"South African Jazz"

[king ubu]

Just got my shipping confirmation mail - the whole order is filled, including At Teal!

Struth!!!!!!

Where's the smiley for "heavily aggrieved to the point of actual anguish"?

I guess I'll include it in the next order.

MG

yeah, well, I'm happy for myself, but I'd be rather annoyed in your position, too! even more so as I'll unlikely send in another order there all too soon...

did I mention I also ordered Mankunku's Yakhal Inkomo, which I tried from HMV and some other sites with no luck before!?

[jazz1]

Just be careful the postal service here in SA is atrocious, lot's of my parcels disapeared.

My experience is about parcels coming into SA especially.

But I am certain the same fate can happen to outgoing parcels.

Service from local suppliers is also poor.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Just be careful the postal service here in SA is atrocious, lot's of my parcels disapeared.

My experience is about parcels coming into SA especially.

But I am certain the same fate can happen to outgoing parcels.

Service from local suppliers is also poor.

My first parcel from Kalahari arrived with no problem - except it took so lllllloooooonnnnnngggggg.

Frankly, no matter how bad things are in SA, I would expect Ghana to be a lot worse, and I've had two successful deliveries from there, so far (and quicker).

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

This lot turned up from South Africa today (one item missing from parcel )

Lulu Masilela - Super Jive hits - Soul Soul (material originally on Plastik, Star Black & Go Go labels)

This isn't jazz - it's pure Mbaqanga, but instrumental, recorded between 1970 and 1977. Lulu is quite versatile - he plays organ, accordion, bass and alto sax.

Lulu Masilela & Thomas Phale - Cool down - Soul Soul

No image on web.

"Cool down" is one of the jazz albums Lulu made following Abdullah Ibrahim's insulting remarks about Mbaqanga and his subsequent appropriation of Zacks Nkosi's "Mannenberg" in 1976. Wish I could get the version the band made of "Mannenberg", which knocked Ibrahim's out of the charts, but I can't find it anywhere.

Zacks Nkosi - A tribute to Zacks Nkosi - Gallo

Zacks Nkosi - Our kind of jazz - Gallo

Zacks was one of the great jazzmen of South Africa - actually, one of the great jazzmen period - born in 1918, played in big bands in early forties. The tribute album is a 1975 rerecording of some of the jazz standards he'd written in the early days. There is stuff on these albums that just takes my breath away. Zacks retired due to ill health soon after the later session (Oct 1976) and died in 1981. Everyone who is interested in South African jazz should have these albums.

MG

[king ubu]

oh man... I missed ordering the Nkosis...

and I don't see another order coming up too soon, either

I did order "cool down", though!

[king ubu]

As mentioned elsewhere, I got my Kalahari package today! Everything in fine form (except one broken jewel case, but that's not too bad... happens all the time with CDUniverse or Amazon orders).

Played the Mankunku (fine, but not quite as great as the one track I knew, the opneing title track, made me expect), Jansen (nice but a bit too "pop" music in spots), Masilela/Phale (great! But way too short! 26 minutes... it could go on for hours!) - and now I'm halfway through the African Jazz Pioneers' "Sip 'n' Fly". A mighty enjoyable ride! The three Bra Ntemis will follow tomorrow, I guess.

This prompted me to check out if the links to my ZA BFT (#48 for those who want to search) were still good, and indeed... continue reading over here if you're interested:

The Joy and Pain of South African Jazz

Sounds good, huh? there's not much there, except for tons of links and stuff, but not much to fulfill the promise of the title anyway... except the music, and that - indeed! - speaks for itself...

[king ubu]

btw: ordered March 31, shipped April 11, arrived May 1 (?!? probably lay there since the evening of April 30th...)

- not bad at all, just one month, alltogether!

[jazz1]

Just be careful the postal service here in SA is atrocious, lot's of my parcels disapeared.

My experience is about parcels coming into SA especially.

But I am certain the same fate can happen to outgoing parcels.

Service from local suppliers is also poor.

My first parcel from Kalahari arrived with no problem - except it took so lllllloooooonnnnnngggggg.

Frankly, no matter how bad things are in SA, I would expect Ghana to be a lot worse, and I've had two successful deliveries from there, so far (and quicker).

