Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Ushaka (1977)

A special posting today on EJ - our first to highlight isicathamiya music, and who better to represent that genre than Ladysmith Black Mambazo?

The roots of this music go back hundreds of years into history. The proliferation of factories and mines brought scores of young Zulu men to the cities, away from their families and their lives, and into the unknown. The only way to ensure that the tradition was not lost among the men in the crowded hostels was to do that uniquely Zulu thing: to sing. And so, the men would spend their free weekends uniting in harmony and then forming their own groups to compete against each other - creating a tradition there and then that has lasted to this day. Even in 2011, Zulu hostel dwellers will still put on a show every Saturday evening and take part in all-night isicathamiya competitions.

After commercial releases of this music became popular, the style itself became widely referred to as mbube after the release of a song by Solomon Linda and his Original Evening Birds. (You all know that story!) But by the mid-1960s, the rather boisterous mbube had begun to fall out of favour after Enoch Masina's King Star Brothers cultivated a more soft, solemn and harmonious style, combined with likewise soft dance steps. But it was Ladysmith Black Mambazo, under the leadership of the golden-voiced Joseph Shabalala, who perfected this new style of music - first named cothoza mfana (slowly, boy) and later on isicathamiya (tread carefully).

It was not just the refined harmony that gave Mambazo the upper hand - it was the fact that their compositions were meticulously written and arranged by the astute Shabalala. The stories of life in the rural areas, the difficult adjustment to township life, and then (later on) the wonders of God and the church - together with the magic blend of one alto, one tenor, one lead and seven bass voices - all helped to cement the group's immediate popularity.

After some five or so years of airplay during Radio Zulu programming, Mambazo signed a record contract with Gallo Africa's Mavuthela division. West Nkosi, newly appointed producer at Mavuthela (and sax jive supremo), was to be Mambazo's producer for the next fifteen years. The public liked what they heard: Mambazo's debut LP, Amabutho (released in March 1973 on Motella LPBS/BL 14), sold over 25,000 copies and became the first LP by black musicians in South Africa to go gold.

Today, we present the tenth Mambazo LP, Ushaka, released in 1977 during their original domestic heyday.

MAMBAZO PERSONNEL on Ushaka:
Joseph Shabalala (lead)
Milton Mazibuko (alto)
Albert Mazibuko (tenor)
Groonwell Khumalo (bass)
Ben Shabalala (bass)
Olicent Madlala (bass)
Jabulani Mwelase (bass)
Russel Mthembu (bass)
Abednego Mazibuko (bass)
Jockey Shabalala (bass)
Funokwakhe Mazibuko (bass)

Enjoy!

USHAKA (Ladysmith Black Mambazo)
Motella BL 129
1977

1. USHAKA
2. AWU WEMADODA
3. HAMBA NHLIZIYO YAM
4. INTOMBI MAYIQOMA
5. UKUTHULA ZINSIZWA
6. LOMHLABA KAWUNONI
7. AYILWANGA
8. ZEHLA ENTABENI
9. IKHAYA LABANGCWELE
10. YANGILUMA INKUKHU
11. NGEKE NGIPHINDE
12. IYA BHOMPA

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Tony Scott in South Africa (1957)

According to Drum magazine, when American clarinetist Tony Scott toured South Africa in August of 1957 he insisted on playing before multi-racial audiences and subsequently became the first artist to do so. The album Tony Scott in South Africa which documents in part aspects of his two week visit to the country was the first in a number of long playing records that featured international musicians collaborating with South African artists. Others would soon follow including Bud Shank and of course John Mehegan who would go on to record the 1959 classics Jazz in Africa - Vol. 1 and 2 with the horn section of the Jazz Epistles (Moeketsi, Masekela, Gwangwa).

Though recorded somewhat unevenly, the Scott album features a blend of studio and live tracks played before remarkably palpable audiences. The live tracks include Scott on clarinet with Noel Stockton on piano, Bob Hill on bass and Alan Heyes on drums; making up the Tony Scott South African Quartet. While its in the studio recordings that one finds some hidden gems. Here Scott performs with the Alexandra Dead End Kids bringing together pennywhistle and clarinet in an impromptu series of kwela collaborations. The Dead End Kids, including Shakes Molepo, Benjamin Masindi, Joseph Mahlatsi and Sophonia Namini (all on pennywhistle) can also be heard on the album Kwela which probably dates from the same period. 

Tony Scott in South Africa seldom appears on auctions sites like eBay and so Electric Jive takes great pleasure in presenting this rare album. For more information about the record check out the listing at flatinternational. For more about Tony Scott check out his official website: The Musical Universe of Tony Scott. 

