In March 2020, Limpopo Mirror went in search of the famous reggae music sensation, Ntshenge and the Jah Live. The group was last seen performing live during the memorial service of reggae legend Colbert Muthude, better known as Jahman Chiganja, in February 2018.
When we tracked down the group's leader, Ntshengedzeni Nthungeni, he dismissed rumours of his disappearance and assured readers that he was still alive and well, despite the group's apparent inactivity. He revealed they were working behind closed doors on new material.
Last Tuesday, the group broke their silence and released a five-track extended play (EP) album titled Fishermen — their first new release in 17 years.
The EP was recorded, mixed and mastered at Downtown Music Hub in Johannesburg, a studio with a rich history of working with iconic South African artists and bands such as Stimela, Harare, Joseph Shabalala and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Lucky Dube, Soul Brothers, Mbongeni Ngema and Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse.
The EP features original root reggae tracks such as Back Bitters, Mini Kana Mini, Women and Children, Stepping Stone and Fruitless Trees. These songs are a testament to the group's evolution and maturity after a 17-year hiatus — a period that, rather than being wasted, allowed them to prepare for the demands of an ever-evolving music industry.
In an interview with Limpopo Mirror, the group's leader, Ntshengedzeni Nthungeni from Tshaulu Habegwa Tshiumoni village outside Thohoyandou, said: "For the past 17 years, my phone rang every day with calls from our fans pleading for our comeback. Now that the time is right, we will talk less and allow our music to do the talking. We are back now and ready to take the bull by the horns. The music is pure original reggae that will automatically take our fans to a higher level."
Asked why the EP was titled Fishermen, even though no track bore that name, he quickly responded: "Wait a moment. This is still a secret. We are still going back to the studio in the near future to record an additional five songs to make it a full album. Meanwhile, we are organising live performances across the country and also in other African countries to promote our new offering."
Ntshenge and the Jah Live rose to fame in 1999 with the release of their debut album, Legalized Crime, which featured the hit song Tsho nnambatela. Their second album, Cornerstone, followed in 2006.