THE BAND

Vocals/Rhythm Guitar - Roberto Chitsonzo
Vocals/Percussion - David Macuácua
Keyboards - João Carlos Schwalbach
Trumpet - Julio Baza
Trumpet - António Baza
Saxofones – Pedro Rijo
Bass Guitar – Lote
Drums – Paíto Tcheco
Percussion - Enrique

Ghorwane, the “Good Guys” of Mozambique by José Pinto Sá

In the hot and dusty Gaza province of Mozambique there is a small lake called Ghorwane that never runs dry, even in the hottest season. In 1983, a group of young musicians in Maputo, took the name Ghorwane as they launched their musical career. Today they are one of Mozambique’s most respected bands. Ghorwane chose to base their music on traditional Mozambican rhythms, combined with Afropop and fusion. At the time when most established groups earned a living by imitating foreign artists, this approach came as a stimulating innovation. The injection of life they have shot into the stagnant music scene, and their subsequent success, have inspired other bands to take a similar route.

The band is noted for the political and social criticism in their songs which has put them at loggerheads with the government from time to time. They have mirrored the frustration of their people at the continuing war that was grinding deeper into despair day after day, year after year. The lyrics are sung in African languages of Mozambique, like Changana, Ronga and Chope. The security services often attended their shows with instructions to listen closely to their lyrics. What saved them was that, in 1985 during the festival to celebrate the ten years of independence, Samora Machel (then President of Mozambique) declared that “It’s prohibited to lie in the People’s Republic of Mozambique” and cites Ghorwane as an example calling them “bons rapazes” - good guys - which they are called until today by the Mozambican people.

In 1986 Ghorwane recorded a number of songs amongst which "Massotcha" written by Zeca Alage, which spoke about the horror of war and the danger of the military to the people they meant to be protecting. This song immediately became number one on the Mozambican hit parade. Again voices were raised to lay a total censorship on the band and again Samora Machel defended his “bons rapazes” and invited them to play at the anniversary of his wedding, a few months before the dead of Samora Machel.
In 1987 Ghorwane were invited by the DDR to perform at a political music festival. Just before their departure their visa were refused. The leader of the Mozambican National Youth Organization advised this as according to him the lyrics of Ghorwane were subversive. The same year in September, Ghorwane played for the first time abroad at the independence festival in Swaziland, together with the South African groups P.J. Powers and Stimela.

Peter Gabriel invited them to play at the WOMAD Festival in 1990. During this festival Realworld offered them an opportunity to record the CD "Majurugenta". Just before the European promotional tour of “Majurugenta” in 1993 Ghorwane’s most beloved member the saxophone player and composer Zeca Alage was assassinated. In memorial of Zeca Ghorwane decided to go on with the promotional tour. The CD was launched and distributed by Virgin Records. For distribution in southern Africa, Ghorwane printed a new version of "Majurugenta".

With Karen Boswell as musical director, Ghorwane made the music for the soap opera series "Não é preciso empurrar" - you don’t have to push -, an education series for the elections in 1994. The text was written by Mia Couto, a well known Mozambican writer. A year later Ghorwane accompanied forty Mozambican artists to the SADC Music Festival in Zimbabwe.

Ghorwane made the recordings of their second CD "Kudumba" in 1996 which was released in 1997 by Piranha.

After the devastating floods that hit Mozambique in the beginning of the year 2000, Ghorwane participated in a Project called MOZAMBIQUE RELIEF. A production of a CD that would benefit the victims of the floods.

“Recorded in Maputo, Mozambique in April 2000, this collection of southern African music brings together some of Mozambique's best musicians for a benefit record in aid of rebuilding and helping victims of the country's flooding disaster.
The devastating floods and cyclones that hit Mozambique between February and early April were the worst in 40 years. It affected 4.5 million people (27% of the total population) and a million people lost everything. About this time, Finnish musician Eero Koivistoinen was suppose to travel to a village in the Zavala district and make a field recording with a timbila ensemble for Naxos World. But with the disaster making the project impossible at the time, he and Naxos World executive Andrew Sun drew up a new plan.
Koivistoinen had worked with Ghorwane, the most famous band to come out of Mozambique (they had recorded an album for Peter Gabriel's Real World label) and their leader Joao Carlos Schwalbach rounded up other artists in the local music community in Maputo, Mozambique. The result is an inspired and solid set of Afro-pop music made by artists from the community, but more significantly a portion of the proceeds from this recording will come back to help the country.
As Koivistonen explains, "Every musician involved understood the importance of the matter. There was a possibility of helping to rebuild the country, because the profits from the record would come back to Mozambique through Oxfam. In this respect, the project is unique: the Mozambicans can help themselves."
Of the participating acts, Ghorwane is indeed the best known and most respected band in Mozambique. They contribute three tracks to the CD, 'Mayvavo' (two versions) and 'Wavitika.'.”(Naxos World)

Even though the war is over Ghorwane have not stopped their political and social criticism concerning developments in their country and the influence of the foreign countries and organizations in aid programs.

