The Azgo Festival announces a massive line-up for the 7th edition in Maputo on 20 May, 2017. Mozambique’s finest international arts fest brings together a diverse program of music, dance, arts and fashion.
“Sounds represented at the festival, happening at Eduardo Mondlane University, span everything from jazz, soul, marrabenta, samba, Afro-beat, hip-hop, pop, electronica, reggae and much more!” Says organizer Paulo Chibanga of 340 ml fame. “This year South Africa is represented by Freshlyground, Ray Phiri, Batuk, Nonku Phiri and Vukazithathe.”
Samba, Afrobeat and funk
Leading the charge is Brazilian singer-songwriter Maria Gadú, whose fusion of samba, Afrobeat and funk, has led her to become one of the fastest-rising stars of popular Brazilian music, with four CDs and two Latin Grammy Awards to her name, her hit song Shimbalaiê will be the anthem of Azgo 2017.
From Cape Verde Azgo Festival welcomes Ângelo César do Rosário Firmino, better known as Boss AC, he is a groundbreaking Cape Verdean rapper based in Portugal. Throughout his career he has fused African rhythms with traditional Portuguese sounds along with hip-hop, ragga, soul and R&B.
From South Africa Ray Phiri comes to Maputo for the first time in decades, Ray is the voice of Stimela, the guitar rhythms of Paul Simon’s Graceland. “I’m a student of life and I’ll never stop discovering, creating, and exploring” says Phiri. “In the end, it’s your art that remains when everything else has gone.”
‘Banana Republic’
Freshlyground are back with a new single called Banana Republic and it will be their first show in Maputo since Azgo Festival 2013. They blend kwela with elements of pop, jazz, blues and indie rock.
Batuk is a creative collective founded by electronic music producers Aero Manyelo and Spoek Mathambo alongside vocalist Manteiga from Mozambique. The eclectic ensemble is on a quest to connect the African diaspora by exchanging rhythm culture while fusing it with electrifying house beats. With influences from Afrohouse, soul, zouk, kuduro, deep house, techno and traditional African music, the trio represents the spirit of proudly African youth with a global state of mind.
Nonku Phiri has one of the most distinctive voices on South Africa’s future electronic music landscape. Nonku spans house, electronica, hip- hop and kwaito. Her first single Things We Do on the Weekend became an instant classic with its refreshing future kwaito beats accompanied by her sultry vocals. Her follow up single; Regrettables is another artwork to add to her catalogue.
Bhekisenzo Cele aka Vukazithathe is a multi-instrumentalist with a great knack for improvisation. He is a veteran of the south coast KwaZulu-Natal music scene. Raised by both a mother and father who played guitar, maskandi music runs in his blood. A practitioner of maskandi music (modern-day Zulu folk), Bhekisenzo sings, plays bass guitar, guitar, concertina, and improvises on violin and harmonica.
From Portugal comes Joao Barbosa AKA Branko, who first became known as the driving creative force in Buraka som Sistema. The seminal collective is responsible for reshaping dance music culture and spawning a myriad of sub-genres that shaped the Global Club Music scene and were championed by the producer’s label Enchufada.
Electronica, Afrobeat, jazz, neo-soul, reggae
Hypnotic…sultry…vulnerable…empowering. These words come to mind when first experiencing the music of Jojo Abot, the Ghanaian singer-songwriter who is poised to capture the ears of discerning listeners with her experimental blend of electronica, Afrobeat, jazz, neo-soul, house and reggae. Dividing her time between Accra, Copenhagen and New York City, Jojo Abot’s emergence marks the genesis of an exciting new talent.
Grèn Sémé from Reunion Island fuse rock poetry, dub pulsations and ternary rhythms, into a new sound where creole and maloya from Reunion Island meet with Brel, Bashung and Noir Désir. Three years after a first album, largely hailed, the band reaches new heights with their new album Hors Sol a perfect balance between strength and fragility and comes out as one of the most original voice on the French-speaking scene.
From Mozambique Azgo’s organisers are excited to have a diverse range of acts. Ghorwane are Mozambique’s most successful band, over the past 30 years they have brought horns blazing and the rhythms of Mozambique: xigubu, mapiko, tufu and marabenta to stages all around the globe.
