July 2014

Today we are celebrating greatness, it’s Nelson Mandela International Day – Nelson Mandela would have been 96 years old today.

The UN General Assembly unanimously approved this day back in 2009. It was created as a way to honour Mandela and inspire others to carry on his efforts to “take responsibility for making the world a better place, one small step at a time,”.

In Johannesburg people are marking today with charitable acts in honor of the former president. Organizers have urged people to perform acts of charity for 67 minutes, symbolizing Mandela’s 67 years of public service. People are picking up litter, cooking at homes for the elderly and donating food, blankets and other basics to the poor.

Mandela died at 95 years of age on December 5, 2013, so this is the first time the day has been celebrated without Mandela. He was respected around the world for fighting minority rule in South Africa. After spending 27 years in prison he was released in 1990 by Mr De Klerk, South Africa’s last white ruler. He then went on to become the country’s first black president in 1994, a position he held until he stepped down in 1999.

USA today have a great timeline of Nelson Mandela’s life.

In honour of Mandela’s birthday we have put together a musical tribute.

Eric Bibb – Mandela is free

Eric Bibb is an American-born acoustic blues singer-songwriter. He moved to Europe in 1970 and currently lives in Helsinki, Finland. Eric is a great guitar player and has a rich and soulful voice. His tribute to Mandela is soulful and inspiring. “Courage and Vision cannot be in prison”.

Hugh Masekela Bring Back Nelson Mandela

Hugh Ramopolo Masekela is a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, and singer. In 1987, this was a huge hit for Hugh Masekela, it became an anthem for the movement to free Nelson Mandela. At that time, the mere mention of the name ‘Mandela’ meant the song would be banned in his home country.

Hugh continues Mandela’s great work and is involved in several social initiatives. He serves as a director on the board of The Lunchbox Fund, a non-profit organization that provides a daily meal to students of township schools in Soweto.

Jive Soweto (El Rey David) Sipho Mabuse

Mandela loved music and dance and used it to unite people. South African music mpaqanda music (soul stew, zulu jive) is one of the most joyful in the world. It’s a testimony to the enduring nature of the human spirit that the most joyful music should come out of a country that has been beset with hatred, injustice & prejudice.

African Hymn – Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Choir, ZA

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) choir has 55 members made up of students and alumni, all from different walks of life. Since its inception in 1994 the choir has gained a reputation for its unique ability to successfully interpret both Western and African repertoire. 

Freshlyground – Doo Be Doo

Freshlyground is a South African Afro-fusion band, formed in Cape Town in 2002. The band members come from South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Their musical style is a harmony of traditional South African music (such as kwela and African folk music) with blues, jazz and a bit of indie rock. Doo Be Doo comes from their very successful album Nomvula, released in 2004.
The initial success of the album was largely due to the feel-good ‘Doo Be Doo’, which enjoyed significant play on local radio.

The Specials – Nelson Mandela

Jerry Dammers: how I made Free Nelson Mandela: “The song said what I wanted it to say very clearly. At the time, there was a huge amount of opposition and propaganda directed against Mandela. Margaret Thatcher had described his party, the African National Congress, as a “terrorist organisation”. But in the days just after punk, record companies would never have refused to release something on the grounds it might be controversial. At the time, there were these two enormously influential record pluggers called Ferret’n’Spanner. They were big Specials fans and pushed the track at radio stations. If they hadn’t liked it, I don’t know if it would have been played on Radio 1……The concert at Wembley to celebrate his freedom was amazing. He went from being in prison to being mobbed. When he came on stage, the standing ovation lasted 10 minutes.”

Read the full interview with Jerry Dammers in the Guardian.

Miriam Makeba – Pata Pata

This beautiful track was written by fellow southern African artist Dorothy Masuka and first released by Miriam Makeba in 1957 when she still lived in South Africa. It was released in the US in 1967 on her studio album of the same name, it peaked at Nº12 on Billboard. The song was originally written and sung in the Xhosa language – the song’s title means “touch touch” in English.

Under African Skies – Paul Simon

Taken from Paul Simon’s 7th studio album, Graceland, which won the 1987 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Paul Simon uses a galloping 4/4 time signature to tell the story of two musicians and how their earliest memories shaped themselves into the music they create. “Under African Skies,” is also a documentary by filmmaker Joe Berlinger made for the 25th anniversary of the Graceland album.

So happy birthday, Madiba. We will hold on to your memory, and try to live up to your legacy. Thank you!

Google have put together a wonderful doodle with lots of Mandela’s inspiring quotations: “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion.”

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Nile Rodgers, co-founder of 1970’s disco-funk-soul band, Le Chic, has worked and collaborated with some of the most talented artist of the past and current generations, and has established a name for himself by producing a myriad of hit songs for the likes of Sister Sledge, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Madonna, Duran Duran, and Daft Punk.

Take a brief look into the long history of timeless music, written and produced by the incredible hit-making genius, Nile Rodgers.

