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About

The Solidarity Express

The Solidarity Express is a group of musicians collaborating to deliver a message of hope and unity to the world at large.

Music is a constant emotively evolving art that feeds the mind, heart and soul. It continues to play a key role in driving change and creating social cohesion and harmony. Music allows cross cultural collaboration and provides a voice for the powerless. The intention is to convey positive energy to a world in desperate need of healing and aims to spread a feel-good solidarity factor.

Following on from The Liberation Project and with the core group based in South Africa, this high energy, multi-genre’d and multi-cultural musical offering focuses on sending a positive message of reconciliation and goodwill with like-minded artists and nations around the world.

Members

Dan Chiorboli (SA)

Dan Chiorboli percussionist and producer born in Ferrara, Italy and raised in Durban, South Africa, has performed and collaborated with musicians from all over the world and has worked on over 200 vastly diverse albums. He has directed and performed in three successful musical revues exploring his beloved Latin and Brazilian themes. Dan is the originator and co-producer behind the acclaimed “The Liberation Project”. Founder of Awesome Africa and a conceptualiser and producer of events, he is also the representative for WOMAD in South Africa. Furthermore he serves as a Global Ambassador for Project Rhino.

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Dan Chiorboli

Phil Manzanera (UK)

Phil Manzanera is an English musician and record producer who was born in London and spent most of his childhood in Latin America. He was lead guitarist of Roxy Music who released a series of internationally best-selling albums, achieving ten UK Top Ten albums and touring extensively throughout the world. The band were inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. In 2006 he co-produced David Gilmour's album “On an Island” and played in Gilmour's band for tours in Europe and America. Together with Gilmour, he co-produced Pink Floyd’s final album “The Endless River”. Manzanera has always pursued many diverse solo projects as well as writing and presenting a series of 14 one-hour radio programmes for Station Planet Rock entitled the A-Z of Great Guitarists, and in 2015 directed the final concert of the Notte della Taranta Festival, in Salento, Italy. Together with Roxy Music’s Andy Mackay, he has just released ‘Roxymphony”, a CD/DVD of classic Roxy songs reimagined with orchestra and choir. Phil co-produced “The Liberation Project” album “Songs That Made Us Free” and performed with the band on their Italian tour in 2019.

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PHIL MANZANERA

N'Faly Kouyate (Guinea)

A member of the Mandinka ethnic group of griots from Guinea, West Africa, N’Faly has become known as the “Jimi Hendrix of the kora” but is also a revered singer and balafon player. His group, The Afro Celt Sound System blends West African and Irish music styles and has released six albums, incorporating luminaries such as Peter Gabriel, Sinead O’ Connor and Robert Plant amongst others. N’Faly has a successful solo career and contributed to “The Liberation Project” album “Songs That Made Us Free” as well as touring with the band in Italy in 2019.

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N'FALY KOUYATE

Andre Kriel (SA)

South African born singer, guitarist, songwriter and founder of the much-celebrated blues/rock group The Black Cat Bones. The Bones have released 4 original albums and won several awards, including the MK Best Live Act award. As a solo artist, Andre’s songs speak about forgotten heroes, men with grit and women with bad intent. Andre’s ability to adopt and embrace a vast array of styles and genres allow him to fit seamlessly into The Solidarity Express, where he also plays the role of co-producer.  

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ANDRE KRIEL

Tebogo “AusTebza” Sedumedi (SA)

Brought up in Mafikeng, Tebogo joined the Mmabana Cultural Centre at a young age and went on to form Deeva, an all-girl band which became very popular and became the late HHP’s backing band. With her solo career, she has released a single called Going Home and followed it up with a full album entitled Make a Difference. Her new album “Motheo” is destined to take her to even greater heights. Tebz’s live highlights have included a successful tour of Italy with The Liberation Project and performances at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz.  

