Neco Novellas

Neco Novellas has a remarkably, dark, smoky voice sometimes reminiscent of a deeper-toned Al Jarreau in delivery, and his tunes allow him to show it off to fine effect. With the support of an effective female chorus, he switches style effortlessly, and occasionally even mid-song. You ve got Mozambican pop, Afro-beat, jazz-funk and reggae allied to some snappy performances a contemporary singer-songwriter in inspiring action.

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Afrikaan * * * * *

Als een spons zuigt de Mozambikaanse zanger Neco Novellas muziek uit alle windstreken en van alle tijden op. Zijn nieuwe plaat bevat jazz, warme Afrikaanse harmonieën en zijn bariton. 'Oh ja? Kun je het horen?'

Neco Novellas is de man van de gelijknamige band (met twee broers en twee zussen een familieproject) die met 'New Dawn - Ku Khata' een opzienbarende plaat uitbracht bij het Nederlandse agentschap World Connection.

Een album waarop jazz en uitgesponnen improvisatie (met bijdragen van de Nederlandse talenten en jazzbroers Gideon en Ben van Gelder) samengaan met warme Afrikaanse vocale harmonieën en een rijk etnisch instrumentarium. Waarop zowel reggae als pop te horen is, als Afrikaanse gospel, als de ontluikende operastem van Neco.

Neco is geboren in de Mozambikaanse hoofdstad Maputo als loot aan de stam van de Chopi, een plattelandsvolk dat van oudsher leefde in de zuidelijke regionen van Mozambique, maar door teisteringen van oorlog, droogte en armoede de laatste decennia naar de stedelijke gebieden is getrokken.

Hij raakte gefascineerd door het verfijnde vocale vraag-en-antwoordspel en door de complexe ritmes van de trommels en de melodieën van de timbila-xylofoons. Hij luisterde aan de deur van de Zuid-Afrikaanse buren in Maputo, die hun land waren ontvlucht. Zo ving hij de ceremoniële in Zulu en Swati gezongen harmonieën op.

Timbila-muziek wordt gespeeld tijdens ceremoniële optredens, op houten xylofoons, of timbila. Een orkest, dat soms wel dertien xylofoonbespelers kan tellen, wordt geleid door een hoofdxylofonist, die tegelijk de teksten dicht en voordraagt, de muziek componeert, dirigeert en speelt.

De xylofoons in het orkest improviseren op de uitgezette melodielijnen van de ensembleleider in contrapuntiek. Zo ontstaat volgens etnomusicologen ‘een van de meest ontwikkelde vormen van Afrikaanse compositie’, waarin volgens sommige antropologen invloeden van Balinese gamelanmuziek te horen zouden zijn, maar die theorie is omstreden.

Het voortbestaan van de timbila-traditie is in gevaar, omdat zich nauwelijks een nieuwe generatie Chopi aandient om de xylofoon te bestuderen. Het bestand vaardige xylofonisten vergrijst, en het wordt steeds moeilijker omvangrijke orkesten samen te stellen.

En een ander probleem dient zich aan: de boom waaruit de timbila worden gesneden, dreigt door ontbossing uit te sterven.

Zie: www.unesco.org/culture/intangible-heritage

Neco Novellas has a remarkably, dark, smoky voice sometimes reminiscent of a deeper-toned Al Jarreau in delivery, and his tunes allow him to show it off to fine effect. With the support of an effective female chorus, he switches style effortlessly, and occasionally even mid-song. You’ve got Mozambican pop, Afro-beat, jazz-funk and reggae allied to some snappy performances – a contemporary singer-songwriter in inspiring action.

"This album is my answer to globalization, not in a political way but in a musical sense " says Anselmo ‘Neco’ João Johanhane alias Neco Novellas. "It talks about music as a universal language." The singer-songwriter from Mozambique has just finished his album New Dawn – Ku Khata, released on World Connection. The album presents contemporary music with African roots. "It's a document of where I am right now."

The album reflects Neco's musical identity. Therefore it goes beyond categorization. "I never tied myself down to one genre of music. Why should I? I enjoy the richness of music everywhere around me and use it all. I also dig deep inside myself.” The fourteen songs of "New Dawn – Ku Khata" lead you from Mozambican pop to jazz, to funk, to afro beat and gospel and along the way there is reggae, rock and classical music. The album may be diverse in styles and languages; at the same time there is a recognizable and distinctive 'Novellas sound'. This is a soulful, warm and rhythmic music held together by the unity of a family.

