Vocalist Tee Nyoni decided he had to do something after hearing news reports covering the vicious attacks carried out by Zimbabwean law enforcement on peaceful civilian protesters who have been demonstrating against Robert Mugabe’s regime. He was even more unsettled by what he saw on television news broadcasts. The stories and the images prompted him into action; to do something for the countrymen he left behind in his former homeland.
“It’s situations like the one in Zimbabwe which makes you believe that music can be a force for social change,” Nyoni stated. “Music can change social thinking.”
With singles currently riding up the charts in North America, Japan, Australia and the UK, Nyoni wants to use his recent success to highlight his humanitarian interests.
His band Thabani will release the single ‘Right 2 Demonstrate’ on 20 May 2007. The pre-release single, priced at £0.79, is currently available as a paid download from Wippit.com and EasyMusic.com. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Plan UK and Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA). For those who might wish to contribute more to the fundraising effort, download bundles which include 3 songs are available, priced at £0.99.
Plan UK will use the proceeds in its works with the unheard victims of the current violence, the children of Zimbabwe. Funds will also allow WOZA to continue its work in organising peaceful demonstrations, largely organised by women, and keep the current injustices being suffered in Zimbabwe in the spotlight of the world stage.
‘Right 2 Demonstrate’ is an emotive song which calls for the right for citizens to speak their minds in free and democratic society. It strikes at the very heart of Robert Mugabe’s violent government which has used extreme force to stop people’s peaceful demonstrations in Zimbabwe.
Henry Olonga, a former Zimbabwean cricketer turned political activist said: “The message in the song really triggered me into action. The words were that profound and honest.”
Olonga achieved international recognition (along with team mate Andy Flower) in 2003 by wearing a black armband in a Cricket World Cup match to protest against the policies of Zimbabwe's government, led by Robert Mugabe. In a statement at the time, Olonga said: “In [wearing the armband] we are mourning the death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe. In doing so we are making a silent plea to those responsible to stop the abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe. In doing so, we pray that our small action may help to restore sanity and dignity to our nation.” This act led to a warrant issued in Zimbabwe for Olonga's arrest on charges of treason and forced him to retire from international cricket and temporarily go into hiding.
Born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Nyoni arrived in London in 1978. However, he still kept close ties with Zimbabwe through his ties with family and friends.
He formed Thabani in 2005. Hailing from West London, Thabani combine Soul, Afro and Groove influences to their potent mix of 'brilliant front line' tunes with a modern contemporary edge. Conscious lyrics to live by, fused with a passionate musical landscape, Thabani have earned a massive live following all over Europe with headline performances at The Jazz Cafe, Ronnie Scott's and city tours in France, Germany, Holland and the Czech Republic.
Nyoni is aware of the influence music, and by extension musicians and artists, has on informing a global audience. While Thabani isn’t aiming for another Live Aid or Live 8 event, he is keen to demonstrate what one artist or group can do to raise awareness and raise funds for an important issue.
The album ‘Mind Is A Rebel’, licensed to Aardvark Records worldwide, has been released in the UK on Cargo Records. ‘Right 2 Demonstrate’ is the band’s third release from the album ‘Mind Is A Rebel’.
To purchase the single, please visit http://www.wippit.com/Thabani or http://www.easymusic.com/thabani
ENDS
For more information about this press release, please contact:
Alex di Savoia - Head of Marketing & Promotions
Aardvark Records, 75 Alderwood Parc, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 8RL UK
Telephone: +44 (0) 1326 376 707
email alex@aardvarkrecords.co.uk
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About Plan (UK)
Founded 70 years ago, Plan is one of the largest child-centred community development organisations in the world.
The organisation works in 62 countries on projects and initiatives that address the causes of poverty and its consequences for children's lives. It works with children, their families and communities to build a world where children are safe, healthy and capable of realising their full potential.
