Gumboots

Musical Cast Recording (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 11, 2011)
• Original Release Date: October 24, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA Victor
• ASIN: B00004ZBDN
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,284 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #22 in Music > World Music > Africa > South Africa

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alive and joyous!, November 6, 2000

By 

"gmfico" (Stevens Point, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gumboots (Audio CD)

I recently saw this show live, and was a trifle hesitant to purchase the CD, for I was concerned that losing the visual would detract too much from the experience. However, the music of Gumboots can stand - or rather, dance - on its own. If anything, the CD has given me the opportunity to concentrate more on the rich harmonies and soaring melodies of the tradtional music featured. Though I would recommend that anyone with the opportunity to see the show should see it in order to get the full effect of Gumboots, this CD makes a great contribution to any collection, with or without the ticket stub!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Never seen the show and very sorry I missed it!, April 14, 2001

By 

J. Leigh "jleigh7" (chicago) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gumboots (Audio CD)

I bumped into the DVD accidently while at a local book store and quickly searched the store computer to see if there was an album. I have never seen the show and I have to agree with both reviewers. The CD stands on its own. AND there is wonderful variety.

I own 2 Ladysmith albums and while they are excellent, there is little variation between albums and songs. This album has both wonderful a capellas and variety. The use of narrative, percussive instruments, sounds of boot stomping, and bottle top rattling, creates a wonderfully rich context for each of the songs.

If you own Power of One or any Ladysmith you will like this CD.

I'll let you know what the DVD's like when I buy it!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vitality and variety, October 27, 2000

By 

F. Behrens "Frank Behrens" (Keene, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gumboots (Audio CD)

The original cast recording of <Gumboots> on RCA Victor (909026-63724-2) derives its title from a secret code beaten out on the gumboots of black mine workers who were not permitted to converse with one another. From a necessity it became an art and then in the 1970s into a show designed to preserve the cultural traditions of South Africa. Now that the show is one tour, RCA has issued this CD with its 22 tracks of music from the show with sufficient narration to raise this disc several notches over similar recordings of shows in which the visual aspects are as important as the musical ones.

While I generally find recordings of "traditional" African music somewhat monotonous (in the strict sense of that word), I have nothing but praise for the vitality and variety offered up in these selections. At the time of this writing, PBS plans a special on the Rishile Gumboot Dancers of Soweto; and this CD has certainly made me look forward to it--which is more than other such recordings have done. This is a winner!