New Album in the works!

Hi all, I know I haven't been very diligent about keeping up the news blog here but this year has pulled me in every direction - performing, recording and producing (others), engaging with new fans and forming new alliances. It has been, to use the cliche, a whirlwind. And frankly, it's not slowing down.

So I hope you'll forgive the absence of fanfare here, but I want to announce that I've begun pre-production on the new album. I'm making plans to involve all of you in the process if you'd like to come along for the ride.

I have to get back to being creative so I'm going to leave it here for now. There's much more to come. If you have not connected with the mailing list please do so. I'll be sending out updates soon.

Here's to 2016 and a million years of peacetime. See you all very soon.

Uxolo

Mthakathi

2015 Summer House Concert Series - NOW BOOKING!

Mthakathi is once again firing up his summer House Concert Series for the Mid-Atlantic and New England. Here's your chance to host Mthakathi's live-looping Safro-rocking multi-culti show replete with tales of South Africa, songwriting and the road, in an intimate and personal environment - your own home (or whatever space you'd like).

Don't worry if you've never hosted one before, they are simple and low cost (if any) to the host. Click on the pic below to take you to our contact page or email at info@mtharock.com and we'll walk you through all you need to know. Get in on it early for a greater chance of bringing him to your region! Happy "World-Rockin' everyone!

 - The Anthr-O-Tone team

Better late than never!

Hey there my world-rockin' peeps! Finally got on to Instagram (I know I know, "what took you so long").

Come follow me!

@mtharock

In Appreciation of the Street Team!

Hey there World Rockers! Coming off of a really nice show at Silvana in Harlem, NYC last week, I want to give a big shout out and thank you to all of the street team-ers who have been helping me promote my shows.

You guys are like the US postal service - neither rain, nor sleet nor *SNOW*... . I know during the last round, you hit the streets in 15° F temperatures with the wind brutally whipping up and down the streets and between the buildings; that's BONE-CHILLIN' cold folks!

But you make a difference; while I was loading in for the show, there was a couple looking and pointing at a poster that was wrapped around a streetlight on the corner. With their finger on the poster, they looked up at the street sign as if to get their bearing, looked around, spotted the venue with a "HEY! it's right there!" body language, and went in!

So once again Street Team-ers, you have my undying gratitude for all of your efforts.

click here to sign up

Anyone out there that's interested in joining the Mthakathi Street Team for your area, click on the "sign up" pic. As a Street Team-er you get to attend the show for free and will receive CDs and merch. Don't forget to indicate what city you're in!

Thank you again one and all.

And as always:

a million years of peacetime.

"A Little Help From My Friends"...

Hey there world rockers! I hope the start of 2015 finds you all in a positive place and moving phambili (forward); It most certainly has with me. So first, let me thank all of my peeps - friends and fans, old and new - for your support since my "re-emergence" last year. To steal a quote from Jozi, You've all been my imbawula - you've given me heat and energy. Siyabonga (thank you).

I'm very pleased with how things are progressing for me thus far; things seem to be on a solid, steady climb and it gets a little better with each new show, CD sale/download and new fan "like!" That said, I still have many objectives and goals that I'm trying to achieve - a new album, a geographically broader touring footprint and expanding my live performances to include a full band.

Here is my "ask":

I need help with management, booking, PR and stage assistance (translation: roadie/gtr tech). I have made a lot of contacts and a developed some great business relationships since I launched my solo career with "Ownership" back in '08 (both in NY and South Africa), but I'm still looking for the right fit in all of these areas. Any help in connecting any of these dots will go a long way towards fueling my musical journey and of course, be greatly appreciated!

I welcome all of you to reach out to me either through the contact page or you can email me personally at info@mtharock.com!

Thanks all and "a million years of peacetime"

Yours in music,

Mthakathi

Photo by Kayla Jill

HAPPY NEW YEAR! WOZA 2015!

I  want to thank all of you for your hearty and enthusiastic support throughout this year. It's been extremely gratifying and motivating - you all really helped keep the juices flowing this year. Here's hoping for a very VERY happy new year filled with love and success for all of us. Let's make this one, the first of a million years of peacetime.