For now, the album is best captured in its liner notes:

"Tony Scott, acknowledged in 1957 by the jazz critics and public alike as the world's greatest jazz clarinetist, had been away from America for eight months when he finally reached Johannesburg in August 1957. By then he had played his way round most of Europe (including France, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Italy and Yugoslavia) but his abundant energy was unimpaired and within two hours of arriving he was playing with South African musicians and astonishing them by his vitality and enthusiasm. His tour of the Union was organised by the Witwatersrand University Jazz Appreciation Society and took him to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. When he left for home after two very strenuous weeks, he had played every night to wildly enthusiastic audiences of all races. On his last night in South Africa he played right through the night and only just made the airport in time, but he arrived at Jan Smuts (followed by a band of supporters and musicians who had seen the night through) laden with packages, passport and ticket temporarily mislaid, still talking volubly and displaying no evident signs of exhaustion. He must surely be the most indefatigable musician ever to have visited South Africa."

"One afternoon he dropped in at the RCA Recording studios at Johannesburg while an African recording session was in progress. Four small boys, known as the Alexandra Dead End Kids, were playing a popular Marabi dance tune on penny whistles. Tony listened for a bit and within a few moments he was in the studio, unpacking his clarinet. He seemed just as familiar with the African idiom as the European one and he was soon joining in as though he had been playing African tunes all his life. The tape machine was running and the result can be heard on Side One of this record, recorded without any rehearsal, preparation or premeditation. A further cut was made of "Ou-Dhladhla"—the biggest African hit of 1957. By this time the word had got round town that Tony Scott was playing with penny whistles and within about half an hour most of the African population of the city seemed to have arrived at the studio. Disregarding protests from the recording and repertoire staff they invaded the studio (among them many photographers) and started joining in, singing and clapping. The tape machine was still running but it was impossible from the Control room to see what was going on or which microphone was which. If the result was, to say the least of it, unbalanced (and, let it be confessed, something of a shambles) it was felt to be sufficiently interesting to reproduce on the record and it can be heard on Band 3 of Side Two. Also included here is a duet between penny whistle and clarinet, "Ben's Bounce" — recorded at Tony's suggestion. After the recording the soloist, Benjamin Masindi, made Tony Scott a present of his penny whistle and this Tony would produce on the platform at his concerts and blow it with great gusto, much to the delight of his audience."

"The remaining cuts on this disc were recorded at one of Tony Scott's African concerts, among them the haunting "Moonlight in Vermont" and two numbers in which he is heard playing Baritone Saxophone. In "My Friend Dave"—a conversation piece between Bass Clarinet and String Bass—Tony features as a Scat singer. These improvisations, as well as his introductions, have been left on the disc for they recapture something of the spirit of the concerts. [...]"

Tony Scott in South Africa (1957)

RCA, Teal, South Africa

31104

As an added bonus, herewith another recording made by Tony Scott on his extensive 1957 tour. These two tracks were recorded on 20th March 1957 in Sweden. Walkin (Williams-Steele) with Niels Foss responsible for the bass solo. Night in Tunisia (D. Gillespie). The other musicians recorded with Tony Scott comprising: Rune Ofwerman (p); Gunnar Johnson (b); Egil Johansen (dm).

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Early Mabuza - Golden Castle Jazzman of the Year 1967

Our Winston Mankunku ‘Golden Castle Jazzking 1968’ post (here) set us off on the trail of a different Golden Castle related 45 – the promotional single from the previous year, when the ‘Jazzman of the Year’ award was handed to legendary drummer Early Mabuza. Paul Nugent, who kindly helped us with the Mankunku post, tipped us off to the existence of a copy in the Distell breweries archive, and thanks to his introduction and the kind cooperation of Distell we can present here recordings of the 1967 Jazzman of the Year single.

The beverage, and the upcoming end-of-year competition that Mankunku would win, were advertised with a photo of Mabuza throughout 1968 in Drum magazine (see the Mankunku post linked above for a scan of this ad). However, anyone who actually obtained a copy of the single expecting a brace of hard-swinging jazz sides from the drummer and bandleader who had triumphed at the 1964 Cold Castle Festival (when the award was shared with the Malombo Jazz Men) might have been a little disappointed. Instead of the modernist small group sounds that might rightfully have been expected, by far the majority of the single is taken up with jazz-style jingles for the drink, with vocals based on the slogan ‘You’re a King with a Golden Castle’.

With three of these jingles per side, there isn’t much room for much else, and the revered and brilliant Mabuza himself is only represented by four short drum solos, which crack and tumble along with brio before stopping so the listener can be treated to a further rendition of ‘You’re a King…’. By 1967, Mabuza had long been held in the highest regard by the jazz community and public. Even if the Castle Wine and Brandy Co., cashing in on the perennial link between alcohol and jazz, had honestly hoped to reflect this, a handful of 30-second solos generously padded by adverts for booze seems a mean coronation.