MG

[ubuntumusic]

Hi all,

I just found this forum today whilst Googling. I've just read this thread and wanted to add something now (&maybe more later):

After Chris McGregor died there was at one re-union of the Brotherhood of Breath. It was at the Conway Hall in London; I would guess at 1994. It was put together by Dave Defries:

http://www.incognito.org.uk/gallery/Incogn...ries_2.jpg.html

I seem to remember he moved to Spain. It would be great if he could lay on another as he really understood the scores. There has never been a big band like it!

http://ubuntumusic.tumblr.com/

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Welcome UbuntuMusic! Nice stuff in your new blog!

I'm going to take a chance on you and include the Tlokwe Sehume in my next order from South Africa.

The Joe Malinga looks good too. Is that available in Britain?

Are you in London?

MG

[ubuntumusic]

Hi Magnificent,

I got the Tlokwe Sehume for R40 plus postage from Reliable Music Wharehouse. I play it every day.

I just started the blog and will be adding plenty more to it (in no particular order).

I guess you could get the Malinga from the website or maybe Sterns,

Yes; I'm in London.

more soon

http://ubuntumusic.tumblr.com/

[ubuntumusic]

A few points in response to things mentioned (& not mentioned) in the previous 11 pages of this thread:

the Magnificant wrote:

What are people like Barney Rachabane, Robbie Jansen and Basil Coetzee doing nowadays? Are they also inactive?

&:

Given that these, and so many other, artists were able to continue their work and to use their music to fight Apartheid, I'm forced to wonder why so many SA jazzmen chose exile, rather than to stay and fight. It occurs to me that they did so because jazz is an inadequate music with which to carry on politics and that jazz musicians were, therefore, not capable of meeting the needs of their culture for politically activist music. So they moved to where the audiences weren't so fussy about what they listened to.

Basil Coetzee died ten years ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_Coetzee

As far as the 'exiles' go; their purpose was to play the music, this became more and more difficult in SA. The ANC used to say that the musicians were their ambassadors, and they were. The Hundred Club in London was a regular haunt for them (and me) and the gigs were a place to promote the struggle against apartheid.

That reminds me, there was a wonderful gig in the early eighties; billed as the origonal Molombo (or something like that). Abe Cindi arrived from SA and joined Julian Bahula, Lucky Ranku and Ernest Mohle. It was a great evening though a little spoilt by Hugh Masakela who presumed he could sit in. The band handled him well, they let his ego shine for a couple of numbers and then saw him off. It was all recorded and Julian tells me that the tapes are under his bed. I'm telling you; this would be one fine release if it ever happens!

Lucky has not been mentioned on this thread, he is one fine guitarist. He lives in Manchester and plays London once or twice a year, I think his most current line up is the African All Stars. It's hard to recommend a CD where he really shines, he's too modest, I want more of his solos. The only time he really goes for it is on the McGregor 'Exiles' album and then he probably goes too long!

Philip Thabane has not been mentioned; he is fine too. If there is only one CD to buy it's the Castle Lager one. No more about this now as I'll post something on my blog in the next few days.

http://ubuntumusic.tumblr.com/

District Six; well that was a great gig. I think it was their first one (in London) upstairs at the Arts Theatre Club. I think it was the drummer, Brian Abrahams (still in London, I saw him last year), who put the band together. the late Russell Herman was on guitar; Mervin Afrika on piano (grapevine says he's back in Cape Town), the music professor on bass (sorry, cannot remember his name) and Dudu Pukwana on sax's. THAT NIGHT COOKED. I never saw Dudu play with them again. I maintain that he was at his best when in someone else's band.

Lastly: someone wrote: "I don't know why it takes so much longer from South Africa than Ghana. You'ld expect the reverse to be the case."

I rocon that SA is about twice as far as Ghana so it makes absolute sense to me.

more later

http://ubuntumusic.tumblr.com/

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Lastly: someone wrote: "I don't know why it takes so much longer from South Africa than Ghana. You'ld expect the reverse to be the case."

I rocon that SA is about twice as far as Ghana so it makes absolute sense to me.

more later

http://ubuntumusic.tumblr.com/

That was me, too. And by the way, I'm The Magnificent Goldberg, not merely magnificent

The reason I thought it would take longer from Ghana had nothing to do with distance - on a plane, the difference is hours, not weeks. It's simply that South Africa seems better - more efficiently - run than Ghana (though I've never been to Ghana).

