with people he likes, and most importantly he crafts
experience, in my limited opinion. Paul has helped
compositions using the elements at hand in ways we
promote them to a world stage.
have never heard before. Because he is so successful
Anyone truly interested in that period of Pop
he is singled out for taking advantage of his success,
meets World Music would do well to see the
and incorporating these elements in his music. When
documentary “Under African Skies”. Paul went to
you consider Paul’s poetry and his skill at song-
South Africa at the height of apartheid, not to make a
writing, the artists and musical elements that Paul
political statement but in search of a sound he
weaves into his music – it is distinctively his. You
loved… one thing led to another and Graceland
only need to look at the original music of any of the
happened. That moment in time put a face and a
collaborating artists to see how Paul’s writing is an
musical voice to the black South African people! We
evolution. Every one of the artists involved in this
toured with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the
process appear to me to be better off for the
original Graceland band (for the most part) along with
Hugh Masekela. You can sense in the film that