Mix-tape holiday preview of albums to come

When I have the good fortune of meeting up with old friends who live far away from my home I often cannot help myself in putting together a mix-tape of musical delights to mark the occasion. More so if this friend of thirty years shares a blog with you and is visiting the motherland on a kind of musical working holiday which includes launching the re-issue of "African Songbird" in Cape Town this coming weekend.

For those of you who cannot make it to Cape Town there is a good possibility that the performance will be streamed live from Tagore's Jazz Bar - do stop by the Pan African Space Station (PASS) website and check for updates HERE.  

So, in addition to encouraging Cape Town residents to join us in celebrating Sathima Bea Benjamin this weekend, the purpose of this post is to celebrate my long-weekend 'holiday' excitement with a preview selection of tracks from albums that I plan to share on electric jive in future. ( I have been working hard on digitizing as I have a very unfortunate work travel schedule over the next six months). Also, it always gives me pleasure to give Matt Temple a mix-tape CD with one or two tracks he probably has not heard before, to slot into the car-player as we embark on our adventures around Cape Town.

I feel very privileged to be going to meet and listen to Sathima performing with Hilton Schilder and his band in an intimate setting. I have already packed a number of Ian Huntley's photographs to ask Sathima, her sister Joan (Flower of Cape Town), and anyone else who can help in identifying a number of musicians. The book layout and printing deadline looms and the more detail we can insert in the captions, the better.

Turning to the screening of Dan Yon's documentary on Sathima this Sunday, I look forward to learning more about her remarkable life and art. Having read Patti Smith's account of life in New York's Chelsea Hotel, I am curious to hear of Sathima's experience of this extraordinary establishment and its residents. Preview of Sathima's Windsong.

Then there is Future Nostalgia on Tuesday evening at the Mahogany Room, with Matt spinning an all-vinyl set.

So, without further ado, herewith a sampler of tracks selected from amongst various albums I plan to share on electric jive in the future. While some of the tracks are covers, they are all performed by South African artists. The download is in mix-tape format - the separated tracks and full albums will become available in due course. Enjoy!!

1. Reggie Msomi - No Pay No Play (SABC Transcription ~1965)
2. Tony Bird - Song of the Long Grass (Tony Bird - 1976)
3. Jenny Cantan - Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (Radio Bantu Hits 1972)
4. Wanda Arletti - Love Power (Love Power - 1969)
5. Teaspoon Ndelu and His "T" Boys - Ukhezo Oluncane (Manyeledi, Mayeledi - 1972)
6. Malopoets - Sound of the People (Fire - 1982)
7. John Moriri and the Manzini Girls - Wenzani Lomfani (Isikhova - 1976)
8. Willie & Paul - Umalokozana (Umakoti ka Themba - 1982)
9. The Sounds - Thiba Kamoo - (Super Soul - 1974)
10. Faro - Vai La Casa (Muporofita - 1990)
11. Inyanga - Ingwe (Inside the Night - 1982)
12. The Sounds - Bushy Mayanka (Super Soul - 1974)
13. Julius Mdaka and the Manyunyu Sisters - Mipoyiyekile (Xiphayu Xamhunhu -1985)
14. Abafana Bamogoduka - Amachachacha (Manyeledi, Mayeledi - 1972)

Rapidshare here
Mediafire here