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Describe the atmosphere and live music at a local pub, restaurant, festival, church or temple, club night.... inspire other people to check it out!
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Musician: Sonti Mndebele
Location: London
Instruments: voice
Music: South African / World fusion
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HOW I CAME TO THIS MUSICÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýWHERE I PLAYÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýA FAVOURITE SONG |
  
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 ÌýÌýListen (7'24) to ‘Banoyi’, sung by Sonti Mndebele and accompanied by Mbawula and the Manhattan Brothers in session on the Andy Kershaw programme, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 3.
ÌýÌýListen (2'33) to Sonti Mndebele talk about her music
Where I Play:
These days I perform with Mbawula, a 16-piece big band led by Paul Bartholomew and featuring Joe Mogotsi and the Manhattan Brothers, renowned in the 1950’s for their kwela-driven harmonies. Mbawula means ‘melting pot’ and that’s what we’re like, one big pot cooking up lots of different sounds. We play all over the UK at lots of festivals.
Paul, the band leader, and I run workshops at festivals and in schools. I’d never actually given workshops but Paul’s been an inspiration. We teach both adults and children South African choral music. It’s fun to show them how to pronounce the Zula and Xhosa words.
As well as performing with Black Voices for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, I’ve just returned from South Africa where I was promoting my solo album, Always Sonti, (EMI, South Africa, 2002). It’s taken quite a few years to get this album together but I’m really pleased with the results.
Then there’s the huge South African community here in the UK who turn up for our gigs as well as all my friends. It’s great fun to jam with them, especially if I’m feeling homesick. Once we get together to sing some sweet songs and share a meal, it’s like being back home. It’s a good feeling.
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