Africa… just the name of this vast continent
makes my heart beat faster. The heavy, humid air, thousands of fragrants,
and always around: music, everywhere. Arrival in Beira, Mozambique. The seaport at the Indian Ocean is the country’s second largest city. It is here, at
the mouth of the Pungwe river, where our musical journey is about to begin. Four busy weeks are in front of us.
In the end we will have travelled 1.400 km. That’s half the way through Mozambique. And of course on Mozambiquan roads. [Touring Mozambique. Roads, dust and hot rhythms.] A 24-hours-journey – right the next day
we get the reward for it: freshly caught shrimps, directly from the beach. The schedule for the next days is highly jam-packed: next to rehearsals we will give an interview at the TV station TVM as well as at a radio station. We will be playing a tour through the country and will be part at a two-days-festival here in Beira. All in the course of the project Crossing Borders. We are heading towards the centre. Beira is an important seaport in Mozambique. Half a million people are living here – according to the last census 2006. Should be a lot more today. Here is the beginning of the Beira-Corridor, we will be taking in a few days. Up until shortly before our journey there was still fighting going on. Conflicts between the government party FRELIMO and the opposition, RENAMO. Recently, the situation has calmed down. Still, we are feeling uneasy to travel, where some months ago there had been shot with live ammunition.
The civil war – Mozambique’s eternal scourge. A cruel proxy war between the then Soviet Union and the United States. With 15 years on of the longest civil wars in Africa with approximately one million deads and five million fugitives. Hey folks. Welcome to the studio of TVM, where we’re crossing the borders. Follow me and get to know the studio. Danny is from Austria, me too. Nito is from Mozambique. We have elements from Austria, many elements from Mozambique. The idea was created by Andi here in Beira. We were lucky because we got financial support from the Austrian Embassy and the Austrian government.
I’m really looking forward to the time here. The Casa de Cultura will be our headquarter for the next days. Here, we are going to meet all the musicians that will join us, we will rehearse, and we will give the first two concerts of our Africa-tour. Casa de Cultura. Start of the rehearsals. For now we will get to know each other. We have never played together before with our Mozambiquan friends. My name is Nazir, my artist name is Islamabay. I am 30 years old. I’ve been a muscian since I was 14 years old. We played Reggae music from the beginning on. Reggae is the human spirit, that’s the truth. Hi. My name is Nito António Chivalane. I am a professional musician. I’m playing percussion here in the Band. I had to leave my family after the civil war and used to live in the streets of Beira. That’s how it started: I began playing music with a dancing group. Mango Sound from Beira is organizing the Crossing Borders festival. Label boss Andreas Scheibenreif is the interface between all the musicians. While we are rehearsing, people are also busy in the concert hall.
Wiring is done and the stage is being spruced up. Soon, a two-days festival will take place right here. With 13 bands, playing from reggae to hip hop. But the traditional groups are what we are really looking forward to. After all, it’s the music of Africa and Mozambique that brought us here. Between the rehearsals, Nito and me are checking out the Casa de Cultura. We are impressed by the buzzing atmosphere and we enjoy rehearsing with the Mozambiquan musicians and singers. And this is where Reggae from Austria meets Afro Jazz from Mozambique. The Casa de Cultura gives home to painters, art studios and a tailor. Production and selling are being done right here on the spot.
My name is Lydia Simango. I’m a radio presenter at Radio Mozambique. My father used to sing, my mother used to sing. Before going to bed we always had to pray and give thanks for the day and ask the Lord to protect us from all evil for the next day. My father used to have this ‘musical wagon’ at that time, so we listened to a lot of music. We listened to Roberto Carlos. In Mozambique the people listened a lot to Roberto Carlos. Julio Iglesias *sings* We used to sing all these songs. …that's not the ORF! oh yes, this IS the ORF Again I want to invite everybody to the Casa de Cultura tonight, there’s going to be lots of mus ic. Rare African music, big thing! We’ll start with a song from Zimbabwe, by Oliver Mtukudzi. We’re at the Casa de Cultura right now. We have been here every day since our arrival.
We had the rehearsals over there. And the very first concert is going to take place right here this evening. I think it’s going to be a big concert with a lot of people coming We did a lot of promotion, we had a radio interview, and we had a nationwide TV interview at TVM. After that I got recognized on the street. I guy came up to me and said ‘hey, I saw you on TV today!’. So, we are really looking forward to the concert. Start is at 7 pm, and I’m gonna go for a beer right now, cause it’s been a long day, and I’m very hot! My name is Alves Mazembe Ricardo.
