News

Please visit my fantastic new website @ www.myspace.com/kobyacpanguana

Thanks to the amazing talents of Dominique Rada. Feel free to join as a friend and add your comments.

Visit here for all the latest news and gigs.

LOVE TO SING???

You are invited to join the CXP 'JOY' CHOIR directed by the dynamic Carlos KOBYA Panguana
Singing traditional & original songs of Southern Africa including those made famous by
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Miriam Makeba & the Soweto Gospel Choir.

10 week season starts Tuesday 19th February 7 - 9pm

@ J Studio 100 Barkly St Nth Fitzroy (formerly St Joseph's College)
Cost $100/$80 conc
All Welcome No experience required BYO enthusiasm!!!

Info: 9917 2143 or cxp@optusnet.com.au

KOBYA returns from Mozambique renewed and refreshed after seeing his family and friends.

In September and October 2007, KOBYA visited his beloved homeland of Mozambique to see his mother and family and many friends. He also caught up with friends in South Africa.

His latest album Nyonxani, a return to his traditional roots, was well received in Mozambique - even by Mikhombo, his mother, who has always been his toughest critic.

Kobya launched his latest CD, traditional album NYONXANI on 16 June at The Toff in Town. Special guests included BAD BOYS BATUCADA plus Claudia de Oliveira-Spiker and Bev Zenzile-Parker.

Kobya

An exciting change in his life has been his decision to return to his traditional name, KOBYA. He has struggled with his given name, Carlos, for many years and he's hoping you can embrace the change as he has.

MySpace - Check out the KOBYA MySpace site and the Carlos Panguana site as well.

See the gig guide for upcoming gigs - here's Kobya at the Maroohdah Gallery opening.

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One of Kobya's projetcs this year has been his contribution to Proximities: local histories/global entanglements, 2006 - a public art project for William Barak Bridge, Melbourne commissioned by the Victorian Government to celebrate the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

The project is built up around recordings made by the artists of people from the 53 Commonwealth nations who are now living in Australia.

For more information go to the Proximities website

Mozambique

In September 2005, Kobya went to Africa, including South Africa and Mozambique - checking out the music scene and catching up with family and friends.

Dilon Djinji and Mabulu

In Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, he caught up with his old friend Dilon Djindji, veteran marrabenta master with the group Mabulu, who combine colonial-era marrabenta sound, mixed with rap in Ronga and Portuguese.

Formed in 1999, Mabulu is a collaboration between the older generation of Mozambican musicians, practitioners of the marrabenta genre, and the younger generation of rappers. With the aid of the Swiss NGO Helvetas, Mabulu has toured rural areas around the capital Maputo, mixing entertainment with civic education about problems like AIDS, child prostitution, and drugs.

Marrabenta is the rough-edged, urban dance music of Mozambique which emerged in the 50´s. It includes a fast folkloristic rhythm called "Majika" as well as a kind of "Calypso" and Angolan "Merengue" and emerged as an energetic dance-music.

It became strongly associated with the struggle for independence and was almost completely wiped out (along with Mozambique's music industry) by the bitter civil war, which raged throughout the country during the 80´s. Accompanied by the controversial social vocals sung in Ronga and Shangana, Marrabenta was played on self constructed guitars from fuel canisters and fishing wire, often struck so hard the strings snapped. Thus Marrabenta got its name from the Portuguese "rabenta", which means "burst" and indicates its explosive rhythms.

Dilon and Kobya - Maputo, September 2005

Mighty Vibration

At the Gil Vincente Club in Maputo, the intelligent young musicians from Mighty Vibration demonstrated their uniquely Mozambican take on reggae, with Carlos making a guest appearance to perform Blackfella-Like-A-Woman.

Mighty Vibration's line up includes Texito Langa (drums and vocals), Aristides Manhique (guitar), Rufus Maculuve (keyboard), Ras Hatrim (bass), Xixel E Fayaman (back vocals) - more details of musicians and music from Carlos' African tour to come and watch this space for photos.

BELOW: Kobya (X CaPaz) and Mighty Vibration band members - from left to right - Ras Hatrim (bass), (percussionist), Aristides Manhique (guitar), Carlos (X CaPaz), Texito Langa (drums and vocals), Fireman (vocals).