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October
15, 2000Duo Composes 'King' to a different beat - Los Angeles Times from Evan Henerson, staff writer "If their assignment had simply been to adapt the score of a movie to fit a big-budget, Broadway-style musical, composers Mark Mancina and Lebo Morake likely would have passed. Even to Disney. They had traveled this road before, both having worked on the Grammy-winning score of Disney's 1994 animated movie, "The Lion King." click for complete story > |
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February 16, 2000 Lebo M Writes, Arranges & Produces Music for "Long Night's Journey Into Day" Frances Reid and Deborah Hoffman's "Long Night's Journey Into Day," winner of Sundance's Grand Jury Prize in the documentary competition, offers a compassionate look at the inner workings and psychological dynamics of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the country's unprecedented effort to heal its collective wounds. Boldly confronting such tough issues as the struggle for justice and need for forgiveness, the film centers on four case studies that expose the roots and banality of evil during the years of apartheid. ^ back to top |
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September
15, 1998The New York Times President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore joined cast members of "The Lion King" on stage after a fundraiser. Speaking was Peter Schneider, president of Walt Disney Theater Productions. ^ back to top |
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May
1998
Lebo M: Creating the Songs of Simba - Essence by Linda Armstrong Three years ago, when Disney released The Lion King, little (and big) kids everywhere caught on to the tunes--even the words in Swahili--like natives of the Motherland. Now the film's only African composer, Lebo M (he prefers to use the initial for Morake) is the choral director and arranger bringing that same rhythmic feeling to the stage version. "I believe that the music and culture of The Lion King brings to Broadway can become inspirational to people, particularly African-Americans," says Lebo, who is from Soweto, South Africa. It was the music of Lebo's Grammy-winning Disney album, Rhythm of the Pride Lands, (follow up to The Lion King soundtrack) that inspired director Julie Taymor to take on the Broadway production in the first place. This time around, Lebo combined the African languages of Zulu and Sotho with English, included a few singers from his homeland and created a powerful African chorus (which includes his wife, Nandi). At 15, Lebo fled South Africa for the United States, where he entered the Duke Ellington School of Music in Washington, D.C. He eventually landed the gig of a lifetime when he was asked to assemble a choir for the Oscar telecast for Cry Freedom's Academy Award nomination. In 1994 the 33-year old musician's dream came true, and then some. "Within one year, The Lion King film was released, Nelson Mandela became president, and I came home," says Lebo. Lebo recently got to return home once again for the release of his first solo effort, Deeper Meaning (Gallo Records). Now that he's achieving his goals, Lebo is clear about his future: "My ultimate happiness will be to see my youngest child become a success". ^ back to top |
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by Denene Millner, Staff Writer "The marriage of subtle. Western music to the thick passion of African rhythms is no easy negotiation-but then, Lebo M, the arranger and choral director for "The Lion King," opening tonight on Broadway, has been courting the two his entire life, In his native Soweto, South Africa, Lebo was a nightclub dweller at the age of 9, quick to impart Zulu songs inspired by diamond mine workers--and then bust out into a Marvin Gaye ditty. It's no wonder, then, that the task of producing a score mixing huge Euro centric orchestrations with authentic South African music fell to Lebo. The result is an orchestra pit of violins and African percussion, and a choir filled with American and South Africans singers--sort of an elton John meets Miriam Makeba arrangement. "We have probable the weirdest orchestra on Broadway," he laughs. "But it's beautiful." Music has always been the life of Lebo Morake. After a self-imposed exile--"more for my music than it was for political activism" -- he came to America to attend the prestigious Duke Ellington School of Music in Washington. He moved to California and worked odd jobs while gigging in L. A.'s music scene. While working with members of Earth, Wind & Fire, Lebo got his first big break when he assembled an African choir to perform the Oscar-nominated title song from "Cry Freedom" on the Academy Awards telecast. He went on to to work on the stage production of "Sarafina" before contributing to the movie version of "The Lion King"--which garnered him a Grammy. Asked how
he's faring as the production's "Mr. Do-It-All," Lebo answers
playfully: "You're making me want to quit just thinking about it!"
The he adds, "It's exciting. I only hope that, like the movie, people
come out of the theater smiling--and appreciating life." |
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1995 Cash Box, The Entertainment Trade Magazine South African Grammy nominee Lebo M (The Lion King) and legend Jimmy Cliff had no worries when they collaborated to record a reggae version of "Hakuna Matata" at Bob Marley's Tuff Gong studio in Kingston last month. The song will be featured on Lebo's debut album titled Rhythm of the Prideland, schedule for a February 28 release. At the age of 30, Lebo earned a Grammy nomination for his arrangement of of The Lion King's "Circle of Life." In exile in the U.S. since he was 14, Lebo's performance/composition/arrangement credits include The Power of One, Congo, Made In America, and the Academy Awards performance of Cry Freedom. ^ back to top |
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March 1995"The Magic of the South African Boy, Lebo M Who Won A Grammy" - African Entertainment Africa's best kept secret claim to stardom is finally out. "He is the movie," says Hans Zimmer, the composer of The Lion King soundtrack. He "is forever the spirit and voice of The Lion King," echoes Don Hahn, the producer of The Lion King. Now he has just released his first album, The Rhythm of the Pridelands: Busa Le Lizwe which potentially threatens the quintuple platinum (5 million units) achievement of its parent, The Lion King soundtrack. He has worked with the masters at the apex of Hollywood music industry--Quincy Jones and Hans Zimmer. ^ back to top |
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September
8, 1995Tale of Two Composers Variety by Phil Gallo South African native Lebo M was surprised when he hooked up with Jerry Goldsmith to work on arrangements for the lost-in-the-wilds score to "Congo." He found himself in a new situation, despite years of working with film. "I was very conscious of my fear," Lebo M says of his first meeting with Goldsmith, "but he was so humble for a person of his stature. The first half hour was so relaxing that it opened me up. We talked through the music and I got a strong sense from him about how to proceed. We shared a lot of ideas and it worked because he's very open-minded." Lebo M--the M stands for Morake--took Goldsmith's melodies and wrote arrangements based on his rhythms and added African-style voicing's."It was 100% collaboration," he says. "It was yet another collaboration where I could experiment with the influences that bring out the African in me." Morake has grown comfortable in his lead role as a voice of authority, the musician able to authenticate a vision of Africa and retain palatability for Western ears. His high-profile work in "Congo" and "The Lion King," with Hans Zimmer, have provided him with a vehicle for his own art, most specifically the "Rhythm of the Pride Lands" disc from Disney records that's essentially a Lebo M solo disc. "Getting calls about soundtracks became more interesting because of the flexibility to be creative without (the pressure of) making a hit record," says Morake who has contributed a track to the upcoming "People" soundtrack and is considering two projects in which he would be in charge. "I love working to create what's in my heart and mind, as long as I can reflect what's on the screen. 'Rhythms' gave me a platform for an introductory statement." ^ back to top |
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