Global InformationMajurugenta information
| Marurugenta | ||||
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| Studio album by Ghorwane | ||||
| Released | 10 September 1993 | |||
| Recorded | August 1991 | |||
| Studio | Real World Studios, Box, Wiltshire | |||
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| Length | 48:56 | |||
| Label | Real World Records | |||
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| Ghorwane chronology | ||||
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Marjurugenta is the debut album by Mozambican marrabenta band Ghorwane, recorded in August 1991 at Real World Studios but not released until September 1993 by Real World Records. The band had built up a reputation in their native country throughout the 1980s for their unique urban dance musical style and politically conscious lyrics, pulling from genres such as marrabenta and xigubu. After being denied visas to play at a European festival in 1987, it soon became possible for the band to play the world music-celebrating WOMAD festival in 1990. While on their trip to the festival, the band were approached by the WOMAD-affiliated Real World Records to record their debut album.
The album combines warm melodies, soulful horns, East African guitar work, dance rhythms (mostly in Mozambican styles), soft vocals, subdued percussion and elements of further afield genres such as soukous (especially prevalent in the rhythms and horns), reggae, jazz as well as Portuguese and Brazilian music. Jose "Zeca" Alage's breezy saxophone work is a defining feature of the music. Lyrically, the album addresses the poor state of Mozambican society and criticises how the country's citizens were dying due to lack of medicine and transport during the civil war. The album received critical acclaim, with praising aimed at the agit-prop lyrics, danceable rhythms and unique sound. Alage was murdered prior to the band's 1993 European tour in promotion of the album.