{"product_id":"thandi-ntuli-with-carlos-nino-rainbow-revisited","title":"Thandi Ntuli with Carlos Niño - Rainbow Revisited","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003eLiner Notes by Thandi Ntuli:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI travelled to Los Angeles and the USA for the first time in 2019. Although I had not met Carlos in person, we connected via Instagram where he saw a video of me playing a piano motif (titled ‘The One’ in this sequence) that he really liked and expressed a wish to record. This was around 2017. We tried a few times to get me over to Los Angeles, but the timing was always off. Through a performance organised by a creative collective called The Nonsemble at The Ford Theatre we finally got the opportunity to meet, play together and subsequently go into studio to record some improvisations as he guided the recording process.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHaving been aware of some of his work – in particular his collaborative projects as Carlos Niño \u0026amp; Friends, as well as with his friend and long-time collaborator, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson – I knew that, with Carlos as producer, the artistic direction of the album would likely take me to a place I’d never considered going. A fact that had me both curious and terrified (as one tends to be when stepping into the unknown) Lol!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInitially keen to record the song that he had seen\/heard me play on Instagram, our performance a few days before the\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esession drew him to the song Rainbow off my sophomore album, Exiled (2018). On that zen-like California afternoon in Andy Kravitz’s cozy studio in Venice Beach, he encouraged me to play around with various iterations of Rainbow. “Try it this way”, “How about adding that?”, “Can you breathe into the mic?”, “What if you focus on the last section?”, and many other explorations that eventually went through a few cuts, edits, yays and nays to become this body of work. Rainbow Revisited was birthed through that session, another session a couple of days later, and a series of many small synchronicities that led up to that moment.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA particularly special moment for me was when he invited me to play something from home, which lent itself to me recording a song originally written by my grandfather that we often sing when at family gatherings. The song is called Nomayoyo.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSo much has happened since that session in late 2019. Many changes in our personal and collective universes. Losses and gains, births and transitions into the next life, Mother Nature’s ever-constant cycles reminding me that through all the chaos there remains, just beneath, this perfect order in Her ebb and flow. And most importantly, reminding me to feel for Her and to listen.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShe speaks!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf Rainbow in my initial birthing of it, expressed a discontent with what we have accepted as freedom in South Africa and, possibly, around the world, I’d like to think that Rainbow Revisited is some kind of a response. Where the idea of ‘the rainbow nation’, with all the baggage it carried, had hijacked the innocence and mystical nature of a rainbow, I now reclaim its meaning through going back, going inward, healing, and rebuilding with the hope of a less heart-breaking and more fulfilling tomorrow.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLihlanzekile!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003ca\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"credits-label\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased November 17, 2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThandi Ntuli: Piano, Synthesizer, Tongo, Voice\u003cbr\u003eCarlos Niño: Cymbals, Percussion, Plants\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded by Andy Kravitz at Studio 4 West, Venice Beach, California, August 2019.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAdditional Recording by Carlos Niño.\u003cbr\u003eProduced and Mixed by Carlos Niño.\u003cbr\u003eMastered by David Allen and Dave Vettraino.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCover Art by Shabaka Hutchings.\u003cbr\u003ePoem by Thandi Ntuli.\u003cbr\u003eInsert Photo by Thandi Ntuli.\u003cbr\u003eGraphic Design and Layout by Craig Hansen.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThandi’s Thank You’s:\u003cbr\u003eMy gratitude to you Carlos for conceiving and believing. For your\u003cbr\u003ehumanity and enthusiasm. All the years that this album was in the\u003cbr\u003emaking, and still so excited about it, if not more-so now. Scottie\u003cbr\u003eand David of International Anthem for your care and unrelenting\u003cbr\u003ebelief in this project. It is an honour to be in partnership with you.\u003cbr\u003eThank you, as well, to Shabaka for your contribution and energy\u003cbr\u003eby means of the artwork. I am so glad we were able to have your\u003cbr\u003evoice included in such a beautiful and fitting way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTo Umdali… Always in all ways, I remain committed to Love\u003cbr\u003eand being in service of you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTo all those who come before me, in my lineage, in\u003cbr\u003econsciousness, in deeds and musically. And to all those who\u003cbr\u003ehave just arrived and are still to come, who keep us hoping,\u003cbr\u003estriving, and dreaming.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNgiyabonga!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTo all who receive this music and complete the circle by giving\u003cbr\u003ethis work meaning, thank you!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd finally, to Graeme… I dedicate my contribution to this\u003cbr\u003ealbum to Dr Graeme Gilfillan who left us just when we\u003cbr\u003econcluded the final details of the album. Like I’d always say to\u003cbr\u003eyou “not all heroes wear capes”. May you be welcomed by a\u003cbr\u003egreat party of all the artists you fought for whilst you walked on\u003cbr\u003ethis earth. There aren’t enough thank you-s for what you have\u003cbr\u003edone for me and how you have empowered me. Thank you for\u003cbr\u003ewalking the walk and being a real one!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKuyosala izibongo.\u003cbr\u003ePhambili!\u003cbr\u003eAyabonga amaPhemba, nabo bonke abahamba nami!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTill we meet again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCarlos's Thank You's:\u003cbr\u003eThandi, what an Honor and Joy to make this Album\u003cbr\u003ewith You, Scottie McNiece, Francesca and Cosmo,\u003cbr\u003eDavid Allen, Alejandro Ayala, International Anthem,\u003cbr\u003eAndy Kravitz, the Wizard, Studio 4 West, The World Stage,\u003cbr\u003eAlex Kelman, Third Side Music, Jason Sugars, Kali Malikah,\u003cbr\u003eGreg Paul, David Otis, Ken Barrientos, Siya Makuzeni,\u003cbr\u003eShabaka Hutchings, Abdullah Ibrahim \/ Dollar Brand,\u003cbr\u003eTownhouse Venice, Louie \u0026amp; Netty Ryan, Novena Carmel,\u003cbr\u003eAlix Fisher, Nate Mercereau, Banch Abegaze, Jesse Peterson,\u003cbr\u003eTravis Lett, Jason Lader, Aaron Wiggs, Laraaji,\u003cbr\u003eClaudia Niño, Je Stabenau, Annelise and Mossy . . .\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"license-label\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"license\" class=\"info license\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"cc-icons commercial\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eall rights reserved\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"International Anthem","offers":[{"title":"Limited Edition \"Pot of Gold\" Color Vinyl LP","offer_id":53918591549781,"sku":"IARC0073LPI","price":25.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Classic Black Vinyl LP","offer_id":53918591254869,"sku":"IARC0073LP","price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD - Compact Disc","offer_id":53918591746389,"sku":"IARC0073CD","price":12.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1049\/0419\/6437\/files\/a2237445642_10.jpg?v=1779805703","url":"https:\/\/international-anthem.k7store.com\/products\/thandi-ntuli-with-carlos-nino-rainbow-revisited","provider":"International Anthem","version":"1.0","type":"link"}