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

 

Zambezi Restaurant, District Six Jazz: Part II

District Six: 1965. Pic: Ian Huntley

Electric Jive celebrates its 300th post of this blog with two more historical sets recorded by Ian Bruce Huntley during 1964 at the legendary Zambezi Restaurant in District Six Cape Town. In addition to an elegant trio rendition of popular numbers by Chris and Philly Schilder with Max Dayimani, there is a lively performance by Tete Mbambisa's Jazz Disciples where we hear at least one local composition - "Dollar's Moods" by Hugh Masekela and first recorded by the Jazz Epistles. (Thanks 'anonymous' for this helpful correction, and thanks Bob D and MB for help in naming the other tracks). Any help in naming the remaining unidentified track would be much appreciated.

On a related 'heritage practitioning' and archiving note: The Centre for Popular Memory at the University of Cape Town has recently updated its website. It is now possible to listen to a number of interviews Colin Miller did with Cape Town jazz musicians such as Harold Japhta, Robbie Jansen, Cliffie Moses, Cups and Saucers Nkanuka, Monty Weber, Richard Schilder, Donald Tshomela and others. You can find this important resource here.

SET ONE: Chris Schilder, Philly Schilder, Max Dayimani

1.      Green Dolphin Street (10:19)

2.      My Man's Gone Now (5:38)

3.      Too marvelous for words (5:47)

4.      Unidentified Track 4 (7:02)

5.      Milestones (8:24)

SET TWO: Dennis Mpale (trumpet), Ronnie Beer (saxophone), Tete Mbambisa (piano) – not certain who is on  (bass), Max Dayimani (drums)

1.      Dollar's Moods (Hugh Masekela) (9:30)

2.      Sweet and Lovely (7:26)

3.      ? (4:41)

4.      Misterioso (Thelonius Monk) (6:22)

5.      Friday the 13th (13:31)

Fruit and veg vendor outside Beaconsfield Bar, District Six. Pic: Ian Huntley

 

Mediafire SET ONE here and SET TWO here

Rapidshare SET ONE here and SET TWO here

Giant Hits: Seventies Soul mbaqanga (1977)

 I am always inspired by visitors who engage Electric Jive by leaving comments, asking questions and making requests. Rashied in following up on a post on The Raiders (see here and here) asked if anyone had any music by The Tulips. I am glad to be able to oblige Rashied.

This ten-track compilation stands out for its attractive vocals holding together a fusion of soul, mbaqanga and a touch of disco - an interesting moment that captures shifting trends and tastes at the time. The Tulips offer four great soul-inspired tracks, with their sweet-voiced lead singer sometimes imitating Mpharanyana's odd 'coughing' habit.

The Additions manage a pleasant fusion of soul-mbaqanga, while the lively Mthembu Queens give a nod to disco with their Asambeni Bafana (Let's Go Boys) - a great track which Nick has previously shared on this blog - Classic Mbaqanga Girl Groups Vol iii. (here)

The Movie Movies (I love the name) are pure Zulu soul-disco, while The Tulips cross-over towards mbaqanga in the catchy Banomona.

This record is still in great condition after thirty six years of careful storage by my friend Burgert. Thanks for the gift! Please do enjoy.

 

RS here

MF here

Allen Kwela: Past, Present and Future - solo guitar

An awesome out-of-print tape for the Electric Jive archive today, from yet another of South Africa's complex musical geniuses.

In his 1990 liner notes to this solo recording, France-based Henri Martin laments the fact that he could not find any records of his favorite South African jazz musicians. So, he decided he would make a recording himself. Willem Moller of the Gereformeerde Blues Band lent out his studio and helped with the sound engineering. The original idea was to record the Allen Kwela Trio who had just come off a successful three-week stint at Kippie's in Johannesburg. Budget constraints trimmed that down to a solo recording. Martin mentions that Kwela took a long time to "find the right feeling" in the studio and while he became a good friend, he was also a "sometimes painful perfectionist".

Kwela's 1972 masterpiece "Allen's Soul Bag" can be found on EJ here. The track "Question Mark" from Allen's Soul Bag is also featured on the Next Stop Soweto Vol 3 compilation. The Allen Kwela recording "Black Beauty" features Kippie Moeketsi on alto and can be found here. Kwela teams up again with Kippie Moeketsi on Gideon Nxumalo's 1970 holy grail "Early Mart", which is also available on EJ here. In sharing two early 78rpm recordings of Allen Kwela here, Siemon notes that Allen Kwela is reported to have played alongside Winston Mankunku Ngozi and Barney Rachabane in the group "The Cliffs". That great 1975 recording too, is archived on EJ here.