I am the leader of the band. The band name is Dhakala Band, I’m playing bass. Dhakala means joy in our language. We sing about things of our every day social live. It’s natural sounds, here from the central region. We play typical rhythms we like. My name is Jose Francisco Jone. I was born on one of the districts of Sofala called Inhamimga Chengoma. There used to be no sound systems around here. So, we from the Sena tribe, where we used to live in colonial times, we were responsible for the entertainment on the weekends. And the instrument was the Valimba. We invited the people, built up a fence, they sold their stuff, and we did the entertainment, all night ‘till daylight. Different than the Timbila, we don’t have separate instruments. We have one single instrument, consisting of 26 tones. Within these 26 tones, you have solo, rhythm and bass. I am Killer Priest from the group ‘Battalion d’Intelligenzia’.
I’m doing rap since I am 17 years old and I’m living in Beira. I was born in the district of Sofala and I love Hip Hop. Hip Hop is my culture. Hip Hop is peace, Hip Hop is harmony. We write what we feel and we’re talking about reality. Finally we get to do the recordings. After lots of promotion works and the concerts we are on our way to the studio.
One aim for our project is to produce an album with musicians and singers from Mozambique. We’re all a little exhausted from the concerts, but the vibe is right. We are in front of the studio in Beira right now, which we have rented for some days. We want to record some songs with the musicians and singers that we played with at the Casa de Cultura. Yesterday we couldn’t get the studio running… … today we’re here again, today it’s going to work out fine! Working with musicians right here on the spot, that’s the reason we came here. Our project ‘Crossing Borders’ is here not only to cross, but also musical borders. Music is the basis of it all.
Here at the studio, Europe meets Africa, Austria meets Mozambique. In the end, we will record three songs here, in Beira. Together with the other songs recorded on tour, they are going to be released on an album. Again and again we are mesmerized by the African approach to music. The intonation, even the way to play the guitar or drum is so different.
Here, the music is much more lively and dynamic. It's almost everywhere… … just like a precious tool. Rasta Michael is the best example. He has brought the Mbira, a traditional African instrument. A magic moment for us all, when he starts to play on it. We’re leaving for Chimoio right now, having the ‘Manica leg’ of our tour. Just amazing situation. We’re hoping we’ll soon make it again to Beira. This time Beira was really nice! Beira? Beira is shithole, but a very likeable one. A little like Naples. – Naples?- Yeah. It’s also a seaport, fucked up, but still very likeable. We’re leaving to Chimoio. We’re going to play a Barraca gig there, and also a big concert. And we’re having a four hours drive in front of us in the sweltering heat, in a packed up car, I’m really looking forward… today in the morning, out of the shower and again completely sweaty, it’s wonderful.
Yeah, but I really like it! It’s been a great week. But we got half time, right? Now it’s to Chimoio! Departure to Chimoio via the Beira corridor. Trucks are chugging and filing on dusty roads full of potholes, making their way to Zimbabwe, relentlessly blowing their oily exhausts right into your face. In between, working in the midday sun: road construction squads. Most of the time supervised by a Chinese foreman with the typical broad-brimmed benjy.
China has replaced Europe as Africa’s biggest investor. Most important in the strive for resources: Wood to keep the Chinese economy rolling. Heading to the Campo Municipal right after our arrival in Chimoio. We are meeting the promoters of the concert to arrange the schedule. Where's the backstage? Right inside the goal… This ‚Women’s Day‘ – that is the ‘Day of the Mozambiquan Woman’ is one of the biggest holidays in Mozambique. For today, we're having a look around in the city. We are really enjoying Chimoio’s atmosphere. Live here in the hinterlands is much more relaxed. The climate is comfortably cool compared to the hot and dusty Beira from where we came. We’re buying our next day’s supplies at the market. Let's go for a beer here! That's the barraca I was looking for! Dinner, or what?! Suddenly a phone call, inviting us for an interview at Radio Gesom.
A good opportunity to promote our concert. We are really looking forward to the release of our friend Lolo. The organization Positivo Moçambique has worked with him for over ten years. It’s good to hear that Lolo is still active in the music business. I wish him all the best and that he will make it. I’m calling on the people of Chimoio to visit this great show. It’s going to be more than a concert, that’s why it is called ‘Crossing Borders’… Thank you! Today we visited the ‘palco’…. Palco means stage. It’s a stage on a truck, not very big. They were a little shocked as they saw it, but it’s big enough for us, no problem. This is our technical team over there, Cinho and Andi.
