Africa music legends to play at Hot Box

In a fantastically exciting venture, Hot Box, in association with Midnight Mango, will be hosting a couple of the biggest names in music from Africa in the next weeks. Nick Salter and DJ Funkendick provide all-vinyl tuneage at the shows.

The former provides the details below and tells us how he fell in love with the Africa sound.

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My passion for African music in its many forms was lit when my job took me to southern Africa for the first time in the early 2000s. I’ve always had an obsession with discovering new music. I was a massive fan of John Peel and this gave me a taste for so much variety.

It started in Africa-ca-ca

Hidden in one corner of Johannesburg airport was a CD shop. Every time I travelled through O. R. Tambo International Airport I’d pick up a couple of CDs. Starting with Kanda Bongo Man (JP’s favourite) I soon picked up Fela Kuti. I was blown away. I’d never heard such powerful and, above all, confident music before – both lyrically and in the tunes. The man can build and build, holding you for 15 minutes with not a wasted moment.

Subsequently, my work took me to Zambia. Knowing my love of music, the folks there would take me to open-air gigs and Lusaka nightclubs. Exciting times. Exciting sounds.

The confidence of a relatively young democracy came through in the music and in the passionate, highly intelligent, and politicised people I met there. Africa and it’s music ticked all my boxes (including a shared passion for football!)

I’ve always loved hearing something and then following that music’s path and influences. I lapped up afrobeat and highlife from Nigeria, discovered Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou (wow!!!) from Benin, skipped across to East Africa for Ethio-jazz, and to the Sahara and Touareg desert blues. Each type of music borrowing heavily from 1960s and 70s western sounds but blending them with traditional folk songs,  instruments, sounds, and rhythms. 

Tinariwen

Seeing Tinariwen draw in and entrance a “morning after the night before” post-rave crowd at the West Holts stage at Glastonbury in 2003 is one of the most incredible collective live music experiences I’ve ever had. They were little known at that time. By the end of their set Ibrahim’s snaking hypnotic guitar lines had a packed field moving as one. It was a quasi-religuous experience, brilliantly captured in Julien Temple’s fantastic 2006 Glastonbury film. This music demands to be heard!

For anyone wanting to go on their own voyage of discovery I’d highly recommend dipping into anything from the catalogues of Awesome Tapes From Africa or Analog Africa. I’m so envious of these guys who have travelled across Africa finding the original master tapes to bring all of this great music to a wider audience. 

Now I’m very excited that the Hot Box is putting on two special acts from Africa. The venue asked Dr Funkendick and myself to provide the tunes. Both acts are incredible. Internet sensations. 

Gasper Nali

First up, on Sunday 8 June, is Gasper Nali from Malawi. Gasper plays a babatoni. It’s a unique one-string homemade three-metre long bass guitar. He plays it with a stick and an empty beer bottle, in combination with a cow skin kick drum. He creates the most amazing and danceable sounds with melodies to die for! Totally incredible.

I urge everyone to check him out on Spotify or YouTube and then come on down. It’s an early afternoon start, doors open at 3pm and Gasper will hit the stage at 5pm with his band. 

His new record ”Chule Chule Iwe” is out now.

Gonora Sounds

Next up, on Sunday 20 July, is Gonora Sounds. It’s a family band that has been busking on the streets of Zimbabwe since 2004. Led by blind singer/songwriter Daniel Gonora, a master on the guitar, with protege teenage son Isaac Gonora on drums. They featured in the multi-award-winning documentary You Can’t Hide From The Truth. And he collaborated with American jazz legend Pharoah Sanders among others! 

Treat yourself to life-affirming music

The fact these artists are playing here is a coup for the Hot Box and great for the county city. I urge people to come and get their groove on. You might just fall in love with music again! Tickets are selling quickly. Get yours here.

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