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Tebogo “AusTebza” Sedumedi

Tamani Mbeya (Malawi)

One of Malawi’s rising young stars, Tamani loves singing in a variety of musical styles, but lists gospel and afro-soul as her favourites. An emerging talent destined for great things, she is a qualified voice teacher with a music degree from Wits University and is beginning to make waves as an in-demand studio session singer.

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Tamani Mbeya

Peter Djamba (DRC)

Peter is a Congolese drummer born in Kinshasa into a musical family, who started playing drums and singing in the church from the age of nine years old. Due to his broad knowledge and interpretations of African rhythms, Peter is one of the most prominent session drummers in South Africa and has worked with many international artists such as Oliver Mtukudzi (Zimbabwe), Dr Tumi and Fred Hammond (USA). He was part of The Liberation Project’s tour of Italy, where the Italians reverently gave him the nickname “Machina di Guerra” loosely translated as “Machine of War” due to his driving rhythms and powerful playing.

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Peter Djamba

Femi Koya (Nigeria)

Femi’s story of migration from the West to the South resonates in his music and creates a conscious dialogue between West African and South African sounds. This fusion demonstrates the path to a culturally integrated Africa in which a common heritage is reinforced to meet the needs of today’s world. His quest is for African unity at a time when he believes Africa should claim its rightful place in the world. As a vocalist and saxophone player, his musical influences include Fela Kuti, Bob Marley and Manu Dibango and he has shared the stage with Youssou N’Dour, John Legend and King Sunny Ade.

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Femi Koya

Justin Sasman (SA)

One of South Africa’s most sought-after trombone players and brass arrangers, Justin is a lecturer at the NWU School of Music in Potchefstroom with a BMus Honours in Jazz Performance. He is an active educator, performer and multi-instrumental recording artist on the trombone, trumpet, accordion, euphonium and tuba. Justin performs live in many different genres and in many differing ensemble settings, the best known being the Afro-Balkan group “Bombshelter Beast”.  

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Justin Sasman

Black Moses Ngwenya (SA)

The legendary co-founder of the pioneers of mbaqanga, The Soul Brothers, has been a musician all his life. Moses has created an entirely unique style on his Hammond organ, a sound rooted in traditional African rhythms and influenced by American jazz and soul. For over four decades and more than forty album releases, The Soul Brothers have sailed the turbulent musical waters and refused to be corroded by the tragedies, the highs and lows that they faced in their musical journey including political threats from the then apartheid government.

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Black Moses Ngwenya

Neo Motsatse (SA)

Widely considered as a child prodigy, Neo is a young female violinist with a great future. Despite the violin’s unpopularity amongst young people because of its classical genre Neo has mastered its art and has since taken to the stage with the likes of icons Sibongile Khumalo, Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse and maestro Sergio Zampolli. Part of the enlightened new breed of South African youth, Neo is home-schooled, independent, talented and ambitious. She is excited about exploring a wide range of musical styles, and The Solidarity Express’s broad musical palette suits her perfectly.

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Neo Motsatse

John Lindemann (SA)

Highly respected and revered, John is a producer and Grammy Award engineer who was behind the sound of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Mahlatini & The Mahotella Queens, The African Jazz Pioneers, West Nkosi, Karen Zoid and many others. He has also been involved in the design and construction of many music / audio post studios and runs his own JBL Studios in Johannesburg. He is involved in the production and engineering of Radio Ubuntu together with Phil Manzanera, Dan Chiorboli & Andre Kriel.

Band Members
John Lindemann

Special Guests

Cisco Bellotti (Italy)

Cisco’s early interest in the Celtic influenced music of The Pogues would chart his course in music for life. In 1991, he joined The Modena City Ramblers, a politically conscious group who stirred leftist sentiments aligned to the partisan resistance. The group went on to sell over 500,000 albums. In 2005, Cisco pursued a solo career which has been well received by the international community. Cisco was part of The Liberation Project’s successful tour of Italy in 2019 and featured on the Songs That Made Us Free album

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Cisco Bellotti

Kobus de Kock Jnr. (SA)

The vocalist and co-founder of The Black Cat Bones was born in Eshowe in Zululand but brought up on the tough streets of Pretoria. One of the most emotive and dynamic frontmen and storytellers in South Africa, Kobus was originally inspired by raw Mississippi blues, the New Orleans bayou and various rock and folk genres. The diverse make-up of musicians in The Solidarity Express provides him the opportunity to allow his restless spirit to explore different musical landscapes.   

