Desert
Rose, founded in 1999 by Lynne Holmes, is widely regarded as one of
the leading composers and producers of classical world music in South Africa.
In 2005 Lynne met with partner and lead vocalist, Yusuf Ganief, and in
2008 she produced and recorded him as an Arabic vocalist on their first spiritual
world music album, The Prayer. This debut album became CD of the year on VOC radio
station, Cape Town and has since been internationally acknowledged in Turkey,
UK and Europe.
To date they have composed and produced 11
CDs within the easy listening and world music genres including the crossover album,
Spirit of Africa, where they collaborated with icons in the South African
and African indigenous musical genre such as Dizu Plaatjies and Pops
Mohamed. The album was released in 2007 and endorsed by Archbishop Desmond
Tutu as being a musical tribute to the spirit of Chief Albert Luthuli.
"I
commend and support the social initiative by Desert Rose to address the issues
of religious intolerance and cultural prejudice though their musical drama, Silence
of the Music. Their ongoing perseverance to create music for the purposes of promoting
common spirituality in the face of growing extremism, Xenophobia and declining
spirituality is much needed and should be supported by everyone who cares about
establishing a society of healing and peaceful co-existence." ~ Archnishop
Desmond Tutu
