Thulile Zama, the lead vocalist of Heels Over Head, the all-female contemporary jazz band, celebrates the life and legacy of Zenzile Miriam Makeba in a special concert “A Tribute to Mama Africa” on Wednesday, May 17, at 5.30pm.
“A Tribute to Mama Africa” returns to the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Centre for Jazz and Popular Music after a three-year hiatus due to Covid-19.
The show is a compilation of Sophiatown’s finest music, with songs made famous by Miriam Makeba.
“The show includes the distinctive sound we all know, comprising of the most exciting and favourite songs, but also emotional songs, all contributing to a vital sketch of our rich musical heritage,” read the press statement.
Speaking to IOL Entertainment, Zama said she launched the special tribute in 2017 to honour Makeba for her remarkable global impact during the darkest period in South Africa.
Born on March 4, 1932, in Johannesburg, Makeba was more than a singer and songwriter – she was also a civil rights activist who fought for the liberation of black people against the apartheid government.
Zama explained: “I started working on the idea of a tribute concert in 2016 and this is all because of my parents, my uncles … I grew up in a household that played amazing music.
“Miriam Makeba’s music, in particular, had a great impact on my life and I thought, what better way to honour and celebrate a life of a woman of her stature than an annual tribute concert?”
“So, we officially launched in 2017 and it was a hit. We performed in theatres around Durban, and later brought the show to Joburg, at Pop Art Theatre … It was a success everywhere it went and then Covid happened.”
“A Tribute to Mama Africa” is set to embark on a national tour later this year, before taking the show across the continent.
“The set is about one hour and a half, and the thing with the story of Mama Miriam Makeba is that you cannot not intertwine the woman with the music, it wouldn’t be doing it justice.
“So we are ready and excited to bring this special tribute concert to Durban. In July we will be performing at the Music in The Hills (MiTH), Hilton, July 19.”
Tickets to the show are R100, pensioner tickets are R70 and student tickets are R40.