ZuluMlungu, a word coined by combining "Zulu" with "Umlungu", the isiZulu word for white person, translates roughly to "white Zulu". This word embodies the spirit of the music it represents, crossing genre and cultural boundaries to form something familiar yet different.
ZuluMlungu is the brainchild of Theo Ezell. Born in Germany to a US military family, Theo has continually led a nomadic lifestyle. Most recently, he emigrated to Australia after living in South Africa for 5 years, where his marriage to the niece of a Zulu chief introduced a distinctly tribal flavor to his musical palette.
Similarly, the music of ZuluMlungu reflects Theo's nomadic nature. Each song is like a tapestry woven of threads collected during his journeys to the various regions of the musical universe. Musical genres ranging from Kwaito and House to Blues, Gospel, and Rock may appear within the span of a single track. It makes for a heady blend of rhythms and melodies that satisfies the palate and warms the soul like a spicy stew on a cold winter night.
Additional song credits:
Miranda Ezell - Backing vocals on "Mother Africa"
Olwethu Ezell - Vocals on "Mother Africa", backing vocals on "After the Rain"
Andrew Hayes - Hammond organ on "Contessa"
Mike Hollis - Drums and percussion on "Contessa"
John Landau - 12-string acoustic guitar, acoustic solo, engineer, co-producer, co-arranger on "Contessa"
Pete Marinovich - Guitars on "Searching", lead guitar on "We Kill Abatsotsi"
Lucas "Trackster" Mataboge - Keyboards on "Mother Africa", "You Lift Me Up", "After the Rain", "Chill With Me", backing vocals on "You Lift Me Up"
Charlene Soraia - Backing vocals on "Contessa"
Mpendulo "Skemshan" Tshabalala - Vocals on on "Mother Africa", "You Lift Me Up", "After the Rain"
Nonhlanhla Tshabalala - Vocals on "Mother Africa"