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Kobus de Kock Jnr.

Keeran Eshwarlall (SA)

Keeran specialises in singing Bhajans (Devotional poetry), Gazals (Romantic poetry), Qawalis (Urdu poetry), Sufi songs & the odd Bhojpuri song whilst accompanying himself on harmonium, guitar, santoor and shai baja. In 1993, Keeran went to Bombay to learn under the guidance of his Guru, Shri Anup Jalota and from 2005 based himself in London. He has travelled all over the sub-continent to perform with many Indian musical icons and collaborated on a documentary with Anup Jalota for Channel S TV, a UK Bengali Television Channel.

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Keeran Eshwarlall

Moussa Diallo (Denmark/Mali)

Danish Malian bass player, singer, composer and story teller Moussa Diallo has in recent years released a number of albums, but also worked very much with children, especially in Africa where he has a close affinity with the country of his birth. He has received several awards during his illustrious career, such as the World Track of the Year at the Danish Music Awards in 2011, the Special Award by the Danish Composers and Songwriters Association in 2018 and the Denmark Music Associations Folk/World for "World musician/singer of the year" in 2019.

Moussa
Moussa Diallo

Events

The Solidarity Express will be launched in a series of live concerts in Johannesburg soon. 
The concerts will take the form of fundraisers for disadvantaged communities in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
They will be held in association with the Kgalema Motlanthe & HIP Alliance and the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation.

Details to follow soon ….

For more info please visit the links below:
The Market Theatre & Computicket

The Cuban Ministry of Culture has invited The Solidarity Express to represent South Africa and perform at the prestigious Cubadisco Festival. The tour will be called “The Solidarity Tour” and includes free concerts, community workshops and a recording session at the legendary EGREM Studios.

The tour is supported by the Department of Arts & Culture’s Touring Ventures Fund.

Details and dates to be announced soon ……

The Music

The album “Radio Ubuntu” will be released shortly and focuses on the common themes of unity, solidarity and empathy among people and nations. Stylistically it features songs in diverse musical genres such as mbaqanga, gospel, afro-soul, pop, afro-beat, highlife, rock, pop, zydeco, country, boeremusiek and reggae.

The first song “I Believe We Can Live in Harmony” is available from Expression Records as a free download from ????? for one month only via appletunes etc etc ????

The Album Radio Ubuntu addresses the issues of xenophobia, immigration, poverty and integration. Its intention is to convey a positive message of reconciliation and goodwill to a world in desperate need of healing.
It is available from Expression Records as a free download from ????? for one month only via ????

The SOlidarity Express

Radio Ubuntu2020

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Executive Producers: Dan Chiorboli & Phil Manzanera. 
Written by Dan Chiorboli, Andre Kriel & Femi Koya.
Arranged & Produced by Dan Chiorboli & Andre Kriel.
Engineered, Co-Produced & Mixed by John Lindemann @ JBL Studios, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Featuring

  • Phil Manzanera: Electric Guitar
  • Dan Chiorboli: Percussion
  • Andre Kriel: Acoustic Guitar & Lead Vocals (Bridge)
  • Tebogo Sedumedi: Bass & Lead Vocals (Intro)
  • Femi Koya: Saxophone & Lead Vocals (Verse)
  • Black Moses Ngwenya: Hammond Organ
  • Peter Djamba: Drums
  • Justin Sasman: Trombone
  • Felix Arimoro: Trumpet
  • Cindy Alter: Backing Vocals
  • Tamani Mbeya: Backing Vocals.

Contact us

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shows@solidarityexpress.co.za

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