Mpharanyana and the Cannibals: Disco Bump (1977)

There are many 1970s youngsters that will say Jacob “Mpharanyana” Radebe was the best soul singer that South Africa has produced. The man from Katlehong was hugely popular in the mid to late 1970s, until his life was cut short in 1979.

He recorded “a handful” of albums for the Mavuthela stable, calling upon ‘cream-of-the-crop’ musicians in “The Cannibals” and “The Peddlars” – many of whom formed the core of the Pelican Club House band in Soweto at the time.

I do like the cover of Clarence Carter’s “Slipping Away” – compare for yourself with the original here. In addition to its soul foundation, this strong eclectic line-up of tracks references mbqanga, disco, bump and rock. The track “Satane” nods to the music Thomas Mapfumo was producing at the time.

The line-up on this album is:

Ray Phiri: Lead guitar and backing vocals
Jacob Radebe: Lead vocals and percussion
Ephraim Hlope: Organ
Isaac Mtshali: Drums and backing vocals
Richard Shongwe: Base guitar and backing vocals.

Mpharanyana features on two previous posts on Electric Jive here and here.

 Mediafire link here

Reggie Msomi: Soweto Grooving (1976)

Soweto has long been a vibrant attraction for fortune seekers from all over South Africa and further afield. Reggie Msomi and His Jazz Africa attest to a pleasing accommodation of multiple roots, most probably originally forged in the pulsating Pelican Night Club.

Soweto somehow always seems to effortlessly fuse the old and the new, the young and the old. Leaders such as Msomi and Lemmy Mabaso had been producing great music since the late 1950s, while other names appearing on this album were yet to become famous – for example guitarist and singer Ray Chikapa Phiri went on to form “Stimela”.

“On first alto sax Lemmy Special Mabaso from Diepkloof Johannesburg; on tenor sax Aubrey Simani from Meadowlands Johannesburg; on baritone sax Freeman Lombatha from East London, Eastern Cape; on tenor and guitar Reggie Msomi from Port Shepstone, Natal; on lead guitar Chikapa Phiri from Nelspruit, Eastern Transvaal; on bass guitar Richard Shongwe from Nelspruit; on drums Isaac Mtshali also from Nelspruit.” (from the sleeve notes).

If you have not heard the other great Reggie Msomi offerings on Electric Jive, do yourself a favour and use the ”SEARCH” function on the right hand column of this blog:

Recorded at the EMI Studios in Johannesburg on 27^th September 1976.

Recording Engineer; Glen Pearce
Produced by West Nkosi
Soul Jazz Pop BL90

All tracks composed by Reggie Msomi

1. Butterfly (6:20)

2. Soweto Grooving (6:30)
3. Lovers Party (6:00)
4. Nomndayi (7:00)

Rapidshare here

Mediafire here