RELEASES

Year Title Format/Ref Territory Distributor

2000 Mozambique Relief CD / 79019-2 The World NAXOS WORLD

1998 Não é preciso empurrar CD / GHO 01 Mozambique GHORWANE S.C.R.L.

1994 Majurugenta CD / GHO 01 Africa GHORWANE S.C.R.L.

1994 Não é preciso empurrar Cassette Mozambique GHORWANE S.C.R.L.

1993 Majurugenta CD / RW29 The World REAL WORLD RECORDS
(Excl Africa) WOMAD MUSIC/EMI-VIRGIN
1997 Kudumba CD The World PIRANHA MUSIC

1999 Não é Preciso Empurrar CD Mozambique GHORWANE S.C.R.L.

2000 Mozambique Relief CD The World NAXOS WORLD

RECORDINGS

Year Title Studio Use

2000 Mozambique Relief Mozambique CD Release
1996 Kudumba PIRANHA – BERLIN CD Release
1994 Não é preciso empurrar Radio Moçambique Film/Cassette
1994 Makwero Radio Moçambique Film/Cassette
1994 Xicuembo Radio Moçambique Film/Cassette
1994 Moçambipreto Radio Moçambique Film/Cassette
1994 Matapa-Matapa Radio Moçambique Film/Cassette
1994 Sonhos Radio Moçambique Film/Cassette
1992 Nudez Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1992 Kanjani Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1991 Muthimba Real World Studios. UK CD Release
1991 Majurugenta Real World Studios. UK CD Release
1991 Matarlatanta Real World Studios. UK CD Release
1991 Xai-Xai Real World Studios. UK CD Release
1991 Mavabwyi Real World Studios. UK CD Release
1991 Sathuma Real World Studios. UK CD Release
1991 Buluku Real World Studios. UK CD Release
1991 Terehumba Real World Studios. UK CD Release
1991 Akuhanha Real World Studios. UK CD Release
1990 Akuhanha Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1986 Tlhanga Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1986 Massotchua Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1984 Ndlala Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1984 Ferido Regresso Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1984 Xizambiza Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1984 Buluko Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1984 Rapariga Bonita Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1984 Xindzavane Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1984 Matarlatanta Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1984 Np’ulani Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay
1984 Vamaplele Radio Moçambique Radio Airplay

INTERNATIONAL TOURS & FESTIVALS

2003 ZANZIBAR BUSSARA FESTIVAL TANZANIA
2001 Mozambique-SA ASSOCIATION SOUTH AFRICA
2001 KIPPIES SOUTH AFRICA
2001 BASS LINE SOUTH AFRICA
2001 BLUES ROOM SOUTH AFRICA
2000 BASS LINE SOUTH AFRICA
1996 TEMPODROM GERMANY
1996 SURA ZA AUSTRIA
1996 FESTIVAL MUNDIAL HOLLAND
1996 DUNYA HOLLAND
1996 MUSIQUE METISSE FRANCE
1996 LUSARTE FRANCE
1996 WOMAD IN CACERES SPAIN
1996 MEGA MUSIC SOUTH AFRICA
1995 SADC MUSIC FESTIVAL ZIMBABWE
1993 WOMAD FESTIVAL & TOUR ENGLAND
1993 TOUR HOLLAND
1993 TOUR BELGIUM
1991 WOMAD FESTIVAL ENGLAND
1989 FESTIVAL DO REI SWAZILAND
1989 FESTIVAL OF YOUTH NORTH KOREA
1988 LUSOPHONE FESTIVAL & TOUR PORTUGAL
1987 INDEPENDENCE FESTIVAL SWAZILAND

NATIONAL TOURS AND FESTIVALS

2000 FACIM “Professor’s Day” MAPUTO
2000 FACIM MAPUTO
1996 CHIMOIO
1994 XAI-XAI
1994 FESTIVAL with KASSAVE MACHAVA
1993 OPERA MARRABENTA* MAPUTO
1992 OPERA MARRABENTA* BEIRA
1992 CHIMOIO
1991 NAMPULA/ NACALA
1990 FESTIVAL FRELIMO NATIONAL TOUR
1990 BLOOD DONOR CAMPAIGN XAI-XAI
1988 NAMPULA
1988 SCHOOLS/FACTORIES TOUR MAPUTO
1988 COMMUNITY STREET FESTIVALS MAPUTO
1987 CHIMOIO. MANICA. CHOKWE
1986 XAI-XAI
1985 SOUNDS OF THE EARTH FESTIVAL MAPUTO
1985 INHAMBANE PROVINCE
1985 FESTIVAL KANIMBO MAPUTO
1984 ROOTS FESTIVAL MAPUTO

*OPERA MARRABENTA NAMBU (Sept 1991 - March 1993)
A two year project developing and performing an opera extravaganza
involving 40 actors, dancers and musicians.

FILM/TELEVISION SOUNDTRACKS

1994 Não é Preciso Empurrar 7 part TV drama
1993 Sabadão Weekly TV music programme
1991 Masseve Weekly TV music programme
1991 Solidão Mozambican Feature Film
1988 Colheta do diabo Mozambican Feature Film

GHORWANE S.C.R.L.

In 1993 GHORWANE established a music co-operative, the first of its kind in Mozambique
with the objectives of promoting Mozambican music, improving working conditions for
local musicians and defending composers rights.
More resources:

http://www.afropop.org/explore/band_info/ID/18/Ghorwane/
http://www.naxos.com/newDesign/fopinions.files/bopinions.files/industry7.htm
http://www.realworld.co.uk