They really gave their best to make everything run. Chinho really did a great job, he also organized us the house here in Chimoio. The house was kindly given to us for 4 days by the mayor of Chimoio. We will set up a small studio and do some rehearsing for tomorrow. Maybe we will also record some new songs. And tomorrow is the big concert. Look here: cooking for ten people tonight. We bought some pottery today. Fogão, this is where you put the coal… African style. That’s the kitchen… … let’s go inside. That’s the studio Bom Dia. Dieter is already arranging things. Now we’re going to put all the seasoning. Our classy gang has grown together during the last week: we’re cooking together, eating together, making music… … and are always happy for surprise guests. Like these young schoolgirls, that suddenly join us at our house. Now we’re heading to the festival area. We will play with Mr. Bow, a Mozambiquan superstar. We packed all the instruments and are ready to rumble! We’re really looking forward. Let’s go! As we arrive, the Campo Municipal is already packed.
Women have free entry on today’s holiday. From early morning on, marchs are being held all over the city on the ‘Day of the Mozambiquan Woman’. It is dedicated to the politician Josina Machel, an icon of Mozambique’s struggle for independence. Right now we are at the municipal field in Chimoio. Here, there’s going to be live music on the 7th of April, the ‘Day of the Mozambiquan Woman’! There are going to play musicians from Mozambique and musicians from Austria. It’s going to be a big big party for the Mozambiquan women! In between we are about to learn an African lesson: patience. Things are not going the way they should do Alright, now something happened, there’s a big blackout. So, we must wait with the soundcheck until we got electricity again. And we’re at the soccer field at the moment, the weather is sizzling hot, it’s 1:30 pm. But we’re lucky, because we have some ice cold water. So, for now we’re going to wait, chill a little bit… … and continue as soon as the electricity is running again More than 3000 people are here to celebrate with us at night at the Campo Municipal.
A priceless moment for us all, as we are about to enter the stage. The last song for the night is a very important one to us. Especially for the tour, we rehearsed a song of the African superstar Oliver Mtukudzi. Performing this song on a stage – in the middle of Africa – is one of the tour’s most extraordinary moment for me. Final run of our Mozambique tour! After Beira and Chimoio in the north of the country, we are on our way to Inhambane in the south, the longest leg of our journey. While on the road, we’re recapping: There are two busy weeks behind us: We played concerts, gave interviews and made lots of new friends here in Mozambique. Still, there’s no time to take a rest. We’re heading to the Studio Bom Dia. Muele tres, that’s the district here in Inhambane. This is where the Studio Bom Dia is located. . Studio Bom Dia, that’s right behind us.
There’s a lot of musicians coming from Inhambane, of course. Other musicians are coming from Maputo and Johannesburg. The studio has a wonderful mixer from Austria. Dieter Herndl helped me getting it from Austria to Mozambique. I met some musicians here in Inhambane: Helio Vanimal, with whom I’m still cooperating today. Together with him and other guys like Pierre, Darren and Helen I founded an organization called ‘Positivo Moçambique’. Acoustic guitar! It’s not plugged in. Now it’s plugged in. We are doing a lot of HIV prevention: addressing problems in secondary schools, rectify misinformation. And all this is done through music. We spend the last days of our tour almost permanently in the studio, trying to record as much as possible for our album. Four more songs are done here, at the Studio Bom Dia. Hi lovely people. I’m Delta. And I’m here to record a song with the Banda Bom Dia. That’s all! Second recording day here at the Studio Bom Dia, with Nito, Nazir, Big Boss. Luis 19 was here yesterday.
I am Luis 19, also known as Big Boss. That’s how all my friends are calling me. The project is awesome! Everything sounds really great. It’s fun! Studio is packed every day, and we’re having a good time! Good sound! Last day in Mozambique. We’re meeting one last final time before our departure and are recapping the time here. They say, clocks are going differently here in Africa, and we know what that means: We’ve been here for four weeks and toured half of the country – to us it seems like only four days. Our head is full of memories: Melodies we played on different locations are resounding, our thoughts are with the friends we made here on tour.
“Wise be the traveller, who lets his heart stay at home”, says an African proverb. We left our hearts here – in Mozambique….
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