Customer Reviews

Gift Of The Tortoise: A Musical Journey Through Southern Africa

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This trip to South Africa, with Zulu stories and song, is captivating -- well-beloved by my three-year-old and six-year-old. The production values are very high. Storyteller Gcina Mhlophe's beautiful, expressive voice and transparent love of her country make this a real treasure. Get an extra copy; after you and your children enjoy it you will want to give it to others.

This CD is a musical journey. Ostensibly a children's recording, it is rich in harmony and diversity of sound. Some songs sound hauntingly familiar -- possibly because the theme is one that children sing all around the world. The acapella voices are accompanied only by percussion and sometimes percussive vocal sounds. The entire album takes the form of a story -- each song progressing naturally into another. The finale, "In the Jungle" is the best rendition of this song that I have ever heard, and brought tears to my eyes! Incidentally, my musical experience is almost exclusively classical, and the Zulu harmony is now one of my favourite musical forms! Don't take my word for it -- listen to it, share it with a child, and watch his or her body respond to the gentle rhythms and patterns!

The idiot who gave this a poor review because there was too much talk is just WRONG.

My kids love this cd. They ask for it over and over. The surprize was that I like to listen to it too. (I can't stand those Wee Sing style tapes.) So this is a great alternative for those long road trips when you are trapped in a confined space with either whining kids or an annoying kids tape. Plus LBMs music is very calming.

Now my kids are turned on to Ladysmith Black Mombazo and they are quite content to listen to the adult LBM alblums too. So throw those Wee Sing tapes in the trash!

I picked this CD up on a whim for my 6 year old sister. However, after playing it for her, I had to pick up a copy for myself. The art of storytelling has not been highlighted as well, as this CD does, in a while. I would suggest this CD for all aldults who want a bit of "fun" in their too busy lives.

I am excited to see this kind of music being sold for children here. In South Africa, I had the pleasure to attend several sort of impromptu concerts, ususally in small classrooms, with the children singing and dancing for us. It was a mind-blowing experience, and I wished I could convey that amazing sound and love for music to my own children. I had heard the Paul Simon stuff with these guys, and didn't care much for it. I am glad to find out that that was because he westernized their style, which took much away from the music. This is the South Africa I got to hear, and love. I will definitely be buying more of these cd's.

On a recent trip to West Virginia, my mother put this cassette in for my two young sons (ages 6 and 2) to listen to. What an adventure! Gift of the Tortoise was an excellent diversion for them, the musical harmony and storytelling kept them enraptured the whole time. As soon as the tape was over my oldest asked us to play it again. Listening to them sing along with "Mbube" and "Shabalala" and laughing at "Boy Who Turned Into A Cat" was wonderful. I liked the tape as much as they did and have ordered it so they can listen at home and share it with their cousins and friends!

I recently purchased The Gift of the Tortoise for a long cross-country drive to Grandma's house. After the first day, this was the album my children requested over and over again. (It was wonderful to hear my four year old singing the Zulu lyrics loudly and with better pronunciation than I could manage). Whether you have children or not, this album belongs in your collection. The music is rich and smooth with complex harmonies to please listeners with a variety of musical tastes.

I got this CD for my daughter when she was only 4 months old. I have always enjoyed Ladysmith Black Mambazo and thought it would be enjoyable for both of us. She is now 16 months old and it is by far her favorite. She has been asking for this CD in the car since well before she could speak. If she got fussy, we just put this CD in. Now at bedtime if she has a hard time settling down I just sing or hum any song and she settles right down. And the added bonus, I have listened to the CD hundreds of times over the past months and still enjoy it myself. Buy this one.

This album is a great hit with our toddler. Many, many nights she requests to listen to this CD as she goes to sleep. The rhythms are wonderful for young ears, she loves to sing the choruses with the children on the recording............it tickles me to see my daughter respond so positively to lyrics in a language foreign to her.

I bought this CD because it was geared toward children, but it had the beautiful acapella harmonies of Ladysimith Black Mombazo, which I enjoy. I found the stories to be enchanting, and my 2.5-year-old loves to sing and clap along to the songs. This is a wonderful CD to have in your own library as a break from nursery rhymes and traditional children's songs. It also makes an excellent gift for friends and family.