Vocalism

The Zimbabwean singer Vusa Mkhaya, now resident in Vienna, is part of the vocal trio Insingini, which released the rather fine album Voices of Southern Africa on ARC in 2004. To record his debut solo album he returned to Bulawayo to work with a small group of local Zimbabwean musicians. The cast grew once it was known he was back, as old friends kept dropping by the studio and asking to contribute. Mkhaya has a lovely, mellifluous voice, rooted in church singing and the a capella choral styles of southern Africa such as imbumbe, made world famous by Ladysmith Black Mambazo. But here he draws upon a much wider palette of styles and influences, adding guitars, percussion and female voices. Songs such as ‘Umakoti, an Ndebele wedding song, and the gospel-styled ‘Ukukhala’ are rooted in tradition and yet Mkhaya gives them a subtle modern pop sensibility. Back in Europe, he then recorded further tracks such as ‘Schweinsbeuschel’, an Austrian yodelling song, and the Hungarian folk tune ‘Tavaszi Szel’. Both are sung a capella and given an improbable southern African flavour. On paper it really shouldn’t work; yet both songs exude a tangible, spiritual beauty that makes them highlights of a lovely album, full of unexpected adventure.