History

In their quest for separation of the races the former apartheid regime in South Africa inadvertently laid the basis for an archive of some of the most beautiful music on the planet. The original thinking behind the recordings made by the South African Broadcasting Corporation was to divide the black population along racial and tribal lines through the use of music. As the state controlled the airwaves the SABC became a tool for its propaganda and set up various regional stations that were known as Radio Bantu, the regime's term for the oppressed majority.

For struggling musicians during the apartheid era the opportunities to record their music was lure enough. Record companies that serviced the black community were few and far between and the major labels, to their eternal shame, focused more on selling to the affluent white community. As a result SABC's mobile studio visited every corner of the country recording the whole glorious range of music available creating a massive archive of original music that became 'The African Renaissance' catalogue. This catalog was represented by Sheer Music S.A. who have licensed it to Eagle Rock for world-wide release to display its historic value and originality for most of today's popular music rhythms across the country. The ten double CDs contained some of Africa's greatest music, and some of the continent's greatest musicians.

Brian Adams, Head of International Licensing for Eagle Rock, and Mike Howell felt that they had got their hands on something special. As well as his involvement with Eagle Rock, Adams also owns Hatch Farm Studios, and in 1999 Jon Anderson, vocalist from Yes, recorded a solo album there with the help of the Paris based Cameroonian musician FJ. 'At the time I was completely struck by FJ's talent and his love for all forms of music,' says Adams. 'So when Mike and I decided that the time was right to update and re-introduce this music to a wider audience FJ was the obvious first port of call.'

As it transpired FJ was extremely pleased to be asked to become involved in the project and recruited other Paris-based Cameroonian musicians who came together as a loose collective specifically for this project, naming themselves Living Souls. The musicians moved into the Koko Studios where they commenced re-writing and remixing. Together the musicians added extra layers of vocals, new drums, bass and keyboards that had the effect of strengthening and deepening the power of the original material.

Official Web Site:

www.livingsouls.com & www.ambientafrica.com

While teenagers, artists like Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and later Johnny Clegg  have pulsed our daily life.

To be a part of this project was like having the privilege ? Being able to fulfill a dream which was always with us.

It?s like to pass on the torch of the African cultural heritage and to share it with as many people as possible. Deep in our souls we believe that this heritage is everyone?s patrimony and we have the obligation to spread it. Our main challenge with this project was to keep the soul and the pulse of this music intact in spite of a certain modernity.

We have non other ambitions than to share and introduce the African traditional music to a new audience. With this beautiful project we want to pay a tribute to these Living Souls of the African culture because they still continue to rhythm our lives."
 

Ambient Africa