ROZALLA - Spirit of Africa (1989)

Tusk/Serengeti, WIH7047

Producers: Out of the Hat Productions, D. Morton & Trick Productions

Probably the most successful African singer in international dance music, Rozalla Miller was born in 1964 in Ndola, Zambia and began singing professionally as a child at special events and on kids' TV. At 18 she moved to Zimbabwe, where after fronting various R&B cover bands she launched her solo career, scoring numerous radio hits, including 'Party Time' in 1984. In 1988 she moved to London in search of international success. In 1989 she released Spirit of Africa, an album of slick R&B-pop (with minimal African influence except on the title track and 'King') that would soon be overshadowed. A few months later, working with Chris Sergeant of Unit Dance Records and the Band of Gypsies production duo, Rozalla landed club hits in 1990 with 'Born To Luv Ya' and in 1991 with 'Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)', a hit so massive it earned her the dubious title 'Queen of Rave' in the burgeoning electronic mainstream.

Following the success of her debut album Everybody's Free, in 1992 she opened for Michael Jackson on the European leg of his Dangerous tour. She continued to release lesser hits throughout the 90s and beyond, moving between dance music and R&B/soul. Her other albums include Look No Further (1995), Coming Home (1998) and Brand New Version (2009). 'Everybody's Free' enjoyed new life with remixes charting in the UK in 1996 and Australia in 2009. In 2010 she performed in Harare alongside the Rusike Brothers for the first time in many years. In 2014 she released two new singles, 'Can You Feel The Love' with David Anthony and 'If You Say It Again', which entered the Billboard Dance charts in the US. In 2015 she released 'Shaking Through the Night', a collaboration with Farhaan 'Kazz' Khan (of UK-based, Malawi-born, Zim-raised brothers Bkay n Kazz), produced by German producer Peter Schanz. During her 30-year career she has also enjoyed chart success in Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, France, Austria and New Zealand.

ANNA MWALE - African Song (1984)

CBS, CBS3038   
Producers: Charlie Boswic & Joe Kleindienst           

One of Zambia's most famous music exports, Anna Mwale left the country in the 80s and has spent most of her time since then in Germany and the UK, performing and releasing all over the world.

African Song was her breakthrough and biggest album, with east and southern African vibes made more palatable for European audiences by slick synths, funky basslines and some Caribbean influences. At worst cheesy and overproduced, but with solid tracks like 'Kabuku Langa', 'Magic Sound' and a fun cover of the old classic 'Pata Pata', written by Dorothy Masuka and made famous by Miriam Makeba.



In an interview in 2009 with the Zambian Post, she tells of how 'Excuse Me' became an overnight hit in Spain and later east Africa, and how she lost most of her earnings in later years. More recently reports emerged of her being sent to hospital in Lusaka after being questioned by cops over the theft of 3000 chickens.



Check out this spandex-stricken video to one of her hits not on this album, 'I Can't Get Your Love'. Classic dance moves.

VA - Spirit of Zambia (1990)

Teldec/Red Bus
Producer/arranger: Peter Yellowstone / Philip Radford
"African Engineering": Sheridan Tongue

 

Side A: Oliver Cheatham - Spirit of Zambia

Side B: President Kenneth Kaunda - Tiyende Pamodzi (Let's Walk Together)

 

THE WITCH – Kuomboka (1984)

Gallo, BL 493.

Producers: Shaddick Bwalya & R. Nganga.

Engineer: Steve Roskilly.

Recorded at: Shed Studios, Harare.

The success of township music shouldn’t be understood as being separate from the rest of Southern Africa. Harari’s cross-border exploits are case in point. Although isolated politically and culturally, many albums from north of the border found an audience here. In the 50s and early 60s, SA labels would send out field units north to Rhodesia and Malawi and Mozambique. Gallo and EMI had branches in Nairobi. As apartheid forces cracked the whip, especially after Sharpeville in 1960 and the declaration of a republic the following year, SA companies stopped recording material from other parts of Africa. Some managed to slip though, thankfully, like the Zambian group The Witch.

Short for 'We Intend To Cause Havoc,' The Witch formed in the early 1970s and put out something like 5 LPs over the next 15 years. As their name suggests, their sound was initially heavily influenced by rock (“Zamrock” was the scene at the time). During the 80’s, they couldn’t escape the charm of synthesizer-driven funk. Their 1984 release Kuomboka, named after a traditional water ceremony, was recorded in Harare and produced by Shaddick Bwalya, the driving forced behind the band. Over ten musicians, most listed as “guests,” contributed on this tight and irresistibly sexed-up album. Tracks like “Erotic Delight,” “Believe me Lover,” “Come Together” and “More Sweat than Sweet” set the groove.