Five of the nine tracks on this tape are also featured with a full band on his acclaimed recording "The Broken Strings of Allen Kwela": including Past Present and Future as well as, Sunday Blue, Tranquility, Stand Up, and KwaMashu. The notes next to the song titles below are Allen Kwela's own comments on his choices.

1. Say it with Love: "Is a tune of mine. It means one must say or do everything with love."
2. Past, Present and Future: "It was beautiful in the past. Black is still beautiful in the present and will always be in the future. The deprivation of rights of the South african Black National did not and will not change that."
3. Sunday Blue: "Is dedicated to a beautiful crystal clear  sky-blue Sunday in 1975 when everything went perfectly: pure romance."
4. Tranquility: "When I wrote this tune back in 1968 I had a feeling of calmness and the self-confidence, hence the title."
5. Stand-Up: "Against all that is not right and forced on you."
6. My Funny Valentine: "One of the old standards I adore.
7. KwaMashu: "The township outside Durban, home to my brothers, and sometimes myself".
8. Who knows?: "This is my own version of a 16-bar blues! Playing solo offers the advantage of playing 'free' as you might notice in this recording. However, I prefer to have it played according to its strucuture which is clearly stated in the first 16 bars of the tune."
9. Surrey with a fringe on top: "The bride and groom, in a Surrey, start out in fast pace then medium and finally slow tempo to a halt."

"Recently, I lost my Gibson guitar in a township mugging and I thought that was the end of everything. But someone lent me an Ibanez for this recording and I have been amazed by its performance. the 'Ibanez Artist' guitar was great, although I would have preferred a box guitar like my old Gibson". (from the cassette notes).

Allen Kwela died at the age of 63 on 1st July 2003.

A "Best of Allen Kwela" compilation CD issued by Sheer Sound is still available from Kalahari for ZAR72. It contains 13 tracks and you can audio-preview five of them.

The solo guitar tape can be downloaded as follows:
mediafire here
rapidshare here

Nick Moyake and the "Soul Jazzmen" (1965)

The core of what became the "Soul Jazzmen" at Salt River - Vuyiswa Ngcwangu (or possibly Nosisi Rululu),
 Duku Makasi, Dennis Mpale Nick Moyake, Psych Big T Ntsele, Tete Mbambisa: Pic Ian Bruce Huntley

This previously unreleased 1965 live recording at The Ambassador's in Woodstock Cape Town features the early foundations of what became the legendary “Soul Jazzmen” plus Dennis Mpale. Saxophonists Nick Moyake and Duku Makasi, drummer Peter Jackson jnr along with Psych Big T Ntsele on bass went on to form the Soul Jazzmen.

Nick Moyake, Dennis Mpale, Duku Makasi: Pic Ian Huntley

While Ian Huntley is not certain on who the female vocalist featured on this historic recording is, it seems to me this might well be Vuyiswa Ngcwangu, who also performed and recorded with the Soul Jazzmen at the “Mankunku Jazz Show” in May 1968. Vuysiwa and Tete Mbambisa became married in 1964. The only missing link in this recording is Tete Mbambisa, as Shakes Masdorph Mgudlwa is playing piano here. Shakes was originally from Flagstaff in the Transkei and was one of Tete Mbambisa's early mentors when he moved to East London.

Nick (Nikele) Moyake can be considered the 'gódfather' in this band as it was him who taught both Duku Makasi and Dudu Pukwana to play saxophone. Johnny Dyani recalled Moyake as the influence in South Africa.

Mackay Davashe and Nik Moyake
Dorkay House 1966
Pic: Ian Huntley

Dennis Mpale, and to a lesser extent Nick Moyake, both had reputations of being self assured and not suffering perceived insults gladly. There are various legendary stories recorded of both musicians  getting bands into sticky situations with the police and anyone else in authority who they felt insulted by. They did have the musical abilities to match their confidence though. "The Mpale attitude" became a term used by local musicians. Moyake nearly got the Blue Notes locked up the night before their departure from South Africa because he gave a white policeman at a roadblock backchat and lip, telling him that he, Moyake, was more famous than the policeman.

