Johnny Clegg with Savuka & Juluka - Live! and More...

Starring:Johnny Clegg & Savuka, Juluka
Studio: Eagle Vision USA
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Though still relatively unknown in America, South African musician Johnny Clegg has been a significant presence in Europe and Africa for several decades--and deservedly so, as the comprehensive, entertaining Johnny Clegg with Savuka & Jaluka: Live! and More... makes clear. Clegg was born in England but has lived in Africa since infancy, and his commingling of those two cultures began in earnest in the '70s, when he formed Juluka, whose interracial lineup (Clegg himself is white) and politically charged songs made for a heady, controversial brew at a time when apartheid was still the rule. Those days are recalled here via concert footage and early videos (including "Scatterlings of Africa," probably their best-known tune), but much of the DVD is devoted to live and video footage of Savuka, Clegg's next band (which included newcomers as well as Juluka veterans), which he formed in '86 and is still going strong. Many songs are devoted to Africa's various plights, but lyrical content notwithstanding, this music--with its nimble bass lines, West African guitar styles (played by Clegg himself; he's also a superb dancer), and combination of infectious Western pop melodies and traditional Zulu sounds--is downright irresistible. It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration to call Clegg the "African Elvis," a musician who adapted black music and made it available to a broad commercial audience. Best of all, Live! and More... will make you smile. --Sam Graham
Description
Artist Johnny Clegg merged the white, English-speaking culture with the Black, African culture of South Africa to form South Africa's first interracial band Juluka. In the days of apartheid, Juluka encountered their share of problems, including the banning of their first album by the South African government. After this group disbanded in the mid-80's, Clegg formed another band, Savuka, which blended European pop with African music. Savuka toured North America, opening for Steve Winwood and George Michael, as well as garnering a Grammy nomination in the Best World Music Category.

Track Listing:
Savuka - Live In Paris
1. Umfazi Omdala
2. Cruel Crazy Beautiful World
3. Take My Heart Away
4. Jericho
5. It's An Illusion
6. Hambile/The Dance
7. Scatterlings of Africa
8. Warsaw 1943
9. Siyayilanda
10. Dela
11. Asimbonanga
12. One Man One Vote
13. I Call Your Name - Dance

Amazon.com

Though still relatively unknown in America, South African musician Johnny Clegg has been a significant presence in Europe and Africa for several decades--and deservedly so, as the comprehensive, entertaining Johnny Clegg with Savuka & Jaluka: Live! and More... makes clear. Clegg was born in England but has lived in Africa since infancy, and his commingling of those two cultures began in earnest in the '70s, when he formed Juluka, whose interracial lineup (Clegg himself is white) and politically charged songs made for a heady, controversial brew at a time when apartheid was still the rule. Those days are recalled here via concert footage and early videos (including "Scatterlings of Africa," probably their best-known tune), but much of the DVD is devoted to live and video footage of Savuka, Clegg's next band (which included newcomers as well as Juluka veterans), which he formed in '86 and is still going strong. Many songs are devoted to Africa's various plights, but lyrical content notwithstanding, this music--with its nimble bass lines, West African guitar styles (played by Clegg himself; he's also a superb dancer), and combination of infectious Western pop melodies and traditional Zulu sounds--is downright irresistible. It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration to call Clegg the "African Elvis," a musician who adapted black music and made it available to a broad commercial audience. Best of all, Live! and More... will make you smile. --Sam Graham

Description

Artist Johnny Clegg merged the white, English-speaking culture with the Black, African culture of South Africa to form South Africa's first interracial band Juluka. In the days of apartheid, Juluka encountered their share of problems, including the banning of their first album by the South African government. After this group disbanded in the mid-80's, Clegg formed another band, Savuka, which blended European pop with African music. Savuka toured North America, opening for Steve Winwood and George Michael, as well as garnering a Grammy nomination in the Best World Music Category.

