Another important addition to the growing archive of late fifties pennywhistle and emerging jive compilations.
Not the ‘commonly known' version of “something new” here – the Solven Whistlers open the set with a languid, clarinet-accompanied recording of their popular pennywhistle classic.
According to music researcher Lara Allen, this 1957 LP was the first release of a black South African music on 33rpm LP - because it was aimed at white audiences. It also feature visiting American clarinetist Tony Scott. (Kwela's White Audiences, in :"Decomposing Apartheid"; 2008; Wits University Press).
Many mbaqanga songs in the sixties and the seventies were introduced with an almost vaudeville-like nonsense dialogue. Kwela Bafana is an early example of the “Basement Boys” introducing their song in Afrikaans, referencing the emerging popularity of the saxophone: “Where are you going my brothers? We are going with other men who play saxophone, and we will play the flutes.. and I don’t know what will go for what … Kwela Bafana!. The Six Lads introduce slide guitar into their songs, along with a little yodelling, while the Basement Boys explore a ska-driven whistling number in Upstairs Jump.
Enjoy
Rapidshare download here
Mediafire download here