The album is the result of an intense and personal musical journey. "There is a story for each song. They tell about the experiences I went through, says Neco. ”I've been taken by music ever since I heard sounds around me. I've collected and registered all of it. I remember listening at the door of our South African neighbours in Mozambique, who had fled their own country. They used vocal harmonic music in Zulu and Swati for their spiritual ceremonies. Their singing expressed the longing for their homelands and the sorrow they felt. The music lifted them up. I now realize their sounds left their traces in mine. The intro song "Ku Khata", for example has a straight line to that music. I put my own blues in it."

Neco’s intense interest in music took him to other countries. He wanted to learn everything there is to learn about music. It led him to Portugal where he studied classical guitar and singing and later on to Holland where he focused on jazz, classical and world music. In the meantime two of his brothers, who were experimenting with rock in South Africa, have joined him in Rotterdam. Together they worked continuously on the songs of New Dawn – Ku Khata. Neco: ”those songs have grown on me. They are my companions. The songs are carefully composed, layer upon layer. We've tried to give the music the right balance between lightness and depth. You can dance to some of them but also sit down and find the richness of the compositions, rhythms and harmonies.”

The music on this album is the result of some fruitful collaborations. For the most part, Neco worked with his two brothers Nelson (electric guitar, percussion, vocals) and Isildo (bass guitar, vocals, percussion) and sisters Cidalia and Isabel (both backing vocals). He also worked with singer Lilian Vieira (Zuco 103), who's originally from Brazil and speaks another kind of Portuguese than he does. ”In the studio, that worked fantastically. We sang a Mozambican samba duet called "Vermelha" in our mutual language and connected instantly.” Neco sings about memories, loss and longing. Lilian sings about a kid growing up on the streets of Brazil and finding joy in playing with a ball. Another example of how you don't need words corresponding through music was when Gideon van Gelder played his part for "Tikona" on the piano on the other side of the Atlantic, in a studio in New York. “We never spoke about the music but he just hit the soul of that song straight away! That's how global music gets.” And the family affair went on: Gideon’s brother Ben van Gelder played the saxophone in ”Yeke Yo”.

"Tikona" is the key song of the album. Everything is in there: blues, jazz from South Africa and ethnic sounds. The lyrics talk about how there was nothing at the beginning of time, like the Bible says. It’s like this song already existed. Everybody instantly knew how to play it." "The song "Tsanganane" which means togetherness talks about the joy of doing things together. It's so much more fun to exchange your experiences with others. Music is a way to bring people together, to unite people, and cultures. Unconsciously, for me it's a reason for me to make music. Its also logical for me to work with others because we were eight kids at home!" Neco doesn’t have a political message with his album. He leaves that to others, though he reflects on things happening in the world. "Hi Rhama" for example is a song about the floods that have hit Mozambique since the year 2000. Neco: ”I experienced our home being completely flooded. It looked like a canal from our front door to the church where I first learned to sing. I couldn't reach that place anymore.”

In "Zuma Luei" Neco experiments with the traditional music the Portuguese brought to Mozambique. Their classical three chord music was mixed with local Mozambican music and people call it Marabenta which means wow! Marabenta is simple, popular dance music. It was exported to many Portuguese-speaking countries. Many people think this is the typical music from Mozambique but there is so much more, says Neco. “I reflect on that in my version of Marabenta by twisting things around and making it a bit theatrical.”

Ku khata means new dawn. Neco: “I see this album as a new start and wonder what the future has in store. Every day is a new one and I'm curious about what it will bring. I'm ready for it!

Press quotes
"Neco Novellas transforms the musical richness of Africa into fresh arrangements where Africa (Mozambique) touches Brazil, Europe and Jamaica. " Jazz Magazine, Netherlands

”Neco Novellas makes music intuitively, it’s in his blood.” – de Volkskrant, Netherlands

”Attractive African pop with surprising changes in tempo and whose live shows continually mesmerize audiences.” - NRC Next, Netherlands

”On New Dawn – Ku Khata you’ll find songs where Mozambican roots, jazz, Brazilian and classical influences flow melodiously and soulfully.” - Mixed Magazine, Netherlands

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Afrikaan * * * * *

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