Le Chic – “Good Times” (1979)

Le Chic, formed by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, released many hit songs, including: “Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah) (1977), “Everybody Dance” (1977), and “Le Freak” (1978). “Good Times” (1979) was the lead track on Le Chic’s 1979 album Risqué, and was regarded as one of the most influential songs of the era. It has since become one of the most sampled tracks in the history of music.

Perhaps you’ll recognise musical influences, similarities, or samples, in Queen’s timeless tune “Another One Bites The Dust” (1980), The Sugarhill Gang’s famous “Rapper’s Delight” (1979), Daft Punk’s base-heavy electronic track “Around The World” (1997), and Blondie’s hit single “Rapture” (1980).

“Good Times” reached Nº1 on Billboard’s R&B singles for 1979 and is ranked at Nº229 on Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Sister Sledge – “We Are Family” (1979)

Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards co-composed and produced Sister Sledge’s 1979 album “We Are Family”, which bore 3 massive hits – “He’s The Greatest Dancer”, “Lost In Music” (a disco classic) and “We Are Family”. The song in question went to Nº1 on the US R&B and Disco Charts in 1979, peaked at Nº2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and  was certified Gold.

Diana Ross – “I’m Coming Out” (1980)

“I’m Coming Out” was co-written and produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, for Diana Ross’ comeback Platinum-certified album “Diana” (1980). The track became the legendary Motown singer’s second hit single. Partly written with Ross’s gay fan-base in mind, the lyrics held another meaning for Ross as she was in the process of leaving Motown Records at the time. The song peaked at Nº5 on the US Charts and has been pinpointed as an unofficial gay pride anthem.

INXS – “Original Sin” (1983)

“Original Sin” was written by Michael Hutchence (keyboard) and Andrew Farriss (vocals) and produced by Nile Rodgers. The track features on INXS’ fourth album “The Swing” (1983). In 1984, the song reached Nº1 in Australia and became an international hit.

David Bowie – “Let’s Dance” (1983)

David Bowie hired Nile Rodgers to work on his 1983 album “Let’s Dance” after meeting him in a nightclub and talking to him about music. The collaboration was successful amongst a younger audience and resulted in the broadening of Bowie’s fan-base. The track became Bowie’s best-selling single reaching Nº1 in the UK, US and in many other countries around the world. Due to the success of Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” album, the British singer-songwriter attempted to cater to his new fans, not knowing who they were or what they wanted, and consequently suffered creatively in his next two albums.

Madonna – “Like A Virgin” (1984)

“Like A Virgin”, written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly and produced by Nile Rodgers, was the key instrument in shaping Madonna’s new image as a pop culture icon, and the trigger to setting her long-lasting career in stone. Rodgers altered her previously synthesized sound by using the same live musicians as the ones he used in his Chic albums. The song became Madonna’s first Nº1 single on Billboard Hot 100, topped the charts in several countries across the world, and sold over twenty million records. Madonna’s invincible, sexually unashamed and confident persona had a huge influence on the younger generation at the time.

Duran Duran – “The Reflex” (1984)

The success of Duran Duran’s biggest selling hit “The Reflex” had a lot to do with Nile Rodgers experimental use of sampling and funk. Despite “The Reflex” being their eleventh single, it was their second and final one to top the UK’s Singles Chart at Nº1. The track also became Duran Duran’s first single to hit Nº1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Rodgers went on to produce their “The Wild Boys” single, their 1986 album “Notorious” and numerous tracks on their 2004 album “Astronaut”.

Sister Sledge – “Frankie” (1985)

Written by Denise Rich and produced by Nile Rodgers, the single was released on Sister Sledge’s 1985 album “When The Boys Meet The Girls”. The sisters suggested the song to Rodgers, who refused to produce it upon hearing it, claiming he hated it. After singing it over and over again for a week, Rodgers went back to them, insisting they record it.

The single became a hit, reaching Nº1 on the UK Singles Chart and dominating for four consecutive weeks. On Sister Sledge’s side of the world, the single didn’t do as well. It was ranked at Nº75 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and at Nº32 on the Billboard R&B Chart.

Grace Jones – “I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Perfect For You) (1986)

“I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Perfect For You)” was released as the first single on Grace Jones’ eighth studio album “Inside Story” (1986). The song, co-written by Bruce Woolley and produced by Rodgers, became Jones’s biggest-selling hit and was her last to enter the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The song is recognised for its exceptional vocal performance and complimentary classic guitar riff. The music video features cameo appearances from Jones’ friends, including Andy Warhol (only a few months before his death), Nile Rodgers himself and fashion designer Tina Chow.

Daft Punk – “Get Lucky”

Co-written by French house music duo Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers, “Get Lucky” was the lead single from Daft Punk’s fourth studio album “Random Access Memories” (2013). The disco-funk song reached the top 10 on the music charts of over 32 countries and has since sold in excess of 9.3 million copies. “Get Lucky” was the song that received the most amount of streams in one single day since the birth of Spotify and won Grammy Awards for Record of The Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

Grab the entire playlist here.

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