Aura Lewis
Aura Msimang (Lewis) | |
---|---|
Birth name | Aurelia Msimang |
Born | Western Native Township, Johannesburg, South Africa | 4 March 1947
Died | 28 December 2015 | (aged 68)
Genres | Reggae, jazz |
Years active | Mid-1970s–2015 |
Labels | Blue Moon |
Aura Msimang (Aura Lewis) (4 March 1947– 28 December 2015), born Aurelia Msimang, was a South African singer who worked with Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff and recorded an album with Lee "Scratch" Perry in the late 1970s.
Early life and career
She was born Aurelia Msimang in Western Native Township, Johannesburg, South Africa on 4 March 1947.[1]
After growing up in Johannesburg, she moved to the United States in the early 1970s and enrolled at
Full Experience
Back in Jamaica, Lewis became a regular backing vocalist for Perry at his
Later career
Lewis left Jamaica and joined the
While in Paris she started a project which would allow her to move back to South Africa where she worked in community development. On her arrival in Johannesburg she became involved in forming a non-profit organisation called Reggae Vision which was meant to uplift and promote reggae artists while organising scarce gigs and events for the rasta community. Aura would get backing from the group Tidal Waves and many others reggae practitioners around the suburb of Yeoville in Johannesburg.[citation needed]
From 1994 to 1996 she stayed in Belgium and was one of the singers of the Tsjaka reggae band.[citation needed]
In 2006 she was invited to perform in Brazil with her band and upon her return continued to develop her album, Afrikan Child, which was to be her last body of work. Working from Base II Base Studios in Yeoville she assembled a group of young producers and beatmakers to contribute to the album. The album was named Afrikan Child because she had made these collaborations with her children. Initially the production was started by the in house producers namely, DOC, Julius, Tebogo "Vambos", Sakhele Maphuthi and Milandru Mapengo who eventually took over the production of six of the tracks on the album. Paul Brown a producer from London, UK contributed a track entitled, Magic In Your Eyes, where the band recorded the entire song and sent the record for Aura Msimang to add her vocals.[citation needed]
Afrikan Child was released in 2010 on digital outlets. The album did not fare well due to poor mixing which was handled by dancehall producers in the UK.[citation needed]
Death
On 28 December 2015, Aura Lewis died.[3]
Discography
Albums
- Full Experience: Aura Meets Lee "Scratch" Perry at Black Ark Studio (1990) Blue Moon
- Itshe (2000) Aura Msimang[4]
- Afrikan Child (2010) Aura Msimang[5]
Singles
- "Azania"
References
- ^ ISBN 0-86241-854-2, p.289, 298, 299
- ^ ISBN 0-7535-0242-9, p16
- ^ Staff (14 January 2016). "Aura Lewis, singer - obituary". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- ^ Itshe
- ^ Afrikan Child
External links
- Full Experience at Roots Archives
- Katz, David (1991) "Aura Lewis - Full Experience" (interview), Musical Roots magazine