About this product

Product Identifiers

Record LabelCD Baby, Cdb

UPC0884501954860

eBay Product ID (ePID)23046083069

Product Key Features

FormatCD

Release Year2013

GenreWorld Music

ArtistWouter Kellerman

Release TitleMzansi

Dimensions

Item Height0.40 in

Item Weight0.25 lb

Item Length5.60 in

Item Width4.90 in

Additional Product Features

Number of Tracks13

Number of Discs1

TracksAfrican Hornpipes, Malaika, Khokho, Mama Tembu, Cape Flats, After Hours, N'jarinu Garab, Fire Drill, Samami, Mzansi, Sylvia, In the Moment, Miniamba

NotesFlutist Wouter Kellerman, who hails from South Africa, truly creates world-fusion music that is multi-cultural and genre-crossing because he brings together global musical elements to form a powerful, jubilant and universal sound. "Mzansi represents the voices of my influences -- African and otherwise," explains Kellerman. "Being influenced by different styles and cultures, and working with musicians who bring their own energy to the project, make this a very varied album -- from traditional Sengalese songs to Celtic and South African influences. The last few years have been filled with inspiring collaborations. I have really been happy to work with different and very talented musicians and singers." Kellerman's music is available worldwide on CDs and as digital downloads at online sales sites such as CDbaby, Amazon, iTunes, Rhapsody, eMusic and many other outlets. In addition to Mzansi, Kellerman also has released the acclaimed albums Colour, Two Voices, Half Moon and Timeless. Wouter Kellerman (pronounced vo-tur) has become one of the leading musical ambassadors from South Africa with his recordings and tours that have included performances in Africa (at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival in Johannesburg, for example), Australia (the support slot on Johnny Clegg's Down Under Tour), China (at the Shanghai World Expo), Germany, France (at MIDEM, the world's biggest music conference), and the United States (including the Kennedy Center in Washington and Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas). He also performed at the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup Closing Ceremony to a global television audience of 700-million people. Kellerman's Two Voices recording won the 2011 South African Music Award (the SAMA is that country's top musical honor) for "Best Instrumental Album" (he had been nominated several times previously and the prior year had won a SAMA for "Best Instrumental DVD"). Both in the studio and onstage, Kellerman works with some of South Africa's most talented musicians and singers. "When I collaborate with someone, I try to adapt to what they are doing musically and get out of my comfort zone which allows for really interesting discoveries," states Kellerman. On Mzansi he plays a variety of flutes (most often classical metal flutes). Kellerman is joined by guitarists Erik Paliani, Juan-Pierre Oosthuizen, Paul Carlos, Lamine Sonko and Mauritz Lotz; bassists Sibusiso Victor Masondo and Schalk Joubert; pianists Melissa van der Spuy and Wessel van Rensburg; drummers Barry van Zyl, Kevin Gibson and David Klassen; percussionists Godfrey Mgcina, Tlale Makhene and Ady Thioune; and singers that include Mfaniseni Ntlama, Eunice Harris, Lamine Sonko, Jolette Odendaal, David Matamela and more than two-dozen additional backing vocalists scattered throughout the album. The recording was produced by Kellerman with JB Arthur and Mauritz Lotz. It was mixed and mastered by Husky Hoskulds (who has won Grammys in the USA for his work with Norah Jones and Sheryl Crow). The singing on the album is in several different African languages and also includes wordless vocals. Mzansi begins with the cross-cultural tune "African Hornpipes." "I have always enjoyed Irish hornpipe tunes, and combining this traditional Irish melody with African vocals was a natural step for me," explains Kellerman. He selected the song "Malaika" because "when I was young my parents had a Miriam Makeba album that I listened to every day, so I've loved listening to her version of 'Malaika' most of my life." This sad love-song is sung in Swahili, but when translated into English the heart-wrenching lyrics include the phrase: "I would marry you, angel, but I am defeated by the bride price that I don't have." "Mama Tembu" is a well-known South African song, but Kellerman's band changes it around by doing a reggae version with a rap intro and an alternate melody sung between verses by the Senegalese singer Lamine Sonko. The ballad "Cape Flats" was written by Wouter and his guitar