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RECORDS: THE LION ROARS KING OF THE GROANERS LION OF SOWETO
1937-2000
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Alias: | Simon Nkabinde Mahlathini |
| Musician for: | Mahotella Queens |
| Language: | Zulu |
| Genre: | Mbaqanga |
| Instrument: | Male vocals |
On the Internet Article with music
"When I talk to people, I speak normally to them but when I sing, I sing with a different voice - that of the soul...it is not me...I just sing with another voice: tenor, alto, everything. I don't really know for sure, but I just get on with it."
This describes the South African singer, Mahlathini, and his special way of singing. He has been called "Soweto's Lion" or, in the West, Africa's "Howlin' Wolf". Simon Nkabinde Mahlathini was already active in South Africa's music life back in the 1950s and 60s. He started by singing on street corners, and went on to join a male choir before forming his own group and beginning to play mbaqanga. This is the name for a pop music style based on the Zulu's method of singing, blended with modern rhythms. Mahlathini became a sensation in South Africa when he "electrified" his music in the 1970s. He began touring with his backing group, Mahotella Queens, and took up a solid position with his lively show. This consisted of Mahotella Queen's furiously-paced choir and dance numbers, and his own raw voice filling the air. Many numbers also have hypnotic question-answer exchanges between Mahlathini himself and the backing group.
In 1985 he became known outside South Africa when he was represented on the compendium album, "The Indestructible Beat of Soweto". Since then he has made several international tours with Mahotella Queens, and many of his old disks are re-realeased on CD. Several of his records have gone gold in South Africa.
Relevant artists: Mahotella Queens
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Last Modified:
22 nov 2009
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More of the same as on "King Of The Groaners", but the style is finer here, and Mahotella Queens have a leading role. This is just as much their album as
his, and they sing with incredible precision. South Africa has the world's best choir singers!
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KING OF THE GROANERS 
Earthworks/1993
This album is comprised of recordings made in the 1970s - 20 songs in all. The tracks are short, effective and they rock. The stock is classic rock'n'roll: bass, drums, and 2 guitars, sometimes supplemented with accordion and, on one track, violin(!). Mahlathini sings intensely (in Zulu), and not unlike Howlin 'Wolf. The choir backing from The Queens (not Mahotella here) is buxom and swinging. There is something raw and original about this music, that in fact has certain similarities to European 60s pop. Masses of joie de vivre and energy. My favourite track on this disk is "Umona", that swings fantastically. This music is great in small doses, but perhaps that's how it is with a lot of CDs.
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