IVAN MAZUZE
Oslo, Oslo County, Norway | MAJOR
Music
Press
Mozambican saxophonist Ivan Mazuze is joined by singer Manou Gallo, Ivory Coast, pianist Omar Sosa (Cuba) and percussionist Sidiki Camara (Mali). - Songlines
I södra Mozambique förekommer språket Xichangana. Ndzuti är ordet för Skugga på detta urgamla språk. Det är även titeln på Mozambique-födde Ivan Mazuze:s 2:a album under eget namn, som denna gång är inspelat i Norge.
Det är laid-back Jazz med gôtt groove där jag ibland kan ana visst släktskap med Sydafrikanska band som Breakfast Included. Här finns även drag av västafrikansk sång- & slagverkstradition, mycket p g a sångerskan Manou Gallo från Elfenbenskusten & Malinesiske slagverkaren Sidiki Camara. Ju längre in på plattan jag kommer desto mer Latino-sväng tycker jag det blir, kan ha med Cubanske pianisten Omar Sosa:s medverkan att göra. På starkaste spåret 'Ritmo de la vida', där skönsjungande norskan Hanne Tveter medverkar, infinner sej lätt sambakänsla.
Ivan Mazuze:s Ndzuti är billigaste sättet att få en doft av sol, saltstänktvind & sand mellan tårna. Sätt dej nära högtalarna, där är skuggan som skönast... - Recension
Auf dem norwegischen Label des Etnisk Musikklubb erschienen in der Vergangenheit immer wieder interessante CDs von Musikern aus Afrika. Jüngstes Produkt ist die CD "Ndzuti" des mozambikanischen Saxofonisten Ivan Mazuze. Der Musiker hat sein Debütalbum 2009 in Südafrika aufgenommen, bevor er 2011 in Norwegen zu arbeiten begann. Sein Stil ist multikulturell und genreübergreifend. Afrikanische Wurzeln sind ebenso wegweisend, wie sein Hang zum Pop-Jazz. Sein Umgang mit dem Sopransaxofon erinnert an den von Brandford Marsalis. Doch während Marsalis dem experimentellen Jazz zugeneigt ist, bleibt bei Mazuze Afropop deutlich im Vordergrund. Für Jazzpuristen sicher kein Highlight, für Liebhaber von Jazz und Weltmusik aber ein Leckerbissen der besonderen Art. Mit Omar Sosa und Manou Gallo holt er sich überdies ein paar Spitzenkräfte der internationalen Jazzszene ins Boot. Doch auch ohne deren Hilfe ist dieses Album ein sehr freundlicher Blick auf das moderne Afrika und auf den afrikanischen Jazz.
© Karsten Rube - Germany - FOLK/ WORLD REVIEWS - Germany
Saksofonisten Ivan Mazuze har bakgrunnen sin i Mosambik. Det svinger rytmisk og tempofylt i en rekke pirrende spor på det nye albumet «Ndzuti».
Når jeg i tittelen har brukt begrepet «latino», er det mest for å gi en lettoppfattelig introduksjon. For Mazuze har ikke reist til Latin-Amerika for å lage musikk, slik jeg forstår. Tonene er sugd ut av tradisjoner i det sørlige og vestlige Afrika. Og er det ikke egentlig slik at det er der musikkens vugge er?
Bandet til Mazuze er internasjonalt sammensatt. Det kan nesten høres ut som det har vært med å gi uttrykket ekstra temperatur. I enkelte av de elleve låtene er trøkket helt enormt.
«Ndzuti» går under kategorien jazz. Men begrepet er like vidt som definisjonen av det. Å si at noe svinger, blir lett en klisjé. Med det vinger i sannhet.
Både melodiene og tilretteleggingen av dem er publikumsvennlig og inkluderende. Like usært som utfordrende. Rett og slett et kjempealbum!
