Zolani Mahola - Vocals
Josh Hawks – Guitar, Vocals
Aron Turest-Swartz – Keyboards, Vocals, Percussion
Kyla-Rose Smith – Violin, Vocals
Simon Attwell – Flute, Sax, Mbira, Harmonica
Julio Sigauque – Electric & Acoustic Guitar
Peter Cohen - Drums
Freshlyground have a busy year ahead of them for 2006: a national tour of South Africa in May, a UK tour in July, followed by Germany and Belgium in August. The band are then heading home to record their 3rd album with producers JB Arthur and Victor Masondo of Instinct Africaine in Johannesburg. They plan to release the new album in November 2006. Currently the album Nomvula is double platinum in South Africa, and there is increased interest from Europe and the US: Freshlyground hope to secure an international release before the end of the year.
Freshlyground formed early 2002, and is made up of seven talented and diverse musicians from South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. In 2003 Freshlyground launched their debut album, Jika Jika, the success of which firmly cemented the band as one of South Africa’s most successful young acts. In the same year this seven-piece Cape Town based band enjoyed much wider exposure, playing at numerous music festivals including the Harare International Festival of the Arts and the Robben Island African Festival. Freshlyground were invited to Harare International Festival of the Arts 2004 as the South African representative for the festival, where they headlined the closing ceremony, performing a song with Zimbabwean icon Oliver Mtukudzi. 2004 started off playing before President Thabo Mbeki at the opening of Parliament on the eve of celebrating 10 years of democracy in South Africa. One of the most exciting musical events in South Africa 2004 was the esteemed North Sea Jazz Festival. Freshlyground played alongside the likes of Miriam Makeba, Stanley Clarke and Femi Kuti. In July 2004 the band performed at the prestigious Villa Celimontana Festival in Rome while taking a break from the recording studio. Freshlyground were invited to play at the Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan in March 2005. They then traveled to Germany to front the celebration of 5 years of partnership between Cape Town and Aachen.
Freshlyground completed recording their second album in Johannesburg in June/July 2004 under their independent Freeground Records label, in conjunction with Instinct Africaine. ‘Nomvula’ was recorded and produced in Joburg by Joe Arthur and Sibusiso Victor Masondo and released in late 2004. After a somewhat slow start - but with a strong word of mouth buzz based on the band’s live performance reputation - momentum picked up as the sheer quality of the album begun to shine through. Radio picked up on ‘Doo Be Doo’ and the catchy song has gone on to become a favorite amongst a diverse spread of stations and their listeners. However, album tracks such as ‘I’d Like’, ‘Zithande’, ‘Things Have Changed’, ‘Manyana’ and the title track ‘Nomvula’ (with its stunning music video directed by filmmaker Ian Gabriel) are proving the depth and strength of this remarkable record. In addition to the Nomvula video, the band has just released music videos for ‘I’d Like’ and ‘Doo Be Doo’.
‘Nomvula’ was nominated for three South African Music Awards in 2005, but the band didn’t manage to snare their debut SAMA. Undaunted and more determined than ever, the guys continued their path to success. Fronted by the diminutive but dynamic Zolani Mahola, the band exudes a live performance energy that has been the bedrock of their success. The experienced rhythm section of Peter Cohen (drums) & Josh Hawks (bass) is complimented by guitarist Julio Sigauque, keyboardist (& some time dancer!) Aron Turest-Swartz, Simon Attwell (flute, mbira, sax and harmonica) and violinist Kyla Rose Smith. Although all hailing from diverse backgrounds, between them the band weave a musical magic that is highly infectious and undeniably groovy.
Last year Freshlyground signed an extensive record deal with Sony BMG Africa, and in partnership with Sony BMG Africa, Freshlyground are now putting together plans to build on this local success and spread their musical wings globally. With trips to Japan, Germany, Belgium (for the huge Pukkelpop Festival), Tanzania and Mauritius already under the belt in 2005, the band manage to avoid neglecting local audiences hungry for their share of the Freshlyground magic.