UNYAKA OMUSHA OGCWELE IMPUMELELO NOXOLO.

uxolo

MTHAKATHI

Ukisimusi Omuhle! A South African Christmas Digital "45" released for the holidays!

Happy Holidays all! Once again, we've released "Ukisimusi Omuhle! A South African Christmas Digital 45" for the holidays!

These 2 festive songs were part of a South African Christmas project that Sis Thuli Dumakude and I tried to launch a number of years back, but never quite got it off the ground. Last year, I got all caught up in the festive spirit, fished the rough tracks out of the archives and finished them off in time for Christmas release. It got such a nice response, we thought we'd make it available again.

The songs are loose interpretations of 2 popular Christmas carols that convey the lyrical and emotional spirit of their western counterparts, but draw more on South African traditions for their musical character.

Side "A" features Sis Thuli giving an intimate and chillingly beautiful vocal performance on "Ubusuku Obuhle" while I accompanied with a slow and tender maskanda style guitar part. This was the first tune we attempted for the project and every part was done "first take" with no edits.

The "B" side - "Jingle Mbira" is (as you can probably guess) an interpretation of "Jingle Bells" on mbira. The original track was just a single raw mbira part that introduced the basic changes and the "suggested" melody followed by an improvised interlude that kinda fizzled out. I went back in and brought the melody back around at the end, added a second mbira, sprinkled a little "Mthakathi muti" on it and tossed in some sleighbells for a soupcon of kitsch (heh heh)...

We're going to keep it available through the holidays so why not give yourself or a loved one some musical "Kisimusi" joy in a unique little digital stocking stuffer?! Click on the pic below to take you to the download page, download it to your system or smart device, brew up a nice hot chocolate or a lovely rooibos and enjoy Christmas, South African style!

Ukisimusi Omuhle Abantu Bakithi

And as always, my little elves: a million years of peacetime.

SIYABONGA!

Well kids, the House Concert series has wound down and I want to sincerely thank everyone who hosted and attended! It was a total gas! I made a lot of new friends and hopefully some new fans. Of course anyone who still wants to book one, I'm still happy to oblige. But in the meantime, I'm going to be sticking around the NY/NJ area doing some club dates and communing at the occasional open mic so that I can begin preparations for the new album.

So all my NY/NJ peeps, check the SHOWS calendar periodically for last minute appearances during the holiday season while we book show dates for the 2015 winter season. And of course you can always track me on: Bandsintown

And as always - a million years of peacetime.

REUNITED!

Had a lovely LONG overdue visit backstage with my South African sisters Faith Kekana and Stella Khumalo after they performed with Angelique Kidjo at Carnegie Hall honoring Mama Africa - Miriam Makeba - last night. As many of you know Faith and Stella are responsible for all of the beautiful lush vocal soundscapes on Ownership, as well as my Zulu name and I haven't seen them since we launched Ownership  in Jo'burg back in '09!  EISH man you guys delivered (as always) last night (as did of curse Angelique and special guest Vusi Mahlasela). Anyway it was so heartwarming to be able to spend some time (but not enough) with them. Faith and Stella, madadewethu, ngiyanithanda kakhulu!

Back together again! - Faith, Mthakathi & Stella

View fullsize

Angelique Kidjo and band - ENCORE!

Stella, Zamo and Faith - Msanzi in the house!

Zamo Mbutho, Will Calhoun, Faith Kekana, Mthakathi & Stella Khumalo

WELCOME ALL TO MTHAROCK.COM

Hi all! I wanted to make the first *official* news posting a bit more personal before the PR machine starts chugging; so *welcome* to the new site - mtharock.com. We're still fine tuning it a bit and tying up some loose threads but please bookmark us, join the mailing list ("sign up" link top right) and come visit *often.* There are a lot of new developments coming down the pike, so get connected here for all info and updates on all my performances, new releases and whatever other silliness I get into... . Thassallfernow gang but stay tuned as we move Phambili abantu bakhithi bo! (Forward my peeps!)

And as always, a million years of peacetime.

Mthakathi