MONDE FANI
GENRE: Jazz
FORMAT: Video
DURATION: 1hr
LANGUAGE: Music
AGES: All ages
AVAILABLE FROM: June 30, 2020
Right from the start of this performance, one is immediately drawn to Port Alfred resident Monde Fani’s remarkable voice. It is filled with a deep soulfulness that perfectly encapsulates his more notable performance style that is Afro-Soul.
Unfortunately, what the audience is also immediately made aware of is a less than ideal balance of sound that has the back-up singers set at a volume that all but drowns Fani’s outstanding vocals. A lack of chemistry with his band and singers, while not distracting, did leave all the work up to Fani.
Fani’s singing has a strong gospel influence, a result of his early start in singing at the age of eight at his local church, and his stage presence is energetic and with a good humour seen in soul singers of the past. His song choices leaned into the realm of easy listening, which, while appealing to the wider audience, made some numbers seem repetitive, and occasionally not quite hitting the mark.
Aside from these issues, Fani’s ability to dig deep into his vocal lines is impressive and his building of a personal narrative through his songs was well-conceived. His final two numbers were definitely the highlights of this performance.
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