Artist:Johnny Clegg & Savuka
Song:Siyayilanda
Album:The Best of Johnny Clegg & Savuka: In My African Dream
Johnny Clegg was an important figure in South African as his group Juluka was a mixed race group while apartheid was still in effect. After they became an international sensation, Juluka co-founder Sipho Mchunu retired and Clegg formed Savuka in 1986. That band wasn't as successful but their music is still worth checking out. The co-leader of Savuka was dancer, percussionist and singer Dudu Zulu. He was also in Juluka. So were guitarist Andy Innes and drummer Derek de Beer. They signed with Capitol Records. Juluka were on Warner Bros. I don't know why Clegg chose to start a new band on a different label. I presume it was out of respect to Mchunu. Strategically Clegg should have kept the Juluka name and remained on Warners. But Savuka did OK. They toured internationally and the Savuka albums were popular in Europe. Siyayilanda is from the 1988 album Shadow Man. This was Savuka's second album on Capitol. After Dudu Zulu was murdered in 1992 while trying to mediate a taxi war, Clegg disbanded Savuka. This comp is available on CD. Of course Savuka's music is similar to Juluka so fans should enjoy both. But they are on different labels and that can be confusing. Clegg has continued to record and tour solo. He reformed Juluka to record and tour in 1996. Due to health problems, Clegg hasn't recorded or toured since 2017. But he did publish a memoir last year. Here's Johnny Clegg & Savuka performing Siyayilanda at the Zenith in Paris.
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