Preview

The hot streets of Mozambique's capital Maputo seem to sweat a certain style of music linked to its diverse past. Alternatively affected by waves of Portuguese colonialists with their passionate flamenco guitar playing; the end of colonialism; the civil war; the change of tides in South Africa - all have profoundly enriched the music of Mozambique.

Mabulu is a 7-piece band that is widely acknowledged as the premier practitioners of marrabenta, the evocative name of a frenetic, groove-orientated, and sprawling dance music. With the recent release of their critically acclaimed CD 'Soul Marrabenta' (named in the top 100 world music albums of all time by Songlines Magazine), and their electrifying stage show, this extraordinary band is taking the world by storm, and moving marrabenta firmly forward.

Since forming in early 2000, Mabulu have performed nearly 100 international concerts, in a dozen different countries. They have been nominated as the "Best African Group" at the Kora All Africa Music Awards last year, and "Best Newcomer" for the BBC Radio3 World Music Awards.

With a 50 year age span between the oldest and youngest musicians (75-year old Dilon Djindji, and Chiquito, aged 25, the magnetic young rapper, Mabulu is a rare collaboration between the generations. This is Buena Vista Social Club gone African and inter-generational, and a marriage of marrabenta meets hip-hop!