Allen Kwela, Sandile Shange, Evan Ziporyn (1984)

Sandile Shange playing at the Beatrice Street Durban "Bantu YMCA" in 1968
Pic: © Ian Bruce Huntley

From one perspective, South Africa’s musical history can be characterised as being of lost opportunities for some great musicians who, but for apartheid, would probably have been more widely celebrated. Some made huge sacrifices in pursuit of their musical destinies, while others made different choices, or had no choice. How much agency Allen Kwela and Sandile Shange had in seeing and taking their possible options, we may never know.

What I do know is that Allen Kwela and Sandile Shange were very fine guitarists, and they did have opportunity to record with internationally celebrated clarinetist and composer, Evan Ziporyn – in Durban in May 1984.

Prior to posting this, I wrote to Evan Ziporyn and he has very kindly found the time to share a few reflections about his time in Durban. Evan was very happy that Electric Jive is sharing these recordings - he thought they were lost, and had not heard them in thirty years.

Allen Kwela is well referenced on Electric Jive, here (solo), here (playing on Gideon Nxumalo's "Early Mart"),  here (on 78rpm) here (Allen's Soul Bag), here (Black Beauty) and here (playing with Winston Mankunku and the Cliffs).

Sandile Shange was another Durban guitarist, three to six years younger than Kwela (Kwela was born in 1939). I was privileged to see Sandile Shange play often with Darius Brubeck, Victor Ntoni and Barney Rachabane, and also at the Rainbow Restaurant with Busi Mhlongo. Shange made earlier recordings in the 1970’s with the “Shange Brothers”, including at a 1976 concert at the Jabulani Stadium in Soweto.

 

This very beautiful recording I share here is an SABC transcription recording made in Durban during May 1984 – and I am wondering what hand Darius Brubeck might have had in bringing this together? Writing in Jurgen Schaderberg’s “Jazz, Blues and Swing”, Brubeck talks about his being appointed to the first jazz post at the University of Natal, Durban in 1983 (following instigation by Chris Ballantine). Brubeck gives high praise to Allen Kwela, and goes on to say:

Sandile Shange at Dorkay House 1966.
Gordon Mfandu on drums
Pic © Ian Huntley 

“Another self-taught guitarist from Durban, Sandile Shange was the first professional jazz musician to work with me on a regular basis. Collaborating with Sandile and Allen were timely and humbling lessons for a newly minted teacher. As fate dictated, 20 years later both made their final recordings with me Victor Ntoni, Sandile Shange, Allen Kwela and Barney Rachabane ... inducted me into South African jazz life”.

Both Shange and Kwela died in 2003 – Kwela from an asthma attack and Shange being knocked off his scooter in Durban by a hit-and-run drunk driver.

Evan Ziporyn is very much still creating in this world. If you are in San Fransisco on Friday 8th November you can catch him in Berkeley. Described as an American composer of post minimalist music, Ziporyn is Professor of Music at MIT, a member of the Silk Road Project and recognised as one of the USA’s top living artists.

Even though he is busy touring, Evan agreed to write a few lines about his time in Durban and this recording: This is what he has to say:

"As you guessed, Darius Brubeck was the matchmaker here - he invited me to be in residence at the university for several months in early 1984, when the jazz program there was somewhat new.  The decision to come to SA at all at that time was complicated, but I trusted him & his wife Cathy, and I very much wanted to work with African musicians.  On a social and political level there are lots of stories to tell, but I suspect they would all be familiar to people from the region.  Interesting and strange times - the system was slowly opening up on so many levels, and everyone knew it; at the same time, there was so much entrenchment, so much awareness of race and social status, so much pain in even the simplest human interaction.  Change seemed both inevitable but hard to imagine actually happening without violent upheaval. So I could have Allen or Sandhile at my home or even visit theirs (albeit often being pulled over by the police while entering KwaZulu, and condescendingly warned that I 'didn't know what I was getting myself into'); we could even socialize together in public in certain neighborhoods and situations - but it was very clear that this was all in the context of something far more brutal and systematic, and that at any moment any black or mixed race African could be pushed around and debased in any number of large or small ways.  

 That was a large part of the experience, but even so it was thrilling to me to work with Allen Kwela and Sandhile Shange - amazing musicians, but different players with very different personalities.

Sandile Shange, Barney Rachabane, unknown pianist entertaining
at Dorkay House (Johannesburg) 1966. Pic © Ian Huntley

 Allen - despite his last name and obvious connection to kwela - was a consummate jazz artist and aficionado, with a deep love and knowledge of the American songbook.    He taught me a lot about it.  What's New was a particular favorite of his - when he sang the lyrics it would almost bring tears to my eyes.  Sandhile to my ears connected directly to the very rich African guitar tradition - not just Zulu styles but older Congolese and East African styles, at least what I knew of these.  There was always a deep groove present in his playing, but even on straightforward chord progressions his harmonic sense was sophisticated and inventive.  I remember listening to Tschaikovsky with him at the Durban Symphony - between movements he leaned over and whispered 'great chords!'