There are sadly not many recordings of Nick Moyake. He features prominently with the Blue Notes on “Township Bop” (as does Dennis Mpale), and “Legacy: Live in South Africa”. Moyake’s life was cut short not long after returned to South Africa, having left  the Blue Notes in Europe during 1965. Nick Moyake was playing with the Soul Jazzmen when he died of what is said by some to be  a brain tumour. Vuyiswa Ngcwangu, during Lars Rasmussen's interview with Tete Mbambisa, reports that Moyake's death was precipitated by a three-day binge on pure alcohol given to the band in Alice by a medical student from the University of Fort Hare. (Jazz People of Cape Town pg. 150). Accounts of the year of his death vary from 1965 to 1969. It seems likely it was before Dennis Mpale's Soul Giants recorded "I Remember Nick" in 1968.

In her book on Chris McGregor and the Brotherhood of Breath, Maxine McGregor describes Moyake's playing as 'much more peaceful and laconic .. than Dudu, he was the master of creating an átmosphere'with his tenor, its soft mellow voice reminiscent of quiet places, walks by the riverside, golden afternoons. He was a complex person person, Nik, with his slow deep voice, his eyes soft, slanty, almond-shaped; looking deep into your eyes, he could talk you into almost anything."

Moyake's death reverberated among South African jazz lovers. Both Johnny Dyani and Dudu Pukwana composed songs entitled "Blues for Nick", Shakes Mgudllwa composed "Tribute to Nick", and in 1969 Dennis Mpale's Soul Giants recorded the album "I Remember Nick", which you can find here.


Nick Moyake at Dorkay House (1966).
Pic Ian Huntley

Ian Bruce Huntley made this recording at the Ambassador’s Club in Woodstock, Cape Town in late 1965 soon after Moyake had returned home. Captured on his Tandberg 6 reel-to-reel tape on a crowded stage, Ian had some challenges with where he could place his microphones, having some effect on the mix, and not giving full effect to the female vocalist.

Returning to issues of attitude and confidence, Johnny dyani relates a story in various documented interviews, Jurg Solothurnmann in 1983) and to Aryan Kaganof in 1985 interview  of Nick Moyake becoming angry with the way in which he felt treated by Wayne Shorter down at a party hosted by Dollar Brand in Zurich in 1965.  “I remember Nick in Zurich at Dollar’s party. Dollar invited the Miles Davis group rhythm section: Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, and Wayne Shorter. Nick told Wayne Shorter right in front of us when we were at that party, just pheww! That guy even today when he sees me, when he sees the Blue Notes, I wonder ’cos that guy might hate us or some shit because he cannot stand what Nick told him. Dollar said, ‘This is Nick Moyake.’ Nick holds this guy’s hand man. He holds it, grips it, and says, ‘You ain’t shit. What you play I played it before.’ And he holds his hand; the guy is pulling his hand! We were there in this party in Zurich. Dollar said, ‘How can you do this at my party, why you so rude to my guests?’ So Nick said, ‘He ain’t shit I played this before. He’s coming with an attitude.’ But WE! We were full of shit of man!”.

Vuyiswa 'Viva' Ngcwangu as she appears
on the Record sleeve of the
Winston Mankunku Show (1968)

Jurg Solothurnmann relates the same Dyani story as ".. somehow Nick was very annoyed, I don't know because of the attitude Wayne Shorter gave him or what. But I heard nick telling Wayne: "I used to play what you are playing". I knew he was very advanced, but I was shocked that he was aware of it and was speaking up even though he was very shy."(quoted in Lars Rasmussen's book on the photographs of Hardy Stockman).

In the late 1950s the Ambassadors School of Dancing in Woodstock (its original name) was home to a group of jazz musicians who regularly jammed there - including Chris McGregor, Cups and Saucers Nkanuka, Christopher Columbus Ngcukana, Dave Galloway, and Martin Mgijima. A year after the departure of the Blue Notes to Europe, the Ambassadors was still hosting amazing  sessions with the remaining stalwarts – including this one with the returned Blue Note, Nick Moyake.

You can find the original Soul Jazzmen recording of Inhlupekho here.

If you have not yet had chance to explore other Electric Jive postings from Ian Huntley's audio archive, the easiest way to do this is to use the search function on the right hand column of this blog. Search "IBH Jazz".

