September 7, 2011 By Minda Magero
My sister introduced me to the beauty of the South African band, Freshlyground. Already being a lover of the traditional South African sound, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Freshlyground’s music. When I finally got a chance to listen to the blend of afropop, jazz, indie rock and traditional South African music, I was in music heaven.
The band is comprised of 7 members, 5 of whom hail from South Africa. Julio, the guitarist, is from Mozambique and Simon, the flautist (who also plays other instruments), is from Zimbabwe. The band’s makeup crosses racial, cultural and age boundaries and appeals to a wide variety of fans inside and outside the African continent.
Because of their diverse backgrounds, each band member brings a rich contribution to the music they write and perform. Their music is earthy, authentic and organic—the reason their fans love them so much. Not only do they sing love songs, their songs also make social commentary on African issues.
This past summer I had the privilege of seeing Freshlyground live in concert. They brought an infectious and irresistible energy to their set as they invited the audience to get on their feet, sing along and dance with them to a selection of songs from their four albums. Even though I didn’t get up to dance until the end, it was one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had at a concert.
Following are some of their more popular songs; music speaks for itself
Pot Belly
Doo Be Doo
Picture: by Jamati
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