MG

[king ubu]

Oi, Tabane hasn't been in here? I don't know much of his music, but he's been part of my ZA Jazz BFT (which is up again on my blog). I coincidentally ordered that disc of his, plus the jive hits by Masilela, to cash in my 50 R voucher from that site mentioned before (did they follow up on your business, MG?)

[ubuntumusic]

Oi, Tabane hasn't been in here? I don't know much of his music, but he's been part of my ZA Jazz BFT (which is up again on my blog). I coincidentally ordered that disc of his, plus the jive hits by Masilela, to cash in my 50 R voucher from that site mentioned before (did they follow up on your business, MG?)

Hi King ubu,

I would say there is no waste in buying all of Tabane's releases.

I just posted a Tabane album on my blog: http://ubuntumusic.tumblr.com/

where can I find your blog?

Where do you order CDs from in SA?

[king ubu]

Oi, Tabane hasn't been in here? I don't know much of his music, but he's been part of my ZA Jazz BFT (which is up again on my blog). I coincidentally ordered that disc of his, plus the jive hits by Masilela, to cash in my 50 R voucher from that site mentioned before (did they follow up on your business, MG?)

Hi King ubu,

I would say there is no waste in buying all of Tabane's releases.

I just posted a Tabane album on my blog: http://ubuntumusic.tumblr.com/

where can I find your blog?

Where do you order CDs from in SA?

I bought once from Kalahari (in March) - the discs took about 2 months to arrive, but all did arrive. Got a voucher back then for which I did some more shopping (obviously shipping costs are very high, but then their prizes are cheap).

For my blog, check out the link in my signature (or somewhere in my profile, in case you have signatures turned off). Will check out your blog from my home computer later!

[ubuntumusic]

Here is a gig that I'm told was fantastic (I've seen some photo's but I wasn't there; I think it was 2006);

The South African cultural community is abuzz with anticipation for the Exiles Re-Initiation show in Port Elizabeth......

The concert, which is being staged at the Centenary Hall in Port Elizabeth on December 15th, .....

Exiles Re-Initiation producer, respected poet, writer and cultural commentator, John Matshikiza (who himself grew up in exile in Lusaka and London before returning home in 1991), says that the Exiles Re-Initiation concert is part of the process of healing and reconciliation. Its a celebration of the words and music created by those forced out of the country and a reminder of the strong role that culture played in the political process of fighting for liberation.

In conceiving the show with esp Afrikas Rashid Lombard as well as musical directors, Louis Moholo and Mervyn Africa (both exiles themselves and enormously respected musicians) Matshikiza has looked deep into South Africas exile community for the repertoire that will form the basis of Exiles Re-Initiation.......

Aside from pianist Africa and drummer, Moholo, those exile musicians taking to the stage on December 15th are jazz guitarist, Lucky Ranku and trumpeter, Claude Deppa. They will be joined by several iconic jazz figures including Barney Rachabane, Robbie Jansen and Winston Mankunku. Adding their skills are Zim Ngqawana, Herbie Tsoaeli, Feya Faku, Marcus Wyatt, and McCoy Mrubata.

text abridged from: http://www.mype.co.za/modules.php?name=New...icle&sid=17

http://ubuntumusic.tumblr.com/

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Oi, Tabane hasn't been in here? I don't know much of his music, but he's been part of my ZA Jazz BFT (which is up again on my blog). I coincidentally ordered that disc of his, plus the jive hits by Masilela, to cash in my 50 R voucher from that site mentioned before (did they follow up on your business, MG?)

Yes - I got a credit, which I used a week ago to order the Jansen again (plus some others to take care of the voucher) - v happy now. Even happier when I get that order delivered.

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

(did they follow up on your business, MG?)

Yes - I got a credit, which I used a week ago to order the Jansen again (plus some others to take care of the voucher) - v happy now. Even happier when I get that order delivered.

MG

Even happier now, as forecast, because the postman turned up early today, bringing another lot of South African jazz CDs.

Two by Robbie Jansen

The Cape doctor

Nomad Jez

(looking for images to post, I see Kalahari don't sell this any more)

and two by The Elite Swingsters, featuring Dolly Rathebe

Siya gida - we dance

Woza!

Just having my first play through of "Woza!" and it's lovely!