9 Savuka Videos
4 Juluka Videos
Juluka - Live in Cape Town (2 Tracks)

Customer Reviews:

A portal to Africa.......2006-06-01

I lived in Africa from 1983 through 1999. I despair sometimes of showing Africa to someone who has never been there, but with this DVD I think I have finally found a portal to Africa for many people who think only of game parks and famines. Buy this DVD and ENJOY!

Ok - now for a review from a South African who grew up with zulu music!.......2006-04-14

Only 4 stars bc. of the imperfect audio/video production. Nevertheless, an awesome dvd - esp. the live Paris concert. What is it about the French that make them so appreciative of all African music?!

Johnny Clegg is a Zulu soul in an Englishman's body - plain and simple. This dvd captures the sincerity, modesty, compassion and inspirational energy of this icon of trans-apartheid fusion. When white folk were talking and complaining about the injustices of apartheid, Clegg was learning to speak Zulu, make music and dance the soul of the Zulu people. His music captures the triumph of joy over suffering that characterizes this people - the ability to see the spark of sunshine in the greyest of days.

The bonus videos have been criticized for being amateurish. I personally think they are wonderful, but then I am a person who can't stand the over-produced slick MTV videos you see these days. The Nelson Mandela moment wil touch your soul.

Totally Awesome!!.......2005-09-20

If you are new to the Johnny Clegg experience, this is the next best thing to actually seeing the magic of the man and his music in person! The DVD includes a good many of his hits, plus some outstanding dancing. Each band member oozes personality, you will feel like you know each one personally at the end of the DVD. There is an outstanding synchronization and tightness to this band that shows what can happen when you put the right musicians and music together. I cannot even begin to put words together to say how wonderful this DVD is..this is a "must have" that no Clegg fan should pass up.

Really good if it works on your DVD player.......2005-08-14

Johnny Clegg & Savuka are an amazing band with an amazing history. Their songs are actively political without being obnoxious and preachy, and unlike a lot of political groups they can deftly shift content from politics to romance (sometimes within the same song-"Woman be my country 'til my country can be mine"). The band's one studio weakness is that they sometimes (in this reviewer's opinion) get a bit too chirpy and bubblegummy. That is not a problem on this DVD, because live, these songs are explosive and energetic.

With the full band plus a couple of backing musicians, by the looks of it, the live show in Paris that is the centerpiece of this DVD is a fantastic spectacle. While it's only 13 songs, they are all masterfully executed. The band is technically flawless and full of life onstage, with terrific dance steps to go along with the music, and the band's brilliant fusion of Western pop and African musical traditions has never sounded better. The show climaxes with a stirring rendition of "Asimbonanga" and a charged, fist-pumping rendition of "One (Hu)Man One Vote."

This concert predates "Heat Dust and Dreams" so none of that album's songs are in the set list (that's OK, because "Cruel Crazy Beautiful World" was their best album anyway). The DVD however, is somewhat more recent, so as a side treat this thing is loaded with a number of music videos, most from "Heat Dust and Dreams." (If you're like me, you won't really watch much of these, because the live material is much more engaging.) There are also a number of bonus live gems, such as a wonderfully grainy recording of Clegg's old band Juluka doing an electrictrifying drum-and-dance routine before a packed soccer stadium in the late '70s, and another live take of "Asimbonanga" (this time from the late 1990s) featuring and appearance by none other than the song's subject himself-Nelson Mandela.

My only complaint is that the two copies of this DVD I have encountered have both had skipping problems on certain DVD players. Hopefully this won't happen to you, and this content is worth the risk.

Johnny Clegg - the greatest musician ever. Period........2005-02-03

Johnny has touched my life in so many ways. I use his music to inspire me, to inspire others, to help me get through things - from life to marathons and beyond. I aim one day to meet the great man and watch him live in concert. He is truly brilliant in everything he does - from his lyrics, to his rhythm, to dance, to his beats, his energy, and just the feeling that he conveys through his music so fluidly and so powerfully. To me, he is the epitome of what every musician should be. Johnny Clegg is music. He is energy. He is so much, and he is a South African. Ngibonga kakhulu Johnny!

Average customer rating:

Live & More With Savuka & Juluka
Starring: Johnny Clegg
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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