Long Walk to Freedom: Tribute Nelson Mandela

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 14, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Wrass
• ASIN: B00004TACP
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #246,446 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Free Nelson Mandela

2. Chaka

3. Umfaan

4. Isonto Lezayoni

5. Banjo Special

6. Laku Tshoni "Langa"

7. Zulu Boy Kwela

8. Midnight Ska

9. Ulova

10. Shosholoza

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Burn Out

2. Hellfire

3. Homeless

4. Umathimula

5. Mbube

6. Tomorrow Nation

7. Afrikan Dream

8. The Prince

9. Nkosi Sikele'l Afrika

10. African Spirit

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beginners Guide to SA music, October 10, 2001

By 

Andre M. "brnn64" (Mt. Pleasant, SC United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Long Walk to Freedom: Tribute Nelson Mandela (Audio CD)

This compilation is a good introduction to South African music.Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the best known SA group, makes an obligatory appearance with Paul Simon on "Homeless" which introduced them to non SA audiences. Although "Free Nelson Mandela" by the Specials , strictly speaking is not a South African tune (the group hails form the UK), the tune captures the area's flavor well and stands as one of the best freedom songs of the African diaspora. Some nice SA jazz tunes from groups like West Nkosi and the African Jazz Pioneers give you a feel for this kind of music and some of the voal tunes are excellent. Paticularly "Zulu Boy" with it's appealing vocalist and the Soul Brothers' "Mary" with is appealing SA take on American Soul Music. Miriam Makeba and her former group the Manhattan Brothers also appear (the latter in a curious tune about the SA hero Chaka Zulu, since English is clearly not the first language of many of the assembled performers, most of the English-language tunes sound less natural here for the most part).

We also listen to South African choral music from a Johannesburg Choir and the South African AME choir (the later singing the SA national anthem). In fact the only truly weak tunes in this collection are the ones where the performers try to imitate Western synthesizer-pop. However, Malanthini and the Mahotella Queen's "Gazette" is an appealing mix of Western Technology without sacrificing the things that make SA music great.

SA music does not take long to acquire a taste for, in spite of not understanding the lyrics, the feeling is loud and clear. I would also recommend "Rhythm of Resisitance," although I'm not sure if it's in print, for a compainion piece to this.