 Though I didn't know it at the time, these recordings - which I haven't heard in almost 30 years - marked the end of my own sojourn into something approaching mainstream jazz.  I left South Africa soon thereafter and pursued a very different musical path.  Coincidentally these recordings reemerge during a period where I'm once again exploring improvisation and valuing the type of interpersonal connection that it can manifest.  i played a lot of music with both Allen & Sandhile during those few months - often with the excellent bassist Marc Duby - and it always felt remarkably good.  Whatever my own abilities in the idiom, it still feels good to hear it - I'm deeply grateful it was preserved.  It never occurred to me that I'd never see either of them again, I always figured we'd get around to it sooner or later.  I wish it had been sooner.

Thank you to Olivier Ledure for sharing this recording with Electric Jive.

The pictures above are of three of Ian Bruce Huntley's pictures of Sandile Shange that appear in "Keeping Time". To order a copy of this book, check this link out here - and click on the picture of the book on the sidebar of this blog - it will give you an e-mail address.

SABC Transcription – Durban – May 1984 (Studio 5)

Producer: Cyril Grover

Recording Enginer: Clive Staegemann

Side One: Allen (“Alan”) Kwela and Evan Ziporyn (LT 21 132)

1. Sunday Blues (Allen Kwela)

2. Whats New (Allen Kwela)

3. Blue Burst (Allen Kwela)

4. The Unknown (Allen Kwela)

Side Two: Sandile Shange and Evan Ziporyn (LT 21 133)

5. Everything Happens To Me (Carmichael/Mercer)

6. Izolo (Shange)

7. St Thomas (Sonny Rollins)

8. Mexican Border (Shange)

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More Mankunku from Ian Bruce Huntley's archive

Winston Mankunku Ngozi - Morris Goldberg in background. Pic: Ian Bruce Huntley

It is a matter of a month or two before Electric Jive visitors will have full open access to the more than 56 hours of music recorded by Ian Bruce Huntley - and also be able to see many of the pictures featured in "Keeping Time", the limited edition book that will become available later this month.

The books, printed in Hong Kong, were loaded on a ship two days ago and are expected in the UK on 2nd December, and in Durban on 24th November. Siemon Allen in the USA will be receiving 50 copies via courier this week (holding thumbs Siemon).  There are 500 copies printed - we will soon provide details on costs and ordering.

The photo of Winston Mankunku Ngozi you see featured above is the only one in Ian's book that has not been digitally restored - while the scratching is particularly bad, it is also a kind of a nod from Siemon Allen (who put the book's great layout together) to the wonderful mood of the picture, and also to Cedric Nunn - who put many many hours into digitally repairing all the other images featured.

Keeping Time contains a substantial and fascinating essay by Jonathan Eato, the University of York-based composer and musician who worked with Bra Tete Mbambisa in releasing his solo piano work, "Black Heroes".

Jonathan describes in his essay how Ian set up the recording equipment on stages - when there was electricity available.

"Huntley would set up four microphones and use their proximity to the instruments to create a balanced ‘mix’. Relatively few of the photographs show Huntley’s microphone placement, but listening to the recordings one is struck by the clarity of the sound. As the pianos used in the various venues were all uprights, Huntley would place one microphone behind the instrument to pick up sound directly from the soundboard, with a second microphone placed near the drums. Huntley also reports experimenting with a piece of foam that had a hole cut in the middle to hold his third microphone. This enabled the microphone to be wedged into the bridge of the bass, accounting for the high quality bass response on the recordings (a level of fidelity which was probably not available to either the musicians or audiences at the time of the performance). Another of Huntley’s techniques was to put the fourth microphone inside a lampshade, which then acted as an improvised parabolic reflector to gather the overall sound of the horns. Once the microphones were in place, Huntley would be free to leave the tape running – until the tape ran out at least – whilst he attended to his camerawork." 

Jonathan then goes on to describe how the musicians would gather in Ian's flat to carefully listen to their recordings, coming to one of many interesting conclusions:

"Although one can only speculate at this point, it is not inconceivable that Huntley’s recordings were instrumental in contributing to the practice of modern jazz in South Africa. A pianist enabled to hear a walking bass line with clarity – even if not in the immediacy of performance – might well be further encouraged to explore the rootless left hand voicings they heard on records by Bud Powell, Bill Evans and others pioneering the practice in the U.S."

In keeping with the spirit of Ian's work, Jonathan's full essay will become available as an open access document - but not before the book comes out.

So - in all-round celebration, herewith nearly two hours (240mb) of some more gems from the archive - which Ian's records say were recorded at the Art Centre on 29th September 1966.

