Batsumi Winners

Great response to our competition and thanks for all the suggestions for 2012. The two winners who will receive the limited edition vinyl are MalariaTiger and Dan. Two consolation prizes of digital copies go to Fleasbaby and Quexxon-12. Please can you contact me (matt AT matsulimusic.com) to arrange logistics. Keep on grooving.

BATSUMI GIVE-AWAY!

To mark Matsuli's impending release on Monday 28 November of Batsumi's incredible 1974 debut LP we have two copies of the limited edition vinyl up for grabs (if you don't have a turntable Matsuli will arrange a digital copy for download or via CD).

To enter the giveaway please become an electricjive follower and leave us a comment on this posting with an idea of what content you'd like to see us feature in 2012. To become a follower simply click on the "follow" button at the top left hand side of the web-site and fill out your details.

Full details on the reissue are available at the Matsuli site here and Dan Magaziner has given it a big thumbs up at Africa is a Country. Honest Jons describes it as "Landmark Afro Jazz from South Africa, 1974 — urgent, spiritual, political; shimmering, propulsive, surging. Reverbed traditional and trap drums, mesmeric bass, soaring flute and tenor sax. Warmly recommended."

To purchase copies of the limited edition vinyl please visit the Matsuli link or if you are based in South Africa copies are available here. Digital downloads as MP3s are available from 28/11 via iTunes, Amazon and eMusic. It is also available via streaming service Spotify.

Batsumi brings the sunshine

"Contemporaries of Malombo, the Dashiki Poets and other conscious African artists, Batsumi fused jazz, African drums, poetry and words delivering a powerful fusion that was in itself an expression of freedom from physical and mental chains. Just two albums of original music was recorded and released although a third LP is mentioned int eh sleeve notes of the second album. In 1982 an LP under the band name Marumo and titled Modiehi (Spade, 1982) included some members of Batsumi. There is also a catelogue number on the Stax label (Stax 5517) which appears to have been allocated to the first Batsumi LP. To add to the confusion a compilation of Batsumi tracks was issued in 1977 and the first LP was reissued in the same year on the J-Town label. " Matt from matsuli.blogspot.com

BATSUMI (RTL 4041, 1974)
Produced by Baba Matiwane. Cover illustration by Zulu Bidi.
1. Lishonile
2. Emampondweni
3. Mamshanyana
4. Itmuleng
5. Anishilabi
Musicians: Thabang Masemola (Flute & Jew Harp), Themba Koyana (Tenor Sax), Buta-Buta Zwane (Vocal and Bongos), Maswaswe Mothopeng (Vocal and Guitar), Sello Mothopeng (Organ), Thabang Masemola (Batsumi Drums), Lekgabe Maleka (Drums), Zulu Bidi (Double Bass)
EDIT: Links removed due to forthcoming licensed reissue via Matsuli Music