By Denise Oruno Neil
Oh the joys of spring. As winter fades to the past, the freshness of the new season ushers in vibrant beauty and a distinctive feeling of joy in the air. And one fun way to bring in spring is with the upbeat sounds of the colorful and tempo intoxicating band Zulluu.
The Zulluu band is the inspiration of John Zulu. The South African music maker was born in Zululand. As a result, his background in music is heavily rooted in Maskandi Zulu music, which is very involved in beats and rhythms, with a happy uplifting tempo, “When you’re in a tough country usually your music is happy, it’s an escape,” said Zulu.
Zulu did not start his music career until late in life. His previous careers include marketing and modeling, which he had great success in. He moved to the U.S. 24 years ago, and eventually settled in Joshua Tree. It is there that he started to experiment in music. “Joshua Tree has a huge musical influence on people,” he says. So with a guitar in hand and the encouragement of a good friend, he pursued his unique sound, “I had no idea what I was doing, but like everything in life you just persist and then it evolves,” said Zulu.
It was soon after that he gained the attention of Clive Wright, who was the lead guitarist for Cock Robin and saw potential in Zulu’s music in the way he was singing in both English and Zulu. Zulu started to write music and Wright stepped in and joined the band. After that they got more talented members to join the band. But Zulluu is more than just music; they blend in theatre as well. With their colorful garb and energetic dancing, they bring a high level of entertainment.
Now, the band is gaining more and more attention with their brand of African Fusion World music which is impressive as they have only been together for less than two years. “As soon as we came on the scene, people liked what we were doing,” said Zulu. They are confident, yet humble in knowing that they offer something different and refreshing in entertainment. The bands popularity has placed them in venues throughout the Coachella Valley to rave revues.
Zulluu will be celebrating the Spring Equinox at the Riviera Hotel in Palm Springs, Saturday, March 22nd at 7:30pm. The Spring’s Equinox actually happens on March 20th, and is part of two seasonal (spring and fall) changes that occur during the year, when the equator gets direct sunlight, making the length of the day to be almost equal.
The celebration at the Riviera will take place poolside, at the swanky hip Palm Springs Hotel, with a modest $10 cover charge. Zulluu will be bringing up the energy and colorful attire from the audience is suggested. Get inspired to elevate your happy vibes with the 5 to 7 piece band as they dance and sing in their special “multi-linguistic” lyrics. The Zulluu girls Barbie Zulluu and Lyric Zulluu will be on hand to help the band to get the crowd going.
As much as Zulluu the band is all about bringing joy and happiness to their audience, John Zulu is geared up to also gently spread the word about a cause that is dear to him which is Rhino Conservation. Zulu explains that the Rhino population in South Africa is rapidly dwindling do to horn poaching and he wishes to bring this important animal issue to public awareness as time goes on. But besides his personal cause, the bands mission is all about spreading positive energy and zest for life.
With winter on its way out, and spring at our door step, it’s time to shed the former season and get ready for the vitality of the new one. And an evening with the upbeat sounds of Zulluu will most certainly get your energy soaring and put a searing smile on your face. And if anyone asks you if you Zulluu, you can emphatically say, “Yes I do!”