Their projects are about making sure that communities have the resources and the knowledge they need to help their children in the future. Through the course of each project, Plan assesses the communities they work with to determine whether objectives have been addressed, whether local people have acquired the knowledge and skills for them to carry on with projects without Plan's support, or where relevant, with a local partner organisation. Once that has been achieved Plan can focus its work to reach even more people. Only in this way can the organisation make sure that an increasing number of children have the best chance in life.
Plan audits its programmes as well as its finances. This is to assess whether it is using best practice when designing projects with communities, to help the organisation to learn from experience and from others, and to see whether it is meeting the expectations of the communities with whom it works. Plan’s projects are evaluated and monitored regularly to assess just how effective they are in meeting children’s needs.
For more information about Plan, visit http://www.plan-uk.org
About WOZA
WOZA, the acronym of Women of Zimbabwe Arise, is an Ndebele word meaning ‘Come forward’. Now with a countrywide membership of over 35,000 women and men, WOZA was formed in 2003 as a women’s civic movement to:
- Provide women, from all walks of life, with a united voice to speak out on issues affecting their day-to-day lives.
- Empower female leadership that will lead community involvement in pressing for solutions to the current crisis.
- Encourage women to stand up for their rights and freedoms.
- Lobby and advocate on those issues affecting women and their families.
Based on the principles of strategic non-violence, through its actions, WOZA creates space to allow Zimbabweans to articulate issues they may be too fearful to raise alone. WOZA has conducted over 50 protests in its three-year existence. The women, front-line human rights defenders, are willing to suffer beatings and unbearable conditions in prison cells to exercise their constitutional rights and fundamental freedoms.
In 2006, WOZA carried out consultations on social justice across the country. In 284 meetings, almost 10,000 rural and urban people told the organisation what they want in a new Zimbabwe. WOZA wrote down what they said and the result is a document that forms the People’s Charter.
For more information about Plan, visit http://wozazimbabwe.org
About Thabani
Hailing from West London, Thabani the Roots-Soul collective combine Soul, Afro and Groove influences to their potent mix of 'brilliant front line' tunes with a modern contemporary edge.
Led by charismatic Zimbabwean singer and songwriter Tee Nyoni, together with a tight musical ensemble of brass, guitar, drums, African percussion and backing vocals, Thabani produce a classic 'Soulful Wall Of Sound',Tee brings the energy of a young 'James Brown' the voice of 'Marvin Gaye' and the songwriting influences of Curtis Mayfield and Fela Kuti.
Conscious lyrics to live by, fused with a passionate musical landscape, the Thabani band have earned a massive live following all over Europe with headline performances at The Jazz Cafe, Ronnie Scott's and city tours in France, Germany, Holland and the Czech Republic
Featured on BBC Radio 1's 'One World' Gilles Peterson quoted the Thabani band as 'The One's to Watch', BBC Radio 2's Soul Solutions Host Mica Paris called them an 'Up and coming soul talent' and BBC London Live DJ, Dr Bob Jones described them as 'Organic black soul music, full of fire!'
The group were recently featured on BBC Radio 3, Late Junction with Shareeha Asante, who said their music 'has a laidback and infectious soulful groove which also retains the rhythms and spirit of Africa through the melodic vocals of Tee Nyoni’.
2007 sees the release of the album ‘Mind is a Rebel’ licensed to Aardvark Music Ltd. The album will be available worldwide. |
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About Aardvark Records
Established in 2001, Aardvark Records is one of the UK's most creative record labels with an international reach disproportionate to its small size. Its staunchly independent stance and pioneering spirit have produced a string of well-received releases worldwide, spanning a variety of music genres: dance, pop and rock. Its current hit-making writers and producers include: EricM, Zetan Spore, Thabani, Everett Young, Yahel and Jeff Alford.
Aardvark started life as a local record label handling a variety of Cornwall-based artists. It became a small national independent label in 2002 and has since grown into an international label with a network of in-house licensing agents and A&R spread around the globe.
Its directors bring a collective 25 years' music industry experience to the label.
For more information, please contact Alex di Savoia on 01326 213 706 or email: alex@aardvarkrecords.co.uk or visit www.aardvarkrecords.co.uk
 Additional Information
 Plan UK
WOZA
Thabani
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