(Lu
Dlamini. Pic by Val Adamson)
It’s Rainbow Restaurant’s 35th birthday and to celebrate,
the Rainbow and its partners Concerts SA will present a double bill featuring
the Lu Dlamini Band and Tone of Afrika with special guest Nicky Shange.
The Lu Dlamini band features Barney Bophela on keys,
Mazwakhe Gumede on bass and Mzamo Zungu on drums with Lu Dlamini - vocals and
umakhweyana.
A product of the esteemed Inanda Seminary, Dlamini moved to
Johannesburg and enrolled at Fuba Arts College to study music. It did not take
the Johannesburg music fraternity long to realize that this was an exceptional
voice. Soon she was in Kamazu’s band, then with Ali Katt, then with Brenda
Fassie, where she stayed for three years. At the same time she was acting in Zikhethele 3 which was a TV youth series
that was the South African equivalent to the American Fame. This was followed by a 10-year stint in the band of Sipho
Hotstix Mabuse. With this band Lu toured all over the world and gained vast
amounts of experience on stage as well as in the recording studio. When her
schedule with Hotstix allowed she would also work with Sankomota and Mango
Groove amongst others.
Internationally her experience attests to her talents as a
backing vocalist. Whilst she was a backing singer for South Africa’s world
renowned icon (trombonist) Jonas Gwangwa, whose band was a resident band for
M-Net’s (Dali Tambo’s) Night Moves she backed Mick Hucknull of Simple Red as
well as Grace Jones. In 2011 she also sang on songs by Beyonce, Red Hot Chilly
Peppers and Coldplay for Grammy Award winning American Producer, Kenny Young’s
Rhythms Del Mundo project.
However, the call of the Kwa-Zulu Natal South Coast where
she grew up was too strong. She relocated to KZN in 2012. She composes her own
music with lyrics in Isinguni, Portuguese and English.
Tone of Afrika features Nicky Shange (vocals), Bernard
Mndaweni (bass), Sbu Zondi (drums), Tumelo Komako (keys) and Malungi (guitar).
Three of the members worked with Busi Mhlongo and toured
with her for years. Individually, they have worked with the likes of Jonas
Gwangwa, Themba Mkhize, Sibongile Khumalo, Thandiswa Mazwai, Zakes Bantwini, to
name a few. Through many years working with highly respected musicians, the
experience has allowed them to branch out on their own. As a unit, the band has
been performing all around KZN, promoting African, soulful sounds. They have
been receiving rave reviews and a great deal of appreciation from the vast
audiences all around.
Lu Dlamini Band and Tone of Afrika will perform on December
18 at The Rainbow Restaurant, 23 Stanfield Lane in Pinetown. Doors open at
13h00. Tickets R80 at the door or book through https://www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=409794326
For more information contact 031 702 9161 or 083 463 8044 or
email: nicola@therainbow.co.za
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