MG

PS - these Elite Swingsters albums are VERY CHEAP at Kalahari - about 30 Rand. A SNIP!!!

[Chalupa]

This might be of interest.....

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=44118

[king ubu]

Got the Gwigwi Mwrebi "Kewala" disc (Honest Jon's) yesterday and immediately gave it a spin - absolutely lovely music! Thanks a lot for reminding me of that one - I think I once saw it in a local shop, years ago, horrenduously prized, then completely forgot about it. Good to get a couple of glimpses of Ronnie Beer, too!

Who's that Laurie Allan? (A lady I assume, right?) Anyone knows anything about her? She appears on the early (pre-BoB) big band track by McGregor that I put onto my BFT.

(The disc was recommended over in the Blue Notes box set thread)

[king ubu]

bumpity bump

got this one in a local store - paid way too much as I was completely unaware that it was still around:

Hugh Masekela - The Lasting Impressions Of Ooga Booga

It combines two albums recorded at the same live gig (missing one tune from the follow up that was released many years later) by Masekela's quartet. Here's the discographical date (from Doug Payne):

THE AMERICANIZATION OF OOGA BOOGA

Hugh Masekela

Live At The Village Gate; New York City: November 1965

Hugh Masekela (tp, vcl); Larry Willis (p); Harold Dotson (b); Henry Jenkins (d); unknown (background vcl).

a. (66-XY-503) Bajabula Bonke (Miriam Makeba)

b. (66-XY-504) Dzinorabiro (Miriam Makeba)

same, except Hugh Masekela (tp). Background vcl out.

c. (66-XY-505) Unhlanhia (Miriam Makeba)

d. (66-XY-506) Cantelope Island (Herbie Hancock)

e. (66-XY-507) U-Dwi (Hugh Masekela)

f. (66-XY-508) Masquenada (Jorge Ben)

same, except Hugh Masekela (tp, vcl).

g. (66-XY-509) Abangoma (Miriam Makeba)

same, except Hugh Masekela (tp).

h. (66-XY-510) Mixolydia (Hugh Masekela)

Issues: a-h on MGM E/SE-4372 (issued June 1966). a-h also on Verve V6-651-2 titled 24 KARAT HITS and Verve 314 531 630-2 [CD] titled THE LASTING IMPRESSIONS OF OOGA BOOGA (issued June 1996).

Singles: c also on MGM K-13645 [45]. d also on MGM K-13524 [45], MGM K-13644 [45]. e also on MGM K-13643 [45].

Samplers: d, f & g also on MGM GAS-116 titled ALL-TIME HITS OF HUGH MASEKELA. d also on Polydor (Ger) 515 704-2 [CD} titled MOJO CLUB PRESENTS DANCEFLOOR JAZZ VOL. 1 and Verve 525 558-2 titled THE SOUL OF JAZZ: VOLUME 1.

Producer: Tom Wilson

Engineer: Reice Hamel

Notes: Zan Stewart (Verve 314 531 630-2 [CD]).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE LASTING IMPRESSION OF HUGH MASEKELA

Hugh Masekela

Live At The Village Gate; New York City: November 1965

Hugh Masekela (tp); Larry Willis (p); Harold Dotson (b); Henry Jenkins (d).

a. (102499) Con Mucho Carino (With Much Love) (Larry Willis) - 4:38

b. (102500) Where Are You Going? (Hugh Masekela) - 7:58

c. (102501) Morolo (Hugh Masekela) - 5:05

d. (102502) Bo Masekela (Caiphus Semenya) - 4:55

e. (102503) Unohilo (The Bird) (aka Ntyilo, Ntyilo)

(Alan Salenga (sic: Alan Silinga)) - 6:58

same, except Hugh Masekela (tp, vcl).

f. (102503) Child Of The Earth (Hugh Masekela) - 5:54

Issues: a-f on MGM E/SE-4468 (issued December 1968). a-e also on Verve 314 531 630-2 [CD] titled THE LASTING IMPRESSIONS OF OOGA BOOGA (issued June 1996).

Samplers: a also on MGM GAS-116 titled ALL-TIME HITS OF HUGH MASEKELA.

Producer: Tom Wilson

Engineer: Reice Hamel

Notes: Kathleen Boyle (MGM E/SE-4468). Zan Stewart (Verve 314 531 630-2 [CD]).