In August last year, Freshlyground appeared at the big Oppikoppi ‘Wired’ festival and the ‘Word on the Street’ events, and hosted a concert in Cape Town to raise funds for the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, appearing alongside globally acclaimed troubadour and Sony BMG Africa label mate Vusi Mahlasela. They had numerous high profile gigs across the nation heading into Summer 2005, making them quite possibly the hardest working band on the live circuit. Freshlyground have performed in every major city in South Africa promoting the album Nomvula, and the demand to see the band live grows with each appearance.
Keith Lister, Managing Director of Sony BMG Africa had this to say about the company’s involvement with Freshlyground: “We’re delighted to be able to continue working with such a unique and exciting group of musicians… for Freshlyground, the sky literally is the limit.”
Noteworthly performances:
• Macufe Festival, Bloemfontein, 27 Sep - 2 Oct ‘05
• Standard Bank Arena, with Kenny Latimore and Chante Moore, 23 Sep ‘05
• Desmond Tutu HIV-Foundation Benefit Concert, with Vusi Mahlasela, 2 Sep ‘05
• Pukkelpop Festival, Belgium, 20 August, ‘05
• Grahamstown National Arts Festival, Grahamstown, 2 July ‘05
• Aichi Expo 2005, Nagoya, Japan, 26 March ‘05
• Gugulethu Human Rights Memorial Concert, Gugulethu Stadium, Cape Town, 21 March ‘05
• Old Mutual Collaboration with Sipho Hotstix Mabuse, JHB, 18 March ‘05
• Treatment Action Campaign March to Parliament, Cape Town, 16 Feb ‘05
• 10 Years of Democracy Closing Celebration, Athlone Stadium, Cape Town, 11 Feb ‘05
• Standard Bank Jazzathon 2005, with Selaelo Selota, Cape Town, 7 Jan ‘05
• Reconciliation day Festival, with Letta Mbulu, Cape Town, 16 December ‘04
• Home For All Logo Launch, Western Cape Premiers Party, Cape Town, 16 December ‘04
• Spier Arts Summer Season, collaboration with Oliver Mtukudzi and Mahube, Stellenbosch, 15 December ‘04
• Elim Home Charity Performance, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, 21 August ‘04
• Oppikoppi, Northam, Pretoria, 08 August ‘04 and ‘05
• National Theatre of the Arts, Windhoek, Namibia, 29 July - 07 August ‘04
• Villa Celimontana Festival, Rome, Italy, 10 June ‘04
• Olympic Torch Ceremony, Grand Parade, Cape Town, 12 June ‘04
• Harare International Festival of the Arts, collaboration with Oliver Mtukudzi, Harare, Zimbabwe, 02 May ‘04
• ANC Election Party, with Jimmy Dludlu and Zola, CTICC, Cape Town, 17 April ‘04
• North Sea Jazz Festival, Cape Town, 10&11 April ‘04
• Brett Kebble Art Awards 2004 Press Launch, Kiliminjaro, Johannesburg, 24 March ‘04
• Freedom Parade, 10 years of Human Rights, Athlone Stadium, 22 March ‘04
• The Design Indaba, CTICC, Cape Town, 27th February '04 and February ‘05
• Celebration of 10 years of Democracy, Green Market Square, Cape Town, 5th February '04
• Opening of Parliament, CTICC, Cape Town, 5th February '04
• Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concert, National Botanical Gardens, 25th January '04 and March ‘05
• Vodacom Sounds of Summer 2004, V&A. amphitheatre, 4th January ‘04
• RE:GEN Moral Regeneration Festival, Cape Town Company Gardens, 27th Dec. ‘03
• Robben Island African Music Festival, Heritage Day, with Oliver Mtukudzi, Jonathan Butler, Judith Sephuma, V&A. Waterfront and Robben
• Island, 23-24 September ‘03
• HIV/AIDS Awareness benefit concert, Jammie Plaza, UCT, 20th February ‘03
