NEW YORK (Eagle Rock Ent.) - Over the years, musician Johnny Clegg has worked hard to merge two worlds – the English-speaking and the African American culture of South Africa – and succeeded in doing so with the formation of the first interracial band - Jaluka. However, the group formed around the time of apartheid, which brought upon unforeseen complications including the banning of their first album by the South African government. Having to deal with so many uncontrollable issues, the group broke up in the mid-80's, and Clegg formed another band with Savuka, combining European pop music with South African melodies.
Eagle Rock Entertainment reflects on the lifelong career of world music virtuoso and Billboard Music Award-Winner Johnny Clegg with the DVD release of Johnny Clegg with Savuka & Juluka Live! And More... This DVD is a two-hour retrospective of Clegg's significant career moments and events. Songs performed include "Jericho," "It's An Illusion," "Cruel Crazy Beautiful World," "Umfazi Omdala," "Siyayilanda," among others. In addition, featured on the DVD are nine Savuka videos, four Juluka videos, tracks from "Savuka - Live in Paris," and two tracks from "Juluka – Live in Cape Town."
Johnny Clegg has broken South African barriers and has found great success in both Europe and Africa. Showing yet another step on his path to international stardom, Johnny Clegg with Savuka & Juluka Live! And More... will be available July 27, 2004 on DVD for a suggested retail price of $19.98. This film has a running time of 150 minutes. Special DVD extra features include an interview with Johnny Clegg, "Asimbonanga" performed with Nelson Mandela in Frankfurt, a dance performance of Mantombana with Juluka, a video of Savuka's "Scatterlings of Africa," which was the song featured in the 1989 movie Rain Man, and lyrics from some of their most popular songs.
Johnny Clegg, born in Rochedale, UK, right outside of Manchester, was raised in Zimbabwe until eventually making a home out of South Africa. At age 14, Clegg began playing the guitar and took lessons from Charlie Mzila, a Zulu flat cleaner who played street music near his home. For the next two years, he learned the fundamentals of Zulu music and traditional Inhlangwini dancing. Together, Mzila and Clegg performed at various hostels and communities.
However, not everyone accepted a white and black musician working as a team, and Clegg would often get arrested for trespassing on government property. Clegg found ways around this by performing for Zulu migrant labourers who lived all throughout Johannesburg and gained respect as a competent Zulu guitarist.
Clegg's superior reputation reached Sipho Mchunu, a migrant Zulu worker, and they formed a musical partnership and friendship, which would eventually come to be known as Juluka, meaning "sweat" in Zulu. Often the subjects of racial abuse and censorship, they still managed to rise above the chaos to release four popular albums – "Universal Men," "African Litany," "Work For All" and "Musa Ukungilandela." Clegg and Juluka eventually split up in 1985.
Soon after, Clegg formed a new group with Savuka, mixing African music with Celtic folk music and international sounds and were offered to perform on a mini tour throughout France. They released their first album, "Third World Child" and began to develop a strong fan base.
In 1987, they were considered the leading world music group touring the francophone countries. By 1989, Savuka had sold over one million records of their debut album and held the No 1 and No 2 position on the album charts with the first and second album at the same time.
This was a landmark achievement for any group out of South Africa.
