In this post we’ll be taking a look at some cool, chilled mbaqanga from the early 1980s. Today’s share is Isitha Somuntu by the shortlived group The Shoe Laces, produced by the legendary West Nkosi and released on the Black Hi-Lights label in 1981.
Think of the last great mbaqanga bands to come out of South Africa… Abafana Baseqhudeni, the Soul Brothers, and Amaswazi Emvelo. This record is very much in that vicinity – which doesn’t come as much of a revelation considering West Nkosi had a hand in some of Abafana’s early (mid-1970s) recordings, and was in fact the utter brains behind Amaswazi Emvelo itself.
The liner notes paint a very vivid picture of the formation of The Shoe Laces: "The Shoe Laces were born and grew up together in the small village in Natal called Sweet Waters. They all attended school together. At school there was one older boy by the name of Hlongwane, he was playing piano, he is the guy who brought these young boys together and formed a musical group out of them. He taught them how to sing, that was in 1961."This is, however, mostly exaggerated! The Shoe Laces were yet another studio creation out of the deep pool of musicians at Mavuthela in 1979, at a time when mbaqanga music was in danger of ebbing away completely following events happening in the political (and musical) landscapes of South Africa.
The Shoe Laces were mostly comprised of Amaswazi Emvelo personnel and naturally share much a similar sound. In this, the Laces’ third album, the music is just as tasty as anything you’ve heard from Amaswazi. The cool guitar glides across a backdrop of florid organ, deep bass and soulful drums, all topped off with shimmering male vocals.THE SHOE LACES:
Big Boy Thusi (vocals)
Elliot Mncube (vocals)
Joseph Thusi (lead guitar)
James Zondi (bass guitar)
Mandla Mtalana (organ)
Alpheus Harari Mnyandu (drums)
Enjoy!
ISITHA SOMUNTU (The Shoe Laces)
Black Hi-Lights BL 290
1981
1. UMENDO UNZIMA
2. ZANDILE
3. ISITHA SOMUNTU
4. UVUKA EKUSENI
5. IZOLO LOKU
6. UDAKWA NJALO
7. KUDALA SIHAMBA
8. KHULUMA NENTOMBI YAKHO
9. HLONIPHA ABAZALI
10. SIZA UBUYELE EKHAYA
11. AWUNAMAGAMA
12. DLOMO
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What no comments? Deeper and deeper the folks at ej dig for South African rarities never seen before.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff..keep on bumping and digging!
Thanks for this, the first lp I've seen with a cover with such an overt gay stance. But, where's Joyce?
ReplyDeleteIt was producers like West Nkosi, the Pied Piper of S.A. that led his willing rats over the cliff by fooling everyone into believing this style of music was the way into the future. It was a one-way journey and for that he will be condemned. This is a long way from mbaqanga.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Matt.
ReplyDeleteDavid - thanks too for your comments. Surely, though, you agree that the mbaqanga loved by many of us today - the mid '70s mbaqanga from the likes of the Queens, Abafana Baseqhudeni, Mahlathini, etc. - was just not cutting it anymore with SA audiences by the early '80s? There were all losing sales. Mahlathini more so because he refused to update his sound and basically starved for a few years.
Mbaqanga needed something new to pull in the punters - hence the introduction of gimmicks like 'soul singing', the organ, and Westernised drumming. What you hear in the Shoe Laces stuff is probably a long way from the music you define as 'mbaqanga', but it IS mbaqanga nonetheless - just modernised. The elements are there... call and response, the guitars, strong bass... and I would argue that the early '80s (modernised) material by the Queens is some of the best of their career.
Let's not forget that the evolution of mbaqanga in the late '70s was not the sole work of the formidable (too soft a word?!) West. It was pushed more or less equally by Queens producer Marks Mankwane, not to mention countless others like David Thekwane. I would also say that Rupert Bopape had a hand in changing the sound before his retirement in 1983 (just as he had changed the sound in the late '50s and early '60s).
Evolution...
(As for the cover? No idea. :D)
I have a song of this band, but not the name, if willing to help algguien this place I could.
ReplyDeletethank you very much.