And here are the AMG reviews, of the original album and of the CD reissue, written by Bruce Eder:

Review by Bruce Eder

Getting Americanization of Ooga Booga released was evidently akin to pulling teeth, because MGM Records' president was convinced it would be a bomb — what Hugh Masekela and his band had played at this early-1965 gig at the Village Gate was jazz, but it was too African-based for American tastes, so the label chief maintained. What he missed was the infectious joy woven through every note of music here, which was enough to carry any kind of music from anyplace in the world over any unfamiliar patches, including the language, melodies, references to events, and places on the other side of the world; if this was to be New Yorkers' (and the recording world's) introduction to South African music, it was made incredibly genial and accessible, even from a jazz standpoint. The influence of Dizzy Gillespie and Freddie Hubbard can be heard, along with McCoy Tyner in the playing of pianist Larry Willis, and he shows his debt to John Coltrane as an inspiration on "Mixolydia" as well as his affinity for Brazilian music on "Mas Que Nada." But the core sound was what Masekela called "township bop" — his short trumpet bursts, sometimes seemingly approaching microtonal territory, are engrossing celebrations of the melodies of his repertory, which is mostly of South African origin (including a pair written by his then-wife, Miriam Makeba). Among the latter, the opening number, "Bajabula Bonke," aka "Healing Song," got its first airing on record here — it would later receive a bolder performance at the Monterey Pop Festival, comprising one of that event's numerous musical highlights, but where that later performance streaked and soared, this one starts out slowly and quietly, exquisitely harmonized and rising gradually and gently like a glider catching rising winds; it's impossible to fully appreciate the Monterey performance without hearing this one. With Herbie Hancock's "Cantelope Island" providing one firm reference point in the American jazz idiom, the set really wasn't that removed from 1965 listeners, as its stronger-than-expected sales proved. The later CD reissue (The Lasting Impressions of Ooga Booga), comprising this set and The Lasting Impressions of Hugh Masekela, is the best way to get this material, but the LPs make fascinating artifacts of an era when South Africa was just being discovered by the rest of the world.

Review by Bruce Eder

The remainder of Hugh Masekela's winter 1965 Village Gate set sat in the can for three years, until "Grazing in the Grass" became a hit in 1968 on the Uni label. Then the label rushed out with the six-track Lasting Impressions of Hugh Masekela LP, which was a match musically for its predecessor, The Americanization of Ooga Booga. The two were later combined on a single CD, The Lasting Impressions of Ooga Booga, with one song from this LP, the Masekela original "Child of the Earth," removed to fit the CD running time.

in short: this easily gets the royal seal of approval!

[king ubu]

Got another overpriced disc in a local store, but it's worth some! A beautiful album by the late Mankunku Winston Ngozi, done for Sheer Sound with the help of trumpet player Prince Lengoasa and pianist/producer Andile Yenana, recorded in 2003:

Winston "Mankunku" Ngozi - Abantwana Be Afrika (Sheer Sound, rec. 2003, with Prince Lengoasa, Andile Yenana, Herbie Tsoaeli, Lulu Gontsana)

Just gave it a second spin, and it's smooth in a good sense. Not too much South African (jive, kwela, whatever) influence there, but it still comes through here and there, in the creamy, groovy bass lines, for instance, and here and there also in the harmonies and horn arrangements.

The compositions are all Mankunku's, except for one a piece by Mackay Davashe (Lakutshon' Ilanga) and Duku Makasi (Inhlupeko). On a couple of tunes, there's some singing by the band (by all except Mankunku).

The most outstanding thing here, though, is Mankunku's stunning soprano playing, very warm, soft sound, for instance on the opening tune, but heard several times over the course of the disc.

Beautiful!

[BeBop]

I picked up (and thought I posted about, but now I'm not so sure) Mankunku' s Yakhal'Inkomo. What a gem! It reissues a couple of dates from, I think, the late '60s. Clear Trane influences, but plenty of individualism too. Some bits/inflections remind me of Tubby Hayes. Several tributes/homages to jazz greats. Wish I had this on the MP3 player I'm carrying today.

To be honest, I haven't liked his more recent recordings nearly as much, but I haven't spent as much time with them.

[king ubu]

The above is the only other disc of his I have, besides Yakhal' Inkomo... I think I'd agree that the earlier stuff is stronger, but the one I just got also sounds pretty good to my ears!