Art Centre (September 1966)

Tape 33
11 tracks at 1:54:21
Art Centre, Green Point Common, Cape Town.

Winston Mankunku Ngozi (tenor), Chris Schilder (piano), Midge Pike¹ (bass), Selwyn Lissack (drums), unidentified² (trumpet), Merton Barrow (vibes)³, Morris Goldberg⁴ (tenor).

1. Blues for Gary Peacock (7:14)

2. Summertime (George Gershwin) (11:16)
3. Woody ‘n’ You (Dizzy Gillespie) (8:54)
4. Nardis (Miles Davis) (7:13)²
5. Majong (Wayne Shorter) (13:40)
6. Love for Sale (Cole Porter) (16:02)
7. Well You Needn’t (Monk) (15:11)
8. Bessies Blues (John Coltrane) (8:42)
9. You Would Be So Nice To Come Home To (Cole Porter) [bass solo¹] (4:15)
10. Misty (Erroll Garner) (11:04)
11. Groovy Blues (10:46)^{3 & 4}

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In Nairobi with Orchestra Maquis - Masua

At Electric Jive we love South African music. and since July 2009 we have slowly built up one of the more comprehensive references and archives of out of print (and unpublished) music produced in the country. But we also love our sojourns to styles and music from beyond the borders. One of the enduring styles that can be reliable turned to to bring a smile is that produced from Congolese bands that landed up in East Africa - based in Uganda, Tanzania or Kenya when work opportunities in the  Zaire were scarce. Like Abijan, Dar es Salam and Nairobi became hubs for bands willing to take up residency at hotels where one of their primary functions was to ensure high beer consumption. Often bands would play all night, or at the very least until the early hours of the mornings with multiple sets. Today's post celebrates Orchestre Maquis and their 1982 album Masua.

From the original sleeve notes:

Originally known as Orchestre Super Gabby, Orchestre Ma Quis Du Zaire was formed in 1963 in a town called Kamina in Zaire's Shaba province. The founding members of the group are: Tshinyama Katay, Tshimbuiza Tshinsense (Nhuza Viking), Mbuya Makonga (Adios), Tshibangu Katay, Ilunga Lubaba, Mutombo Lufungula. Mwema Mudjanga and Mwema wa Mwamba. Together they approached a businessman who ran a bar and restaurant and also owned musical instruments and after discussions it was agreed that they perform at the bar.

During the following six years of hard work they acquired enough money to purchase their own musical instruments. In 1971 the band's name was changed to Orchestre Maquis du Zaire and the following year, while on a tour of countries neighbouring Zaire, they decided to settle in Tanzania's capital of Dar es Salaam where they received a wonderful reception from musical lovers. The group now has a large following in Tanzania and through their company OMACO Limited they have purchased property including 154 acres of farmland.

Orchestre Ma Quis Du Zaires's popular music has been exposed through the airwaves on state-owned Radio Tanzania, but until recently not had the chance of being cut on discs to reach fans in neighbouring countries.

The group, which has thirty -six members (twenty eight musicians, thress stage show girls and five officials) finally made its first appearance in Nairobi at the beinging of May 1982 for recording sessions at the CBS studio Unfortunately they were unable to give live persfomances. They did however make some TV appearances.

CBS Records Kenyan Limited is the first record company ever to have signed a recording contract with Orchestre Marquis du Ziare. Following lengthy discussions, including a visit to their office in Dar es Salaam, OMACO's directors were finally convinced and assured CBS records could and would look after the group's interests better than any other record company - this through the tireless effort of CBS A&R manager FL Amaumo.

Special Thanks:
Godfrey ZImba for his unquestionable contribution, Tido Mhando for his company and sparing time until the late hours of the night at the border; Peter Bond for his encouragement during the trying time; Simon Ndesandjo and Peter Musaka for the role played during the session.

Thanks Zaire Embassy Officials, Anthony Kafwihi, John Okeyo, Sammy Oyando, James Kinyanjui, Noah Kamau, Charles Odhiambo of Solace Hotel, Osgood, Immigration and Customer Officials at Namanaga Border. Produced by Livingstone Amaumo, Recorded at CBS Records Kenya Studio Nairobi, Engineer George Fombe, Photographs: Maridadi Studio (front), Joeseph Odiyo (Back). Sleeve design by Avelino Fernandez

Side One: Masua Pt1&2 (Nguza Viking), Ngai Mwana Malole Pt1&2 (Kasongo Mpinda)

Side Two: Bondela Moninga Pt1&2 (Nguza Viking), Maggie Pt1&2 (Kikumnbi Mpango)

Printed by Top in Town Printing Works

(c) 1982 CBS Inc, (p) 1982 CBS Inc.

