MAX WILD BAND

There’s a very good reason why Max Wild’s debut release for ObliqSound is called Tamba. In Shona — the predominant language spoken in Zimbabwe, where Wild spent his youth — Tamba means “dance,” and it’s virtually impossible to be within listening distance of this music and not comply. The relentlessly exhilarating Tamba, which releases June 29 on ObliqSound, blurs the lines between jazz, funk and the indigenous African sounds Max Wild began absorbing even before he first picked up a saxophone at the age of 12. Surrounding himself with an intercontinental cast of characters, Wild fuses the rhythmic and melodic traditions of southern Africa with the sophisticated harmonies and inspired interactivity at the core of contemporary jazz. Tamba is an ecstatic, intensely kinetic celebration that bridges cultural and stylistic divides while keeping feet on the move. For all of the joy within its grooves, however, Tamba’s arrival is bittersweet. Max’s chief collaborator on the recording, brilliant young vocalist and guitarist Sam Mtukudzi, the son of Zimbabwean music legend Oliver Mtukudzi, passed away in a car accident in March of this year at the age of 21. Sam’s prominence on Tamba, instead of providing a wider introduction to his gifts, stands as a coda to a life and career cut short much too soon. Sam Mtukudzi’s presence permeates Tamba, which also features guest vocals from Zimbabwean vocalist and mbira star Chiwoniso, and Alicia Olatuja, whose husband Michael Olatuja provides the electric bass on the recording. It was, in fact, Wild’s desire to record with Sam Mtukudzi that gave him the initial impetus to take Tamba in the direction he ultimately did. Born in Germany, Wild’s family moved to the Zimbabwean capital Harare when he was just five years old, and he grew up learning from and later performing with many of the giants in the field, including Thomas Mapfumo and Oliver Mtukuduzi. When he met young Sam, he felt a strong kinship and they started to work together, including co-writing several of the album’s songs. Wild’s life story is reflected in Tamba, notes the album’s producer Michele Locatelli. “He’s a great musical innovator and bandleader. Tamba first hits you with the groove and then the narrative follows.” Each of the 10 tracks on Tamba shines a spotlight on the individual musicians and singers, and even the instrumentals convey tales of significance to Wild. The album gets off to a raucous start with “Kwatinobva,” one of the Wild-Mtukudzi compositions. “The title means ‘where we come from’ in Shona,” says Wild, “and the song talks about the son of a king being treated like nothing special once he leaves his kingdom, and that one should be proud of where one comes from and return to the place where one is respected.” With its shifts from complex jazz harmonies to driving Zimbabwean “hosho-groove,” the power-packed song establishes Max’s saxophone skills while allowing the band and vocalists ample space to stretch. “Kuvakidzana,” with music by Max and Sam and words by Chiwoniso, features the latter’s powerfully soulful vocal, and lyrics that implore us to listen to one another, work together as human beings and build something together. The epic, nearly nine-minute title track, “Tamba,” meanwhile, is one of Wild’s favorite songs on the record. Introduced with a hypnotic melody established by the superb guitarist Jesse Lewis, then carried to new places by Wild’s sax and Massimo Biolcati’s bass, the track is divvied into three sections: a typically Zimbabwean 12/8 groove, an odd-meter rock groove, and a mellow, harmonically challenging jazz sequence—a virtual feast of mood and tempo swings. “To understand the title, which means to dance or to play,” Wild says about the album and the same-named track, “one needs to understand the nature of Zimbabweans. They are a very optimistic people, even in times of crisis. This point has become particularly apparent in recent years where the living situation for the average person has become dire. In every other county there would have been a coup, rebellion or civil war. But not in Zim. It is a peaceful nation and miraculously people find a way to make ends meet against all odds. Often music is the only thing people have left after everything else has been taken.” That optimism and hope shines throughout the whole album, executed beautifully by Wild and his crew of long-standing bandmates, including Soren Moller on keys, Obed Calvaire on drums, Sam Felo on backing vocals and percussion, and Chris Berry on mbira and congas. In addition to original compositions and collaborations with Chiwoniso, Sam Mtukudzi, and Michael Olatuja, Wild was also pleased to record one of Oliver Mtukudzi’s songs. “Oliver is one of my biggest inspirations and his music embodies what I feel in music, so recording his ‘Ndakuvara’ is a tribute, arranged by Sam and myself to give it a personal touch.” For Max Wild, the road to Tamba has been a long and winding one. After his childhood in Africa, Max’s family moved to Berlin when he was 15, and he attended a German-American school and joined the jazz band. It was a trip to America to study jazz for a summer and two weeks in New York City that locked in his goals. He eventually earned scholarships from the Guildhall School of Music in London and the Manhattan School of Music in New York. Based in New York since then, Wild self-released a 2004 album called Zambezi Sunset, followed by the ObliqSound single “Teerera,” in 2008, which featured both Mtukudzis. Max regularly performs with the New York-based African Blue Notes, and in Zimbabwe, Wild has toured with many of the nation’s most established musicians. As he’s continued to develop his personal style, says Wild, “My connection to Zimbabwean music defines me. Once I stopped trying to sound like a ‘jazz’ musician and let my inspiration come out freely, I was able to let my diverse influences create something that was personal to me. My music,” he says, “tells the story of who I am and is a reflection of globalization and integration of cultures from all over the world. I’m fortunate that the world has become so small that I have been able to work with my favorite players from all over to create this sound and feeling. It’s up to the critics what they want to call it.” As long, he adds, as they don’t forget to dance. NEW FB PAGE @mynameismoa