Savuka
Encyclopedia
Savuka was a band formed in 1986 by English
-born South Africa
n Johnny Clegg after the disbanding of his first band, Juluka
. Both of his bands were inter-racial in the racially segregated Apartheid South Africa. Savuka followed more of a Western pop rock
style blended with Clegg's familiar, distinctive Zulu
musical stylings, creating a unique sound that was something of a major departure from the old, more traditional Zulu sound of Juluka.
They had a UK #75 hit in 1986 with a new version of the earlier Juluka hit 'Scatterlings of Africa'.
Some better-known Savuka songs include "Asimbonanga", "Third World Child", "The Crossing", "Dela", and "Cruel Crazy Beautiful World".
Percussionist Dudu Zulu was killed in 1992. "The Crossing" was a tribute to him.
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United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-born South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n Johnny Clegg after the disbanding of his first band, Juluka
Juluka
Juluka was a South African music band formed in 1969 by Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu. Juluka means "sweat", and was the name of a bull owned by Mchunu.-Career:...
. Both of his bands were inter-racial in the racially segregated Apartheid South Africa. Savuka followed more of a Western pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
style blended with Clegg's familiar, distinctive Zulu
Zulu music
The Zulu are a South African ethnic group. Many Zulu musicians have become a major part of South African music. A number of Zulu-folk derived styles have also become well-known across South Africa and abroad.-Mbube and Isicathamiya:...
musical stylings, creating a unique sound that was something of a major departure from the old, more traditional Zulu sound of Juluka.
They had a UK #75 hit in 1986 with a new version of the earlier Juluka hit 'Scatterlings of Africa'.
Some better-known Savuka songs include "Asimbonanga", "Third World Child", "The Crossing", "Dela", and "Cruel Crazy Beautiful World".
Percussionist Dudu Zulu was killed in 1992. "The Crossing" was a tribute to him.
Discography
Savuka released five studio albums:- Third World ChildThird World ChildThird World Child is studio album by South African artist Johnny Clegg and his band Savuka, released in 1987 and produced by Hilton Rosenthal....
- Cruel, Crazy Beautiful WorldCruel, Crazy Beautiful WorldCruel, Crazy Beautiful World is a studio album from South African artist Johnny Clegg and his band Savuka.Released in 1989 and produced by Hilton Rosenthal and Bobby Summerfield, it is today recognized as probably the band's greatest album, containing hits such "Dela" and "Cruel, Crazy Beautiful...
- Heat, Dust And DreamsHeat, Dust and DreamsHeat, Dust And Dreams is a studio album by South African artist Johnny Clegg and his band Savuka, released in 1993, produced by Hilton Rosenthal, co-produced by Bobby Summerfield. The album received a 1993 Grammy Award nomination for Best World Music Album.....
- Shadow ManShadow Man (album)Shadow Man is a studio album from South African artist Johnny Clegg and his band Savuka.It was released in 1988 and produced by Hilton Rosenthal. While the apartheid was still in place some of the songs contained heavy political messages aimed at the regime. The lyrics were mainly sung in English,...
- In My African Dream (more of a best-of compilation, but including some previously unreleased tracks)
Trivia
A version of the song "Dela (I Know Why The Dog Howls at the Moon)" appears on the soundtrack for the movie George of the JungleGeorge of the Jungle
George of the Jungle was an American animated series produced by Jay Ward and Bill Scott, who created The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. The character George was inspired by the legend of Tarzan. It ran for 17 episodes on Saturday mornings from September 9 to December 30, 1967, on the American TV...
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Members
- Mandisa Dlanga (left 1992) - vocals (b. South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
) - Johnny Clegg - guitar, vocals (b. 31 October 1953, RochdaleRochdaleRochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) - Steve Mavuso - keyboards, vocals (b. South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
) - Keith Hutchinson - saxophone, keyboards, vocals (b. South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
) - Solly Letwaba - bass (b. South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
) - Derek de Beer - drums (b. 1954, JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
) - Dudu Zulu - percussion, vocals (b. Mntowaziwayo Ndlovu, 25 December 1957, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, d. 4 May 1992, JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
)