The last time we featured Tsonga Disco a few weeks' back it was Prince Rhangani, younger brother of the mighty Joe Shirimani. Today we feature the Tsonga Svengali himself, with one of the two albums that he released under his own name last year (the first - "Banana" - we featured back in January).
This album is called "Nyimpi Ya Nghena" and it is credited to Joe Shirimani and Bangoni Bandawu. To be completely honest I am not sure whether Bangoni Bandawu is a man or a group. The sleeve notes say Bangoni (if it is a "he") handles lead vocals, but according to the Sheer Sounds website they are a group and the lead vocals are a combination of Joe's current protege Benny Mayengani and Marhoya Chauke (yet another Chauke to add to the list), and possibly Prince Rhangani as well. Both sources agree that DJ Mkon'wana is involved somewhere. I think on the whole I'll trust Sheer Sounds - they did put the record out after all. One thing that is completely indisputable is that - as usual - Joe writes, produces and plays half the instruments.
Most of the album is the usual top quality Tsonga Disco that you associate with Joe but, rather like Penny Penny with his "Tsonga Jazz" album last year, Joe is experimenting a bit with other styles. "Sabelo Sami" has a nice jazzy feel, with some nifty guitar work from Prince Rhangani. But the weird one is "Baai Baai" which is an apparently sincere attempt at tackling boeremusiek, the folk music of the Afrikaners, with its mainly Afrikaans lyrics and prominent use of the squeeze-box. Here they both are, along with one of his "normal" numbers.
"Mbhambhazi" - Joe Shirimani & Bangoni Bandawu
"Sabelo Sami" - Joe Shirimani & Bangoni Bandawu
"Baai Baai" - Joe Shirimani & Bangoni Bandawu
Here is some more boeremusiek - Valiant Swart & Ollie Viljoen, who we have featured here many times before.
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