A full discography of Ian's 56-hour audio archive, and around 130 of Ian's photos will be published by Electric Jive as a non-profit tribute book at the end of this year. More details to follow.

"Soul Jazzmen" at The Ambassadors (1965)

Unknown female vocalist (possibly Vuyiswa Ngcwangu), Dennis Mpale (trumpet), Nik Moyake (sax), Duku Makasi (sax), Shakes Mgudlwa (piano), Psych Big T Ntsele (bass), Peter Jackson Jnr. (drums)

1. Milestones (13:13)

2. Unidentified track (14:48)

3. Track 3 - unidentified  (3:19)

4. Track 4 - unidentified (8:10)

5. Love for Sale (3:42)

6. 'Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered' (Rodgers & Hart). (5:21)

 

Rapidshare here

Mediafire here

Voice of the Ancestors (mbira dzavadzimu)

And now for another sojourn just north of South Africa to Zimbabwe. In Shona music, the mbira dzavadzimu ("voice of the ancestors") and national instrument of Zimbabwe, is a musical instrument that has been played for thousands of years. The mbira dzavadzimu is frequently played at religious ceremonies and social gatherings called mabira.

In the seventies it took Thomas Mapfumo and guitarist Jonah Sithole to transcribe the sounds of the mbira to electric guitar and sing in Shona, as opposed to playing American rock covers. This was a breakthrough moment for Mapfumo and set the platform for his rise to popularity.

A typical mbira dzavadzimu consists of between 22 and 28 keys constructed from hot- or cold-forged metal affixed to a hardwood soundboard (gwariva) in three different registers—two on the left, one on the right. While playing, the little finger of the right hand is placed through a hole in the bottom right corner of the soundboard, stabilizing the instrument and leaving thumb and index finger of the right hand open to stroke the keys in the right register from above and below. The fingers of the left hand stabilize the left side of the instrument, with most fingers reaching behind the instrument. Both registers on the left side of the instrument are played with the left thumb and sometimes the left forefinger. Bottle caps, shells, or other objects ("machachara") are often affixed to the soundboard to create a buzzing sound when the instrument is played. In a traditional setting, this sound is considered extremely important, as it is believed to attract the ancestral spirits.

During a public performance, an mbira dzavadzimu is frequently placed in a deze (calabash resonator) to amplify its sound. The mbira dza vadzimu is very significant in Shona religion and culture, and considered a sacred instrument. It is usually played to facilitate communication with ancestral spirits. Within the Shona tradition, the mbira may be played with paired performers in which the kushaura, the caller, leads the performed piece as the kutsinhira, the responder, "interlocks" a subsequent part. The Ritual is known as the Bira. During these all night ceremonies, people call upon the spirits to answer questions, the variations of notes in an Mbira piece aid the participants by going into a trance in which it is said in shona culture aid the spirits in taking over the participants body.

(most of the above taken from Wiki)

Many friends of mine in Zimbabwe have hired Mbira groups to play all night when moving into a new house...in essence to settle the spirits. And so without further ado three lovely albums of Mbira music.

Two rare albums from the Mazai Mbira Group.
Enjoy via Rapidshare

And re-loaded from Matsuli, the classic Music of the Spirit album from Ephat Mujuru. This legendary album single handedly popularised mbira music in Southern Africa. This project was specially commissioned by Gramma Records on the first anniversary of Zimbabwe's independence. Ephat Mujuru's band Mudzimu waVanhu (Spirit of the People) included the late Thomas Wadharwa (sekuru) Gora, Forbes Gushungo, Martha Mujuru, Martha Tembo, Lovemore Chiripanyanga and Patrick Mberi. File next to Paul Berliner's field recording of Mhuri yekwa Rwizi's Soul of Mbira. 
Enjoy via Rapidshare

Lemmy Mabaso - Lemmy Hit Parade No.1 (1962)

This post will be my last for a while at Electric Jive. I am taking some time to concentrate on a number of other creative projects. I want to thank the team here at EJ for inviting me two-and-half years ago to be a part of this amazing resource. Much of South African music history remains undocumented and significant information is rapidly fading away. Electric Jive continues to provide a critical window onto that history and I am honored to have played a small part in this valuable archiving project. Chris, Matt, Nick and Francis thank you so much!

