Le Zulu Blanc
“…It’s a cruel, crazy, beautiful world…” according to the legendary singer, songwriter, dancer, anthropologist, lecturer and musical activist who, when in France, is referred to as le Zulu Blanc (the White Zulu). He has won countless international and South African awards for both music and humanitarianism and has performed at all four of Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Aids Awareness Concerts in South Africa and in Norway. A man amongst men, an inspiration to a nation, a South African icon.
Not bad for a guy born in Bacup, near Rochdale, England.
Johnny Clegg is musically most famous for blending together English lyrics and Western sounds with Zulu musical rhythms and traditional African melodies, the result of which, has given rise to a string of hits including: The Crossing (written for Dudu Ndlovu, his Zulu dance partner in Savuka), I Call Your Name, Scatterlings of Africa, African Sky Blue, Take My Heart Away, African Shadow Man, December African Rain, Kilimanjaro, Fever, Cruel Crazy Beautiful World and many more.
The great Nelson Mandela has even joined Johnny on stage during the performing of his song “Asimbonanga”, written about Mandela (and other struggle heroes) during his time of incarceration. An emotionally rousing event I would have given an eyebrow to witness.
Brooke Urbani (Account Manager for Elegant Entertainment SA) had the pleasure of meeting Johnny Clegg in suburban Johannesburg a short while ago whilst attending a mini concert of the uniquely talented and rising star, Jesse Clegg (Johnny’s son).
It was there at Tanz Café that Johnny cunningly spotted Brooke’s West Yorkshire twang and affectionately discussed with her, as only two English born Northerners can, the significance of the Pennines and on which side the ‘grass is greener’.
It was only a short while later that Elegant Entertainment would again cross paths with Mr. Clegg senior, at a private birthday party at The Grand Café Bar, opposite the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, where both Johnny and the ‘Elegant’ singers performed for the guests in their own distinctive ways. All those attending enjoyed, amongst other things, a night of European and African culture blended together through music.
So like Johnny Clegg, Elegant Entertainment has arrived in the Rainbow Nation, all the way from the currently very cold shores of England, to enjoy the sunny ‘African Sky Blue’.
