mzwandile Qotoyi; Leo Mbizela and Mandla Lande.

The group began as buskers on the streets of Cape Town. Under the guidance of their first manager, Bruce Gordon, they made their first recordings. They later joined up with the owner of the Clarement Records label, Donald Graham who guided and advised them through the release of the next 2 albums.

They recorded an album entitled "Give Praise Where Praise Is Deserved" with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and in 1988 Amampondo were asked to play at Nelson Mandela's seventieth birthday concert at Wembley. This is fitting because, like Mandela, Amampondo are part of the Xhosa-speaking tribes of South Africa. Upon his release from prison, Nelson Mandela promoted them as ambassadors of South African music, and later nominated them to represent their country at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Olympic Games.

Amampondo has entertained audiences with their broad spectrum of African traditional and contemporary compositions . They have taught and played the world over, from Israel to Japan, from Scandinavia to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.Fact|date=February 2007

The group continue to perform but without their former leader Dizu Plaatjies, who has started his own project entitled "Ibuyambo".

Current line-up (as of 2006)

*Simpiwe Matole - Soprano marimba, vocals, dance/acrobatics
*Mzwandile Qotoyi - Bass & piccolo marimba, African drums, percussion, vocals, and dance
*Michael 'Nkululeku' Ludonga - African drums, tenor marimba, vocals, dance
*Mandla Lande - African drums, percussion (djembe/congas), vocals, dance/acrobatics
*Blackie Zandisile Mbizela - Bass marimba, percussion, vocals, dance
*Nondzondelelo Fancy Galada - Lead and backing vocals, percussion, dance
*Mantombi Matotiyane - Lead and backing vocals, umrhumbhe, isitolotolo and dance
*Dave Mxolise Mayekana

Partial discography

*"Khawukhangele" - 1982
*"Heartbeat of Africa 'Uyandibiza"' - Mountclare Productions - 1983
*"The Pulse of Africa" - Mountclare Productions - 1989
*"An Image of Africa" - Mountain Records AM242 - 1992
*"Intsholo" - Mountain Records AM282 - 1996
*"Inyama" - Mountain Records AM302 - 1997
*"Drums For Tomorrow" - MELT 2000 BW096 - 1998
*"Vuyani" - MELT 2000 BW 2143 - 2000
*"An Image of Africa - Live in Cape Town" - Mountain Records DVD AM 4546 - 2007

Collaborations

*"Give Praise Where Praise Is Deserved" with Archbishop Desmond Tutu
*"Shango" - Juno Reactor - Electric Melt ELM8033 - 2000
*"The Call" - Alan Skidmore - Provocateur Records - PVC 1081 - 2001
*"Ubizo" - Alan Skidmore - Provocateur Records - PVC 1036 - 2003

References

* [http://www.melt2000.com/content/artist/a_amampondo_m.html MELT: Amampondo (2005) - 25 years of experiencing the energy and beauty of acoustic dance music.]

External links

* [http://www.amampondo.com/ Official site]

* [http://www.mountain-africa.com Mountain and Mountclare CDs sales site]


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