“Absolutely superb” Bob Harris, BBC Radio2
Afropop from Scotland? The latest take on Afro-Celtic music comes from straight outta Glasgow. Really more Afro than Celtic, the band includes members from France, Scotland, Ghana, and Uganda, led by Liberian singer Jerry Boweh. Shimmering guitars, soaring vocals, and positive messages combine a toe-tapping danceable multicultural masala with elements of Afropop (ala Youssou N'Dour, Angelique Kidjo, Salif Keita), jazz, jam band, and rock. Their lyrical messages echo the upbeat music, from the title track's exhortation to be careful and unified in a time of chaos to the celebration of each person's special gifts in "Gigadeh." But Zuba doesn't turn a blind eye to trouble: "Tomayziyi" is a plea against war in Liberia and across the globe, and also contains an amazingly infectious guitar riff. "Zuba (Cheer Up)" is an appropriate theme song for the group, a great beat wedded to the message "Come and join the celebration; Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere." As good as this album is, one gets the impression that the full Zuba experience is available only at live concerts. So see Zuba if you can, or buy their CD for a taste of their feel-good Bassa Beat sound.
©2005 Scott Allan Stevens, Earball Media http://www.earball.net/spintheglobe
"Zuba's sound is a fusion of the band members’ different cultures through a melodic and percussion driven sound and gritty vocals which unite Liberia, France, Uganda, Ghana and Scotland."
"This album from Glasgow's multi-cultural maestros, Zuba, is the world-rock hybrid Led Zeppelin never made.
Stand-out track Tomayziyi is Liberian singer Boweh's blistering attack on the civil war in his homeland. Featuring mesmerising guitars, hypnotic rhythms and hook-laden melodies, Allez! is the most stunning mix of western and African music since Paul Simon's Graceland."
****
John Dingwall, Daily record, 10/06/05
"What do you get if you cross Africans singers and dancers with Scottish musicians and a French percussionist? Why Zuba, of course, a Glasgow-based seven-piece world music collective who produce a unique hybrid of traditional music from around the globe with no small amount of panache and passion. Songs like 'Tomayziyi' and 'Zuba' are typical, blending upbeat African rhythms with gospel harmonies, a very definite Celtic ceilidh sensibility, an R&B twist and even a distinct English folk vibe to make something which manages, mainly through the band's unabashed exuberance, to not be a dog's dinner of a sound. Unusual, engaging stuff."
Doug Johnstone, The List, 21/07/05
Zuba - Single - Allez Allez! / Kuwa
'Allez Allez!' and 'Kuwa' from seven piece Scottish band, Zuba, are beautifully handled pieces of contemporary world music. Gentle African rhythms and vocals weave in and out of the incessant vibes laid down by musicians from just about every musical walk-of-life.
The beauty of this genre of music is that it doesn't matter that the lyrics are sung in languages most of us will never understand or master. The crux of Zuba's wonderfully lilting wares is that the overriding rhythms carry the listener along and the vocals become almost secondary even though they're equally as important. Both tracks of this 'double A side' single are superbly written, arranged and performed; the multiple voices and harmonies are carried along on a wave of intricately picked guitars and superbly pointed percussion work.
The combined skills and tracks on offer here remind me of the excellent e2K; superb musicianship that never sounds self-indulgent - Zuba just want to share their skills and influences with anyone prepared to listen. I can well imagine Zuba playing the Festivals circuit and causing absolute havoc with their works.
As a music loving traveller I can readily turn my attention to the music of most Nations - and regularly do!. Here, Zuba have given me just a short peek look into their rhythmic world. I'm sure their latest album, 'Allez!' will be crammed full of similar beauties. So, look out for this single release - seek out the album - go see Zuba!!
(Rhythm & Booze rating 9) Peter J Brown aka toxic pete (www.toxicpete.co.uk)
Zuba - Allez!
Having just recently reviewed Zuba's single taken from this ten track work I am pleased and heartened to now be in possession of 'Allez!', the album.
Zuba describe their beautiful genre as 'Bassa Beat'. Zuba's aim, so it appears, is to bring musical enlightenment into our lives. To that end, they've essentially taken African rhythms, World-folk-lore tales and European musical influences and thrown in, no not thrown, but carefully interlaced, many other World inspired sounds and feels. The result is an intriguing, genre-bending, eclectic set of incredibly tangible and uplifting 'songs' to gently, almost magically, screw their way into the listeners soul.
Wow this is a great piece of work! Intelligent vibes and grooves that can be as relaxingly hypnotic as they can be frantically dancey or alarmingly poignant. Each and every track has something new to offer as the World influences gently unfold from within the mix. If I have to give just one prime example of the brilliantly melded influences I would have to choose track six, 'Tomayziyi (No War)' which is an absolute gem. At just over six minutes in length it's packed with pulsating traditional rhythms and contemporary vibes. It's clever arrangement carries the imagination from Africa to Scotland, making other surprising stops along the way. It manages to combine bright danceable Afro themes with dark, Celtic refrains whilst the main drum work somehow manages to retain a totally contemporary, light rock feel. It really is an absolutely stunning and remarkable work. But, it's not on it's own; the whole album is similarly constructed. Packed full of originality and interest.
I just wish I'd found Zuba and their music a long time ago. I now feel fulfilled through the remarkable 'Allez!' but somehow empty, almost angry, at having missed their previous works. 'Allez!' is, without question, a stunning piece or work! 'Allez!' is a clear demonstration of originality through tradition. 'Allez!' is red-hot, vibrant and inspirational. 'Allez!' is simply mind-blowing!
(Rhythm & Booze Rating 10) Peter J Brown aka toxic pete (www.toxicpete.co.uk)
"When the Bhundu Boys brought jit jive to Scotland they brought the sun with them, whether livening up a dark Edinburgh club or a sparsely-populated Meadowbank stadium. And they have left a legacy – Zuba are a Scots-African collective with no Zimbabweans in their ranks but the feel is the same – impossibly complicated guitars, and beautifully orchestrated vocals chorusing together. Whether it’s on ‘Kuwa’, which beckons the listerner to sing along despite the language barrier, or ‘Allez! Allez!’ which could have them up forming a conga around their living room, Zuba have taken the best bits of African music and somehow added a Western slant/Scottishness to it –the essential 3-minute format and the dance beats. All they need now is to get it out there to a public that don’t realise this kind of music exists. Where’s Andy Kershaw when you need him?"
**** Stuart McHugh, Is This Music, October 2005