Biography
South Africa's John Wizards originated in 2010 as the solo bedroom project of producer John Withers, who drew inspiration from an eclectic mix of sounds. Rwandan singer Emmanuel Nzaramba supplied the vocals after the pair first crossed paths by chance in Cape Town, where they soon shared musical ideas and agreed to collaborate. Nzaramba shortly lost both his job and mobile telephone, then relocated from the area and lost touch with Withers. Their routes converged again in 2012, nearly twelve months after the initial meeting, and they resumed contact. Withers invited Nzaramba to his flat to hear reggae band the Congos, which left the vocalist unimpressed, yet the producer's latest tracks immediately appealed and spurred Nzaramba to compose vocal parts on the spot. The resulting self-titled debut album, issued in 2013 on Planet Mu, showcased the group's wide-ranging approach, earned widespread critical praise, and featured on numerous year-end album lists. Withers recruited a circle of musician friends to adapt the material for the stage, after which the band took the album on an international tour.
Albums
Singles
