Songs of Freedom

1 minute read
Simon Robinson

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South Africa has plenty of attractions: beaches, golf, wineries and safari. You can add music to that listand even if you can’t make it down in person, there’s a jukebox full of CD compilations that let you sample the local sounds. One of the best series is produced by African Cream, a Johannesburg company started in 2001 by former hotel developer Alex Agulnik. The Great South African Trip features tunes from local favorites Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Johnny Clegg, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Hugh Masekela; Lullabies from Mama Africa is a wonderful collection of traditional songs sure to soothe crying babes. The Winds of Change is a fascinating collection of songs associated with the struggle against apartheid: folk ditties mix with snippets from famous speeches, including British Prime Minister’s Harold Macmillan’s 1960 “Wind of Change” speech, Nelson Mandela’s 1964 Rivonia trial speech and Thabo Mbeki’s more recent “I Am an African” speech. You can order them all online at www.africancreammusic.co.za.

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