Av: Per Ivar Henriksbø, Norway - GD.no - Norway
Mozambique's Ivan Mazuze is a saxophonist and composer with an academic expertise in ethnomusicology and jazzy performance side that shines throughout his latest release, Ndzuti, which means "shadow" in the ancient language of Xichangana in southern Mozambique. Ivan's jazzy repertoire contains a little Congolese and Cape Verde guitar work, Afro-Jazz leanings, and Norwegian heritage on the piano. Manou Gallo, from Ivory Coast, offers her singing talents, alongside Mali's Sidiki Camara on percussion and Cuba's Omar Sosa on piano. The light melodies, jazzy grooves, and African ambiance is plentiful and spirited. Fans of world jazz, Mozambique music, Afro-Jazz, Afro-Cuban music, and instrumental delights will find happiness in the sounds and vibes of Ivan Mazuze and his group ~ Matthew Forss - Inside World Music - USA
Before wrapping it up for the summer, Music Information Centre Norway has put together a selection of some of the key Norwegian releases in June and July. We’ve compiled a list of albums that we feel are relevant for international listeners, and highlighted a few of these that really deserve to be checked out.
Album Ndzuti by Ivan Mazuze is one of the listed albums under the World/Folk category. - Music Information Center Norway
Discography
Jazz Impressions - 2004
Maganda- 2009
Ndzuti - 2012
Albums streaming (spotify):
Maganda - 2009
Ndzuti - 2012
Photos
Bio
Norway's based saxophonist and composer Ivan Mazuze initiated his studies in music at his home country Mozambique at the National Music School in 1987 with piano as first instrument. After 7 years of classical piano training Mazuze joined the woodwind section of the same school with jazz study approach with focus on improvisation. After finishing the basic elementary music school, Mazuze continued his studies at the Department of Jazz and Ethnomusicology at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Ivan Mazuze is Honors degree in jazz and composition studies and Masters graduate in ethnomusicology at University of Cape Town. Mazuze also writes ethnomusicological articles about music and trance in ritual practices, which has been released in the educational magazine “The Talking Drum”.
From the start Mazuze had a clear vision of what he had to do in order to reveal himself as a solo artist in the music industry.
Ivan realized that educating himself and mastering his instruments was not enough, and while studying he set up his own production and publishing company to handle the administration and business side of his career.
As with all aspiring musicians, at a young age, Mazuze dreamt of the day when he would record his own music.
But, for this disciplined musician, the dream became a goal, the goal became part of his ambition, the result was his debut album "Maganda (2009).
The album Maganda is a reflection of Mazuze’s musical journey and experiences in jazz and African "worlds" of music. Maganda was nominated for the following categories and awards:
1. Best Afro World Group in the Oslo World Music Festival 2009.
2. Best Contemporary Jazz Album at SAMA awards 2010 (South African Music awards).
3. Winner in two categories for best Afro Jazz album and jazz/instrumental album at Mozambique Music Awards 2010.
4. Recommended best newcomer and saxophonist of 2010 at African Jazz Network.
Mazuze has recently released his latest album namely Ndzuti (2012) which means, “shadow” in the ancient language of Xichangana of southern Mozambique. The music on the album Ndzuti has elements from both southern and West African traditions with Jazz based structures.
The album features African and Norwegian musicians residing in Scandinavian countries and guest artists such as the Cuban pianist Omar Sosa and the bassist and vocalist from Ivory Coast, Manou Gallo.
The album Ndzuti has been chosen as recommended album at African Jazz Network 2012 and as one of the key albums of the year 2012 by Music Information Center Norway (MIC) during the summer 2012.
As a based norwegian artist since 2009, Mazuze has in the last three years been representing "world jazz" coming out of Norway at numerous music events and festivals in parts of world in collaboration with Norwegian based cultural institutions such as Arts Council Norway.
Saxophonist Ivan Mazuze emerges from a long tradition of jazz musicians in southern Africa. Mazuze is continually an important representation for this genre. Mazuze performs with his own group and as a freelance participating with artist such as: Bugge Wesseltoft, Omar Sosa and others.
"Ivan Mazuze's Ndzuti is the cheapest way to get a scent of sun, salty breeze and sand between your toes. Sit close to the speakers, there is the shadow that bloom" ... by: Lennart ”Mr Z” Olausson, Sweden (2012).
"Fans of world jazz, Mozambique music, Afro-Jazz, Afro-Cuban music, and instrumental delights will find happiness in the sounds and vibes of Ivan Mazuze and his group".
By Mathew Forss, Inside World Music, USA (2012)
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