By
Kalamu ya Salaam of Kalamu.com
Sunday, May 26,
2013.
This is contemporary music from South
Africa. Yeah, I know that it mostly does not sound like stereotypical “African”
music. The artist is South African born, bred, educated (a 2000 college
Performer’s Diploma in Opera). In South Africa she is considered a major
jazz vocalist.
When I first heard her, before I
knew anything about her, I thought “art music,” primarily because the lyrics
were highly literate and the music covered a wide range of harmonies and
tonalities even as it sounded college radio friendly. Her debut album, Zillion Miles, is featured on
the end of the Mixtape as are two, number-one singles.
Both “Peaceful Moment,” a
smooth jazz oriented composition with guitarist Jimmy Dludlu, - and “Which Way To Go,” with Electronic
Dj’s Iridium Project - went to number one on South African radio stations. She
has both the intelligence and the chops to do a very wide range of music. My
favorite recording I’ve heard is not even her album; she is the featured
vocalist on Live In Varanger
by the Norwegian band Inkala and supported by The Festival Choir.
Ms Scholtz has two recent albums
out, Connected and Standards, and I have not
been able to get either one through my usual sources, including a couple of
South African online sources. Despite most of her recorded music being
unavailable to most of us, I’m featuring her anyway because I think what she is
doing is both interesting and important.
From Inkala’s quasi New Orleans
trad line-up with tuba, trombone and clarinet along with trumpet, piano, and
drums backed by a wonderfully conducted, multi-voiced choir, to the
electro-modern dance selection “Which
Way To Go” Melanie Scholtz covers a lot of ground with nary a
misstep. It’s easy to hear why she is a feted vocalist in South Africa, the
winner of numerous awards, as well as a favorite on the European festival
circuit.
I was really, really struck by
both the sincerity and expertise of Melanie Scholtz’s concert music with
Inkala. From the sublime interpretation of Abdullah Ibrahim’s magnificent
melody “The Wedding”
to the Louis Armstrong associated chestnut “Wonderful World,” I’m crazy about the way
this project was both orchestrated and the passion the players bring to their
various contributions in both ensemble and in solo.
We hear a lot of talk about
“world music,” about mixing and matching diverse influences, for me this live
album reveals the possibilities inherent in a gumbo approach to cultural
development. Unlike a soup, the gumbo has a specific base called the “roux,”
which gives the distinctive flavor regardless of the combinations of other
ingredients. In this case the rue was jazz and South African music. It’s a
tasty treat. Give a listen; I’m sure you will agree.
Here is a clip from Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQQ43kBZdSk
Melanie Scholtz Mixtape Playlist

Live In Varanger
01 “Connected”
02 “Yakhal’inkomo”
03 “The Wedding”
04 “Interlude”
05 “My Heart Always Wanders”
06 “What A Wonderful World”

Zillion Miles
07 “Everything You Need”
08 “Zillion Miles”
09 “This Can’t Be Love (reprise)”
10 “Another Day”

11 “Which Way To Go” – Iridium Project featuring Melanie Scholtz

12 “Peaceful Moment” - Melanie Scholtz and Jimmy Dludlu
Kalamu ya Salaam is a New Orleans writer and filmmaker. He is also the founder of Nommo Literary Society - a Black writers workshop.
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