South Africa

Putumayo Presents | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 18, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Putumayo
• ASIN: B003CJXIUK
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,994 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Ujaheni - Soul Brothers

2. Mbombela - Bholoja

3. Oxam - Mahube

4. Nkosi - Blk Sonshine

5. Beautiful Feet - Nibs van der Spuy

6. Mananga - Steve Dyer

7. Orlando - Miriam Makeba

8. Tiki Tiki - Phinda

9. Halala Afrika - Johannes Kerkorrel

10. Work - Zoro

11. Vulamasango - Kaya

12. Ngahlulele - Soweto Gospel Choir

Editorial Reviews

VARIOS INTERPRETES SOUTH AFRICA

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Putamayo Collection, April 14, 2011

By 

Bonnie Brody "Book Lover and Knitter" (Port St. Lucie, FL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: South Africa (Audio CD)

I am a longtime fan of Putamayo collections and this one is very good. There are some familiar people on the CD, such as Miriam Makeba and the Soweto Gospel Choir. There are also some people and groups new to me that I really enjoyed. Steve Dyer plays the sax beautifully and at times it sounds almost flute-like it's so smooth. You can hear the American jazz influence in Miriam Makeba's piece. My favorite track is sung by Johannes Kerkorrel, a folk song about apartheid, It is sung in Zulu and Afrikaans. I enjoyed the Afro-pop group Kaya who sing about a repentant man who has been unfaithful to his girlfriend.

This is an album to listen to carefully as the music styles and groups are very different. There is rap, all musical, folk, jazz, and Afro-pop. It is a nice selection from a country so well-known for their great music.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended, July 18, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: South Africa (Audio CD)

This new compilation features twelve different artists or groups singing and playing many different styles of South African music. Some are as old as mabari - a style related to American swing music, which hit its peak in the 1950s - and some are more contemporary, such as reggae and rap, which get such a South African spin, you'd think they were invented in South Africa. Fans of Paul Simon's GRACELAND should find this interesting, packed with artists classic to South Africa's sounds such as the Soul Brothers or Soweto Gospel Choir. We even get the late great Miriam Makeba, doing some of her best work! Highly recommended!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rainbow Nation, June 27, 2010

By 

Amaranth "music fan" (Northern California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: South Africa (Audio CD)

Putumayo's "South Africa" celebrates the recent FIFA World Cup in Johannesburg, and a musically rich country. It's a spicy and delicious compilation, blending Afropop with jazz and acoustic guitar. There's something for everyone. A portion of the profits goes to ANSA (Artists for a New South Africa) combating HIV/AIDS through the arts, as well as for human rights. To top off it, there's a recipe for vegetarian bobotie,a traditional South African casserole that combines lentils with chutney and a creamy top.

"South Africa" opens with the powerful "Ujaheni" from the Soul Brothers. Bhojola sings in the traditional language of Swaziland. Mahube's "Oxam" is about a fraudulent healer;considering the seriousness of the material, it's a joyous song. Nibs Van Der Spuy's "Beautiful Feet" is gentle acoustic folk. Steve Dyer's "Mananga" is beautiful township jazz. The late Miriam Makeba, who passed away in 2008 after a concert (Homeland), has the jazzy "Orlando" (it's about a Soweto township, NOT Lovin' Bloom: The Unauthorized Story of Orlando Bloom) Johannes Kerkorrel, the flamboyant, openly gay Afrikaan singer who challenged apartheid and tragically committed suicide in 2002, profiles African history in the bittersweet "Halala Africa." The album closes with the Soweto Gospel Choir's "Ngahlulele." Of course, the Soweto Gospel Choir recently gained international fame thanks to the bestselling Songs Around The World (CD + DVD).

"South Africa" is a beautiful musical trip to the Rainbow Nation!