We are proud to be able to present these recordings from the Distell archive, which holds the only known copy of the single. It would have been impossible to make this historical document public without the generous assistance and enthusiasm of Mareza at Distell, and the work and knowledge of Paul Nugent. You can visit the Distell website here. Many thanks from all of us at Electric Jive.

MF / RS

We celebrate 150 posts with Gideon Nxumalo's Early Mart

A very special and rare treat for electricjive readers today. It represents a holy grail amongst collectors of South African jazz and is spoken of in hushed tones. The problem with these "rare as hen's teeth" records is that not enough people have heard them! The record is Gideon Nxumalo's big band tribute to the great South African drummer Early Mabuza. It is also the first jazz album recorded by Rashid Vally on his Soultown label in early 1970. Before recording jazz Vally released dance bands like the El Ricas and the High Notes. After this foray into jazz Vally's partnership with Abdullah Ibrahim led to the establishment of the As-shams/Sun label and the albums Peace, With Kippie Moeketsi, Underground in Africa and then the big breakthrough Mannenberg.

Early Mart is the last album Nxumalo made before passing away - aged 40 - on 24th December 1970. For more on Gideon "Mgibe" Nxumalo check out our earlier posting of the seminal "Jazz Fantasia" LP.


"The sound is African, modern, avant garde." says Leslie Sehume, author of the recited poem on side 1.

The handwritten notes on the sleeve indicate that the band members could include:
Gideon Nxumalo - Piano
Johnny Selilo - Trumpet
Allen Kwela - Guitar
Kleintjie Rubushe - Trumpet
Blyth Mbityana - Trombone
Valley Ngwenya - Baritone Sax
Dennis Nene - Flute
Gordon Mfanchu - Drums
Morris Mnana - Bass
McKay Davashe - Tenor Sax



MF

Putting the Soul back into Gospel - Soweto Soul Gospel Singers (1975)

Do not confuse "The Soweto Soul Gospel Singers" (1975), with the currently popular Grammy award-wining Soweto Gospel Choir formed in 2002. This here is the funky soul  original testifying to catchy call and response rhythms backed by electric guitars, organ and drums - popular in the few black South African urban churches that could afford it during the dark days of apartheid, and more widely through records such as this one.

This album was  issued within the year building up to the June 16th, 1976 Soweto uprising - a turning point in which increasing numbers in the Churches and the clergy took on important transformative roles.

South Africa has a strong choral and a-capella gospel tradition. Given the influence of black soul musicians from the U.S. on black South African urban music in the 1960s and 1970s I have always wondered why my vinyl digging escapades did not uncover much in the way of "soul" gospel.  This recent find goes someway to filling that "gap" - of course, with its own South African adaptation and appropriation.

With a reported 80 percent of South Africans being of the Christian faith, gospel is South Africa's biggest music market. Of all the posts on electricjive, the most visited page is The King's Messengers Quartet. Today's offering, now 36 years old, was written and recorded for local audiences in local languages - but clearly identifying with the U.S. Soul Gospel idiom. Babsy Mlangeni's singing here might be the closest South Africa got to our own version of the good Reverend Al Green.

Producer Koloi Hendrik Lebona was one of the few consistently successful independent producers of the 1970s. He arranged most of the songs. Babsy Mlangeni wrote three of the songs, and sings in a lead role on the album.

Look out for our next posting - number 150. Jazz lovers will not want to miss it.

Black Music Productions BMC (V) 517

1. Engilosi (arr H. Lebona)

2. Nansti Ngola (B. Mlangeni)

3. Ngathi Ngishamba (arr. H. Lebona)
4. Joko Yahao (arr. H. Lebona)
5. Seteng Sediba (arr. H. Lebona)
6. Uvukile U Jesu (arr. H. Lebona)
7. Se'Hete Wena Ya Ratehang (arr. H. Lebona)
8. Wakrazulwa (arr. H. Lebona)
9. Usizi Lumi Lodwa (arr. H. Lebona)
10. Ayamqhikaza (B. Mlangeni)
11. Singaba Hambayo (B. Mlangeni)

RS here
MF here

Soul and funk with Teaspoon Ndelu (1981)

Today we're delving into a tasty mix of soul, funk and mbaqanga with the late saxophone legend Teaspoon Ndelu and his second solo album, Ke Kopa Madulo, produced by Marks Mankwane and released on the Hit Special label in 1981.

Ndelu was a veteran of the studio, particularly at Mavuthela, where his sweet sax harmonies often appeared on singles bearing names such as "Teaspoon and His 'T' Boys" or "Teaspoon and The Waves". He also collaborated with fellow sax jiver West Nkosi on many of the "mabone" singles of the early 1970s.

