This is my first opportunity to hear the voice of Thandi Ntuli, an amazing jazz singer out of South Africa. She collaborates on this album with one of Los Angeles’ leading lights, the inestimable Carlos Niño. The album will appeal to those who have been immersing themselves in spiritual jazz. A keeper.
Today’s share is a joyful slice of township jive out of South Africa from the legendary Mahotella Queens. It’s a tragedy that it took a cretinous thief like Malcolm McLaren to turn the world on to such music. From the Umsakazo Records Bandcamp site: “The reach and influence of “Umculo Kawupheli” spread far beyond its intended destination. In 1981, the song was plagiarised note-for-note by punk rock manager Malcolm McLaren, who replaced the meaningful isiZulu words with soundalike English gibberish to create “Jungle Boy (See Jungle)” for his new wave band Bow Wow Wow. The song’s origins were not acknowledged…
London served as the home of many magnificent South African musicians, and it is safe to say that pianist Chris McGregor and his band, the Brotherhood of Breath, was the linchpin of the expat community. This particular album was released in 1979 and originally reissued in 2012 with bonus material. This is a shiny, well-remastered digital version, and as the material is all solo, McGregor is in fine form on his piano.
Compost Records continues to please my ears, this time releasing the latest album of South African composer Felix Laband, who works somewhere in the center of a dance/experimental/collage triangle. The music is ever-evolving, never boring, and blessed with a pleasant beat.
L’Orange are a band led by the drummer Nelson Schaer, and they produce a sumptuous jazz that is a heady mix of acid and downtempo. It’s relaxing, but intriguing, listening.
Mad About Records has produced a South African jazz artifact that is finally getting the wider recognition it deserves. The Four Sounds features bassist Basil Moses, who worked with such stellar local artists as Dollar Brand, and his brother Clifford, who croons on the songs Beautiful Katrina and The “Goema” Dance, which is in fact Don’t Close Your Eyes.
This is one of South Africa’s best jazz outings. It features tenor saxophonist Winston “Mankunku” Ngozi and the album blends not only South African jazz but also the works of John Coltrane and Horace Silver. A swinging release.
Gideon Plays is apparently seen as a holy grail of South African jazz collectors. Judging by the performance of pianist and maribist Gideon Nxumalo, this should be seen for what it is – a spiritual jazz masterpiece. The album swings and grinds through eight tracks of bopping good music. Matsuli Music continues to reissue some astoundingly good music.