Daisy Dumakude's African Disco Soul Triumph (1977)

Some artists who left South Africa in the ‘dark days’ found themselves in the right place at the right time, while equally talented others just did not get the breaks they should have. Here is a great album, but allow me to introduce you to a great person too!

Thuli Daisy Dumakude: Image taken from
Ulwazi
 

A French pressing of this rather extraordinary African disco soul album is hotly pursued worldwide by vinyl collectors who know. Here is the 1977 original South African pressing. 

Sure, Daisy Dumakude has been very successful, gracing the stages of Broadway, associated with multiple productions, including the Lion King, Sarafina, singing solo in the movies “Cry Freedom” and “Power of One”. But, just listen to this powerful and beautiful voice and tell me why she was not at least as big as Letta Mbulu?  Perhaps she found herself in the ‘right place’ at the ‘wrong time’, arriving in New York more than a decade later?

Born 1949 in Durban, Thuli Daisy Dumakude lives in New York, married to Welcome Msomi, the co-producer of this album. Msomi has been Director of the Izulu Dance theatre in New York since 1979. Given a living legend award by the city of her birth in 2009, Dumakude  continues her work with rural women in the village of Galibasi in Muden (KZN) doing beadwork. The beadwork is sold to New York theatre goers, with part of the proceeds going to AIDS organizations in South Africa.

Umabatha (1975) featuring
Welcome Msomi and Daisy Dumakude

In 1987 the New York Times published a rave review of a “superb” South African band featuring Dumakude as leader, with Morris Goldberg playing saxophone.  “Ms. Dumakude is a simply extraordinary singer, with a vivid soprano voice that reaches up for high, Zulu-style ululations.”

Msomi and Dumakude go back a long way, with Msomi in 1975 producing Umabatha, a South African version of Macbeth set in Mfolozi around the time of Kings Shaka and Dingane. With Dumakude as ‘Lady’ Mabatha  (KaMadonsela) and Msomi as Mabatha, the production toured the world.


Itsyou! Daisy Dumakude

Produced by Johnny Boshoff and Welcome Msomi

Engineer: Owen Wolf

1. Why Did You Go Away (6:29) (Boshoff & Msomi)

2. Early In the Morning (5:15) (Msomi)

3. Call Me Baby (3:58) (Msomi)

4. It's You (6:25) (Msomi)

5. Is It True (6:21) (Boshoff)

6. Who Can It Be (3:49) (Msomi).

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