Mozambique: Police reintroduce road checkpoints
Stewart Sukuma
9:45 CAT | 8 February 2016
Singer
Stewart Sukuma is undoubtedly the most dynamic and revolutionary Mozambican musician of the moment, committed to divulging the music of his country in the world.
He is also a television presenter, currently presenting a tourism program called “Txopela Moçambique” and a full-time social activist. Stewart Sukuma became in 2012 the first Mozambican musician to register a brand and consequently launch a perfume: fusiON.
Music: Stewart Sukuma combines traditional and contemporary Mozambican music with revolutionary instrumentation to create an energetic and danceable sound that can be called Afro / Pop / Jazz. Contagious rhythms mixed with sweet but powerful melodies carry a message of hope but at the same time it would revolutionize new times in Africa and the world, challenging the laziest foot for a dance and the laziest head for a reflection of the role that music plays in communication with the masses. History: Born in Cuamba, a small village in the Mozambican province of Niassa, Sukuma won his first guitar at a charity event when he was a young boy. In 1997, five years after the end of the country’s civil war, he recorded his first album, Afrikiti, which opened space for many other Mozambican artists to do the same. Since then, the musician has toured Europe, Africa, the United States and the Caribbean, performing at major festivals such as Beat Apartheid! Houston International Festival, alongside legends such as Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Abdullah Ibrahim, Gilberto Gil, Jimmy Dludlu, Mike Del Ferro and others … In 2009, Stewart Sukuma and his legendary Nkhuvu Band renewed once again the votes of Mozambican popular music in a historical tour through Europe where they participated in 21 concerts including the legendary festivals of Kasumama in Austria, Tom de Festa and World Music LX in Portugal and still at the Lent Festival in Slovenia.The most desired reunion of this musician’s career comes when Elizah, singer gaucha introduces him to the CASA GRANDE project in New Olinda in Brazil where he participated in the sample of the culture of the Portuguese Language Countries to Filipe Mukenga’s Lab, Elizah Rodrigues. In this project he met the arts director of the Cultural Center of ITAU Sao Paulo, who invites him to participate in four shows in the Antidoto project with the Band Afroreggae of RJ, accompanied by other figures of Brazilian music such as:Jardes Macale, Arnaldo Antunes and others not less important. Stewart Sukuma became the most awarded Mozambican musician of the largest festival of the popular song of Mozambique: the Ngoma, with 3 prizes of the Most Popular Music. Bilboard magazine of June 7, 1997 conferred on Stewart Sukuma the same level of Pope Wemba and other consecrated African musicians. Stewart Sukuma is a member of the African Evaluation and Consultation Committee of the African Scholars Program of the Berklee College of Music (USA / Boston / Mass) where other great African artists such as Angelique Kidjo, Richard Bona, Bakiti Kumalo, Lionel Loueke and Mulato Astakte. Social ProjectsSukuma links his music to social aspects, working in coordination with national HIV / AIDS campaigns, with the National Elections Commission, UNICEF and other humanitarian aid organizations with the goal of expanding knowledge about HIV / AIDS, the importance of Voting and Human Rights. In March 2010 Stewart Sukuma signs a partnership agreement with UNICEF. In 2012 he is appointed by Unicef the Ambassador of Good Will. Nkhuvu / Celebration: In November 2007, Sukuma released the album, “Nkhuvu”, which means “Celebration” featuring great musicians like Lokua Kanza, Jimmy Dludlu, Bonga, Artur Maia and Elizah – just to name a few. In this album, Sukuma sings in Portuguese, English, Shitswa, Ekoti, Shangana, Gitonga, Ciyao and Shimakonde, most languages never represented on a single Mozambican album. Inspired by Bantu languages, the base of various parts of Mozambique, Angola and Guinea-Bissau, Sukuma captured the voice of Africa Lusofona.
Marrabenta Series: (Marrabenta & Derivados)In addition to research projects in traditional Mozambican music, Stewart Sukuma has also been promoting popular music and since 2010 has started a project to record and promote the most popular contemporary style in and outside the country: Marrabenta. Songs such as Felizminha, Xitchuketa Marrabenta, Vale a Pena Casar? e carangueijo are authentic hymns to the musical style originating in the traditional rhythm Magika reinvented in the famous District of Mafalala where the great footballer Eusebio and the poetess Noemia de Sousa were born. Stewart Sukuma thus became the first interpreter of Marrabenta sung in Portuguese, since other interpretations were usually made in Ronga, a predominantly spoken language in Maputo Province. Discography: 1997: Afrikiti Feat. Hugh Masekela, George Lee and Jimmy Dludlu / CCP Records / EMI / Tropical Music 1998: New African World Beat Vol 4 / Star Pool / Universal 2000: Mozambique Relief / Naxos World 2003: Music from CPLP / Marcelo Salazar 2006: Tales of Mozambique / Sheer Sound 2007: Nkhuvu / Celebration Feat: Lokua kanza, Bonga, Jimmy Dludlu, Elizah … / nstudio 2008: Kizomba Mix / Vidisco 2010: Single Xitchuketa Marrabenta / nstudio2011: Single Carangueijo / Globe Music2012: 30 Years of Career / Compilation / Vidisco2013: African Journey Television programsFama Show 2005/07/08Attraction 2010Txopela Mozambique 20122013 Mega Show Awards & ReviewsAwards & Distinctions:Award for Best Performance / EME / 1982 Press Award / Ngoma Mocambique 1992 Prize of the Most Popular Song / Ngoma Mocambique 1994 Prize of the Best Song / Ngoma Mocambique 1996 Prize of the Song Most Popular / Ngoma Mozambique 2008 Mozart Prize / UNESCO / Best Musico 1997 Cultural Personality 2008 / Jornal Noticias MMA 2009 Best Light Music AwardBest Male Video Channel O Awards 2005 (Nomination) Most Popular Music Award in MMA (Mozambique Music Awards) 2009 Most Popular Music Award / Ngoma Mozambique 2010 Best Alternative Music Award MOAMAS 2010Prize Best Duet cm VJ in MMA 2011Cultural Personality 2012 / Savannah Newspaper
Luis Pereira, known as Stewart Sukuma, is a Mozambican singer. His stage name – Stewart Sukuma – means ‘Rise Up’ in Zulu and ‘Push’ in Swahili. He was born in Cuamba, Niassa Province in Mozambique.
Born: 1963, Cuamba
Education: Berklee College of Music
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