UNITED KINGDOM: TWO NATION CHARITY CONCERT FOR SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA

Record ID: 393543

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: TWO NATION CHARITY CONCERT FOR SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA
  • Date: 11th July 1996
  • Summary: MASEKELA SAYING I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A GREAT KALEIDESCOPE OF BRITISH, SOUTH AFRICAN AND, WITH QUINCY JONES, SOME AMERICAN MUSIC AS WELL. IT IS A GREAT POT POURRI AS WELL. IT IS THE OPENING OF A LOT OF BORDERS AND BOUNDARIES AS WELL. IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE HERE SPECIALLY BECAUSE ENGLAND WAS ONE OF THE COUNTRIES WHICH MADE A LOT OF MONEY OUT OF SOUTH AFRICA AND IT IS GREAT THAT NOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHARE SOME OF IT WITH YOU IF WE CAN SHARE THE MUSIC
  • Embargoed: 26th July 1996 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Entertainment,Royalty
  • Reuters ID: LVA6XAPFHTT7FH261F6HGY8WNUDB
  • Story Text: Phil Collins, Tony Bennett and Quincy Jones joined legendary African musicians on stage in London on Thursday (July 11) at a concert in honour of South African President Nelson Mandela.

    Britain's Queen Elizabeth, the Prince of Wales and other members of the Royal Family joined anti-apartheid campaigners in a 4,700-strong audience at London's Royal Albert Hall for the celebration.

    The Two Nations concert hoped to raise at least 450,000 U.S.

    dollars for the Prince's Trust and its South African equivalent, The Nation's Trust.

    The all-star billing, which included South African performer Hugh Masekela, was drawn up at the request of Mandela himself.

    "He likes to dance," Masekela explained. "He likes to get down.

    He's a get-down person and he likes music." Prince's Trust director Tom Shabbeare said Mandela wanted to hold a more lively and popular event than a banquet as is usually the case with state visits.

    The concert featured the first performance by the Phil Collins Big Band, a 20-strong ensemble put together by the British rock star and featuring veteran crooner Tony Bennett as singer and soul legend Quincy Jones as conductor.

    Also on the bill were well-known South African singing group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who filled the imposing Victorian hall with the haunting strains of theirunaccompanied "Isicathamiya" music.

    The concert's success was another confirmation of the South African leader's popularity with the British public.

    In accord with the concert's celebration of diversity, 1,000 tickets were supplied to be sold at low prices through voluntary organisations which support disadvantaged people or which were active in the anti-apartheid movement.
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