09-03-2004, 03:23 AM
Here is what was written about the album in this week's SA Rock Digest 
Texas-based Kurt Shoemaker gives his unique views on SA music.
´MANGO GROOVE´ - MANGO GROOVE
Thirteen songs, including two remixes, eight of these songs are on the
recent ´Best of Mango Groove´ of twenty songs. So unless you are a
completist needing all of Mango Groove´s songs, and with Mango Groove
that´s not a bad way to be, consider this 1988 album superseded by the 2000
´Best of´ CD, which also has a thick booklet of liner notes.
But if your only Mango Groove CD is this self-titled one, then you´ve got
some strong music in hits like ´Hellfire´, ´Love Is´, ´Special Star´,
´Pennywhistle´ (the Claire rest song), ´Two Hearts´, (draw a breath to
continue), and the mind-lodging, body-dancing charmer, ´Dance Sum More´. If
you know the music of Mango Groove, you can probably summon up these
melodies and rhythms at will.
If not familiar with the Afropop music of Mango Groove, they are a mix of
Western music (Western Civ, not cowboy) and African styles. Mango Groove is
the lovely Claire Johnston on lead vocals, and, on horns, guitars,
keyboards, and backing vocals: Siphu Bhengu, Beulah Hashe, Banza Kgasoane,
Alan Lazar, George Lewis, John Leyden, Mduduzi Magwaza, Marilyn Nokwe,
Phumzile Ntuli, and Gavin Stevens--Lordy, people make beautiful music when
they play together without fighting, don´t they?
It´s a big sound, with Claire singing with sweet and clear phrasing. Then
there are the remixes of ´Dance Sum More´ and ´Hellfire´ jazzed up with
punchier beats floated in and some fills and decorations added, closing the
CD with two bursts of cheery dancing.
The band was in hot form when they recorded these and others during the
months of June to December in 1988. They made an album so hot that almost
half of their greatest hits are drawn from it. With three other CDs, they
have also released a DVD titled ´The Ultimate Collection´ - an encouraging
title to a completist.
When I feel good, Mango Groove makes me feel better. It´s bright, it´s
mostly upbeat and up-tempo, with a few slower, closer numbers. ´Mango
Groove´ by Mango Groove is brassy, rollicking, and exuberant dance music to
go out dancing to with the one you love, then to go happily home and dance
some more....
READ: http://www.rock.co.za/files/mango_groove_index.html
BUY: http://www.oneworld.co.za/index.cfm?bec=...hfor=mango
Kurt Shoemaker, Blanco, Texas
mailto:kurt@sarockdigest.com
Texas-based Kurt Shoemaker gives his unique views on SA music.
´MANGO GROOVE´ - MANGO GROOVE
Thirteen songs, including two remixes, eight of these songs are on the
recent ´Best of Mango Groove´ of twenty songs. So unless you are a
completist needing all of Mango Groove´s songs, and with Mango Groove
that´s not a bad way to be, consider this 1988 album superseded by the 2000
´Best of´ CD, which also has a thick booklet of liner notes.
But if your only Mango Groove CD is this self-titled one, then you´ve got
some strong music in hits like ´Hellfire´, ´Love Is´, ´Special Star´,
´Pennywhistle´ (the Claire rest song), ´Two Hearts´, (draw a breath to
continue), and the mind-lodging, body-dancing charmer, ´Dance Sum More´. If
you know the music of Mango Groove, you can probably summon up these
melodies and rhythms at will.
If not familiar with the Afropop music of Mango Groove, they are a mix of
Western music (Western Civ, not cowboy) and African styles. Mango Groove is
the lovely Claire Johnston on lead vocals, and, on horns, guitars,
keyboards, and backing vocals: Siphu Bhengu, Beulah Hashe, Banza Kgasoane,
Alan Lazar, George Lewis, John Leyden, Mduduzi Magwaza, Marilyn Nokwe,
Phumzile Ntuli, and Gavin Stevens--Lordy, people make beautiful music when
they play together without fighting, don´t they?
It´s a big sound, with Claire singing with sweet and clear phrasing. Then
there are the remixes of ´Dance Sum More´ and ´Hellfire´ jazzed up with
punchier beats floated in and some fills and decorations added, closing the
CD with two bursts of cheery dancing.
The band was in hot form when they recorded these and others during the
months of June to December in 1988. They made an album so hot that almost
half of their greatest hits are drawn from it. With three other CDs, they
have also released a DVD titled ´The Ultimate Collection´ - an encouraging
title to a completist.
When I feel good, Mango Groove makes me feel better. It´s bright, it´s
mostly upbeat and up-tempo, with a few slower, closer numbers. ´Mango
Groove´ by Mango Groove is brassy, rollicking, and exuberant dance music to
go out dancing to with the one you love, then to go happily home and dance
some more....
READ: http://www.rock.co.za/files/mango_groove_index.html
BUY: http://www.oneworld.co.za/index.cfm?bec=...hfor=mango
Kurt Shoemaker, Blanco, Texas
mailto:kurt@sarockdigest.com