For this final post I though it might be appropriate to feature two LPs from Gallo’s New Sound label: Lemmy Hit Parade No. 1 (NSL 1008) and Top Hits of the Big Three (NSL 1006). Both are exceptionally hard to find and seldom, if ever, come up on the various auction sites.

Gallo introduced the New Sound label in 1958 as a marketing strategy to brand their more popular jive and kwela releases. It set those recordings apart from their own more “traditional” ones and became a visually catchy product that could rival the competition. The familiar vermillion and yellow label was a bright, modern shift away from the more conventional black, gold and silver label designs of the preceding decades. (For more on the New Sound label check out my provisional discography at flatint.)

The label showcased some of Gallo’s most popular jive and kwela artists of the late 1950s and early 1960s including Lemmy 'Special' Mabaso, Spokes Mashiyane, Miriam Makeba and the Skylarks, Reggie Msomi to name but a few. Significantly this label was introduced just as Gallo was signing Mashiyane away from Trutone and it also arrived as the popularity of kwela was peaking internationally. The timing in my opinion cannot be coincidental.

The label, like the music, was bright and easily identifiable. Early issues carried the name Gallotone in a modern san-serif font (the previous logos were all in cursive) but this too was dropped in favor of the clean simplicity of just “New Sound” next to the Gallo rooster logo.

At first the design was used only on 78 rpms, which at that time were chiefly marketed to black consumers. In 1959, some discs were issued as 45 rpms, and in 1960 the company began a series of LPs and EPs featuring some of their best artists. It is likely that these formats were to be marketed to white consumers. New Sounds of Africa, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 were the first two LPs issued and included primarily tracks by Spokes Mashiyane but also significant hits by Miriam Makeba and the Skylarks. Coincidentally these came out just as Makeba was becoming popular in the United States — she had left South Africa in August of 1959.

The label continued with a string of LP releases featuring Mashiyane, Mabaso and Msomi and then in 1962 issued the classic live recording of the 1962 Cold Castle National Jazz Festival. Generally Gallo issued jazz recordings on their Continental label, but this LP marked an important departure. This was soon followed by an even more significant classic in Jazz - The African Sound featuring Chris McGregor’s Castle Lager Big Band - one of the most collectable South African records.

New Sound maintained issues until around 1965 when it was replaced by Mavuthela's iconic Motella label under the stewardship of Rupert Bopape. Introduced in 1964 soon after Bopape joined Gallo, Motella became home to the leading South African musical styles of the late 1960s. Mavuthela followed up with other new labels including Gumba Gumba, CTC Star, Smanje Manje and so on.

The two LPs featured today both include tracks by Lemmy 'Special' Mabaso who, in the late fifties along with Spokes Mashiyane, was South Africa’s biggest kwela star. As with all New Sound issues till this point both LPs are compilations of recordings previously issue on 78 rpm.

Mabaso was born in Alexandra Township in 1946 and along with his brothers Jerry and Meshack and three friends formed the Alexandra Junior Bright Boys, a four penny-whistle group accompanied by string-bass and guitar. They would busk the streets of Johannesburg for tips before making their first recordings probably around 1956 or 1957. Mabaso must have been ten or eleven at the time. (Huskisson)

The Alexandra Junior Bright Boys with Mabaso became some of the first black artists in South Africa to be featured on a long playing vinyl record in the 1958 compilation Something New in Africa (GALP 1015) and then again that year on the 10” LP Lemmy Special (GLP 119), both on the Gallotone label. By this point Mabaso must have been twelve.

Lemmy Special, as he is known on many of the recordings, became an overnight sensation and soon found himself performing in some of the biggest stage shows of the day, including African Jazz (1957) and both local and international stage productions of King Kong. After the decline in popularity of kwela he shifted to saxophone in 1963 and joined Reggie Msomi’s Hollywood Jazz Band before forming his own group, the Down-Beats. (Huskisson)

Mabaso continued recording for Gallo well into the 1970s and can be heard playing saxophone on many albums, including Ntemi Piliso’s classic 1975 sessions with the Members. Do yourself a favor and search for Lemmy here at Electric Jive to see the many other LPs he is featured on.

See you later!

Lemmy Hit Parade No. 1
Lemmy Special
New Sound
NSL 1008
(1962)

Top Hits of the Big Three
Spokes Mashiyane, Lemmy Mabaso, Reggie Msomi
New Sound
NSL 1006
(1961)