Azagaia is the most political hip-hop artist in Mozambique. Lyrically he speaks of the realities of post-colonial Mozambique and the continent of Africa as a whole. Backed by the Os Cortadores de Lenha featuring some of the finest musicians in the country, laying the foundation for Azagaia’s hard-hitting lyrics and charismatic stage persona to leave the audience in raptures.
Lay Lizzy and e Os Primos (the cousins in ‘Portuguese”) are a collective at the forefront hip-hop in Mozambique. In 2014, he signed to Pan African orientated Geobek Entertainment’s record label, Geobek Records. He released two singles under the label Tha Crew in July 2015. This was followed by a single called Hello featuring AKA, charting on iTunes Mozambique as number 1 on all genre and number 2 on iTunes South Africa Hip-hop chart.
New roots reggae
Ras Haitrm & Word Sound Power creates songs that carry messages of unity and non-violence. Often touted as an African revelation of new roots reggae, Ras Haitrm has built his career upon a talent that impresses those who witness his performances and respect his revolutionary ideas.
The Mute Band are a band with no vocalists. With a dynamic foundation structured around sampling, the band whisks its audience on a sonic journey through hip-hop with psychedelic atmospheres. With 2 beat makers, Nandele and Fu Da Siderurgia on samples, Helton on the drums and Embri0n on the bass.
Xixel Langa is a dynamic jazz vocalist from Mozambique. Part of the famed Langa family, her father is Hortensio Langa and brother Texito Langa. With her debut released earlier this year, Xixel is on the rise.
The name “Azgo” is old slang from Maputo to say “let´s go”, let’s revisit our cultures and heritage, “let´s go” promote cultural diversity, “let’s go”…” says director/founder Paulo Chibanga best known as the drummer in 340 ml, Chibanga is keen for South African’s to say “Let’s go to Azgo” and make the short trip across the border to taste the flavour of the festival he has been running for the past seven years. “Maputo is a fun city, there is plenty of affordable accommodation and of course this year’s lineup is amazing so a great time is guaranteed for Mozambicans and visitors.“
Chibanga continues, “With Azgo Festival we aim to bring together various genres, different crowds and different artists, emerging and well-known. This serves as a platform for emerging and acclaimed artists to collaborate and meet a new audience.”
“Our festival brand is based around celebrated Mozambican artist Naguib, one of the biggest painters and visual artists in the country. Our imagery used on our posters is paying homage to his famed artworks and opening his works up to a new generation”, explains Chibanga.
Azgo Festival is part of the African Music Festival Network (AMFN) and a founding member of the Igoda, which encompasses Bassline Africa Day (Joburg, South Africa), MTN Bushfire Festival (Swaziland), Sakifo (Reunion Island) and Zakifo (Durban, South Africa).
Get to know this years’ line-up
Maria Gadú – Shimbalaiê: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH1fpTmU-lw
Boss AC feat Gutto – Quieres Dinero: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51Ft0iU1guU
Ray Phiri live with Stimela – ‘Zwakala (Come With Me)’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePlF14ZRsSU
Freshlyground – Banana Republic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47fGVzTHkdM
Batuk – Força Força: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhReb8pnxnQ
Nonku Phiri & Branko – Let Me Go (ft. Mr. Carmack): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6Vuu3J8toI
Branko & Mayra Andrade – Reserva Pra Dois: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3PRfhUMZlE
Jojo Abot – To Li: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq4gw87-nRQ
Grèn Sémé – Hors Sol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8YbXI2_plc
Ghorwane – Mussakaze: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QENucypdwPY
Azagaia – Minha Geração: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFGh4Qp4Qaw
Lay Lizzy – The Crew: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b8MLhbQf_k
Rash Haitrm – Get Over You: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PCJX42RkQg
The Mute Band – Emídio Macie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzSHIgWiE3k
What: Azgo Festival 2017
When: Sat, 20 May, 2017, 10am – 5am
Where: Eduardo Mondlane University, Rua da França, Maputo, Mozambique
Tickets: www.entradaz.co.mz 2,000 MTS (ZAR 400), VIP weekend: 5,000 MTZ (ZAR 100)
Accommodation/transport: Silvana Jamice: bookings@azgofestival.com
Web: http://azgofestival.com/en
Social media: https://www.facebook.com/azgofestival , https://www.instagram.com/azgofestival, https://twitter.com/FestivalAzgo
Youtube: 2016 Official Festival Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvkzVjJG64o
WS