In the words of the liner notes, written by The Sowetan's Elliot Makhaya: "Teaspoon Ndelu is a high functionary of music idioms... throughout the years he has poured some of the most fascinating music ever squeezed from a saxophone. His music provides the ear with bouquets while driving ya into tunnels of harmony and mountains of rhythms in a red-hot molten tempo. With a minimum of notes, Teaspoon Ndelu can stamp his identity on a performance, even if he's present only to play an obbligato behind a vocalist."

Ndelu's own, talented skills were finally spotlighted with the release of his first solo albums in the early 1980s. This, the second of those albums, contains four songs and a rich collection of sounds. Teaspoon is backed by a talented team of studio musicians. To open the album, we are greeted first with a modern drum beat, before a sweet mbaqanga underscore makes a subdued entrance in the title track "Ke Kopa Madulo". A trio of alto saxes jumpstarts the song and before long, we are thrown calls and phrases from a plethora of singers, one of them Teaspoon himself. "Disco Funk", track two, is very much a product of the increasing Westernisation of South African music at the time - but gives one a great insight into how well versed Teaspoon and the other Mavuthela musicians were at playing vastly different styles of music.

The talented Mr. Ndelu is backed by an uncredited studio team put together by producer Marks Mankwane. Though the members are uncredited, the band is almost certainly "The Beggers" (yes, with an "e"...). The Beggers was Mankwane's tight instrumental unit that backed his Mavuthela acts (Walter Dlamini, Mahotella Queens, etc.) from 1977 to 1983.

The Beggers consisted of: Marks Mankwane (lead guitar), Michael Nyembe (lead/rhythm guitar), Mzwandile David (bass guitar), Michael Stoffel (drums), and Thamie Xongwana (organ) ... and the female vocals as heard on three of the four tracks of Ke Kopa Madulo are almost certainly then-regular members of Mankwane's Mahotella Queens. Well, why not - they were on hand!

Ke Kopa Madulo... a truly tasty mix of music. Download and get funky - enjoy!

KE KOPA MADULO (Teaspoon Ndelu)
Hit Special HIL 2002
1981

1. KE KOPA MADULO
2. DISCO FUNK
3. SPUTLA
4. UNGISHIYELENI

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Bona Bantu (c1962)

Am currently traveling and so this very short post comes to you from a hotel room somewhere on the road near a lagoon.

Bona Bantu, as the cover so wonderfully reveals, consists of a compilation of tracks previously released as 78 rpms on Trutone's Envee, Winner and Quality labels and probably range in date from around 1958 to roughly 1962. Notably the album was pressed in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) but almost all tracks are by South African artists.

The vast majority of the tunes are kwela-based featuring amongst others Abia Themba as well as the Elite Swingsters' Albert Ralulimi and Christopher Songxaka. Betty Khoza also contributes two excellent Zulu vocal jives with Nellie Shabalala, Khosi Bayeni and Tiny Gumede. According to Rob Allingham, Khoza led this popular Durban-based all-female vocal quartet and subsequently most of the group's records were credited to her. Check out also the sounds effects department in action on Frans Mudau's Radio Announces Kwela.

Short this is... please enjoy!

BONA BANTU (c1962)
Quality, Trutone
LTJ 211

1. KID ZORRO
Bona Bantu (Quality, TJ 314)
2. ALBERT RALULIMI, CHRISTOPHER SONGXAKA
Chisa Chisa (TJ Quality Special, TJ 580)
3. JUNIOR EXQUISITES
Tornado Twist (Winner, OK 095)
4. ABIA THEMBA & HIS RHYTHM

Stand By (Envee, NV 3363)

5. ABIA THEMBA & HIS RHYTHM

eZoo Kwela (Envee, NV 3363)

6. JUNIOR EXQUISITES

Lucky Strike (Winner, OK 095)

7. ALBERT RALULIMI, CHRISTOPHER SONGXAKA

Fakisa (TJ Quality Special, TJ 580)

8. FRANS MUDAU

Baby Uya Sphaza (TJ Quality Special, TJ 606)

9. BETTY KHOZA, KHOSIE BAYENI, NELLIE SHABALALA, TINY GUMEDE

Kudala Ngiboshiwe (Envee, NV 3408)

10. FRANS MUDAU

Radio Announces Kwela (TJ Quality Special, TJ 606)

11. KID ZORRO

Jewish Times (Quality, TJ 314)

12. BETTY KHOZA, KHOSIE BAYENI, NELLIE SHABALALA, TINY GUMEDE

Enyageni (Envee, NV 3408)