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Greetings from Africa - Michael LBS and National Wake

Michael Lebese

South Africa's most influential punk band - National Wake - have just  released an anthology of their work through Light in the Attic records. Walk in Africa is a wonderful testament to the band and includes an in-depth essay from Punk in Africa director Keith Jones. Back in the early days of the Matsuli site I highlighted the band through three postings including the share of a recording that grey out of the National Wake family. That LP is credited to Michael LBS (aka Mike Lebese) and includes a number of songs that were part and parcel of the National Wake live catalogue.(Corner House, Going Away, and Sitting on the Beat)

The earliest line-up of National Wake including Paul Giraud and Mike Lebese

The album is a stepping stone of sorts, marking a place on the musical landscape between the afropunk of National Wake, the conscious afro-jazz sounds of groups like Tou, Afrika and the Malopoets and the Soweto reggae bands Splash and Dread Warriors. I've always had it in my head that Michael chose to give himself the moniker LBS after LKJ. Note the Tapper Zukie LP on the cover. There was even a record store in Jo'burg called Vinyl Jah-nkies.



Michael LBS - Greetings From Africa (RRC 2246, 1981)
1. Standing in the Sun
2. We Make it Happen
3. Alexander
4. Sitting on the Beat
5. Cornerhouse Stone
6. Africa's Request
7. Do You Leave Us So
8. Feel In Love
9. Going Away
Produced by Herbert, engineered by Phil Audiore and Graham Handley at Satbel
Band The Stars, all composed, mixed and arranged by Michael Lebese
Thanks Punka Gerald and Ivan Kadi K.O., cover by Dan Roberts

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Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Siya Emshadweni (1973)

Today we present a classic jive album by the one of mbaqanga's most well-known and loved girl groups, Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje. This LP is Siya Emshadweni ("We're going to a wedding"), released on the CBS label in 1973 and produced by Hamilton Nzimande.

Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje was formed in late 1967 as a direct response to the success of Rupert Bopape's Mahotella Queens over at Gallo. The founding members were Sannah Mnguni, Francina "Thopi" Mnguni, Nomvula "Nunu" Maseko and Thoko Khumalo. Almost immediately, the line-up found popularity with classic hit singles like "Uyawuz' Umoya Makoti", "Pendula Magwala" and "Is'dudla Sik' Joseph", the latter being their first really big hit. Hamilton Nzimande was the only producer who managed to build up a roster of musicians that seriously challenged Bopape's Mavuthela. Nzimande's own stable within the Gramophone Record Company was called Isibaya Esikhulu, the "big kraal".

Sannah, the singer whose earthy and soft contralto voice provided Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje with a unique and distinct identity very quickly, left the group after only a year. She moved over to Troubadour Records, which was on the cusp of being swallowed into Teal-Trutone. Sannah joined the famous and popular mbaqanga female group The Sweet Sixteens, which was led by the beautiful and serene harmony of Irene Mawela. Sannah was not the only one to join Troubadour. Bhekitshe Shabalala, the man who was to Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje what Mahlathini was to the Mahotella Queens, also followed. Irene, Sannah and Bhekitshe harmonised together until around 1970, when Sannah rejoined her old bandmates in Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje, bringing with her a junior Sweet Sixteen by the name of Jane Dlamini.

Some more successful recordings followed until almost of the Izintombi members quit in 1972. Sannah, Thopi and Thoko decided to move to EMI where they formed a very popular new group called Amagugu. With only Jane Dlamini left in Izintombi, Nzimande recruited and poached some new members. With an expanded new line-up that included Nobesuthu Shawe (who had served as a member of the group in 1967 before moving to the Mahotella Queens), Ruth Mafuxwana and Lindiwe Mthembu, the group continued to remain fairly successful until the general decline in the popularity of mbaqanga groups during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Siya Emshadweni features some of the fairly typical material that the group recorded during the early 1970s. The title track is by far one of my favourite tunes on the album. From the elasticated rhythm guitar line to the harmonious bass rhythm... and of course the voices of the girls and groaner Mthunzi Malinga... this one is a gem. "Udumbe Dumbe" and "Sicela Indlela" are two other great ones - the ladies clearly lose themselves in the joyous melodies here. "Ziyathuthuka Izintombi" is another nice song, with its stomping and solid rhythm work. Do you have a favourite tune? Make sure to let us know! "Siya Eswazini" is also noteworthy because, although the lyrics are different, the instrumental players here have stolen the melody of a Mahlathini song titled "Shwele Baba", released the year before. The melody is exactly the same, note-for-note! It was something often done during this period of South African music. Who knows... we may approach this subject in-depth very soon... until then, I hope you like this album of downright funky, layered vocal jive.

Enjoy!

IZINTOMBI ZESI MANJE MANJE
SIYA EMSHADWENI
produced by Hamilton Nzimande
CBS LAB 4042
1973
Zulu Vocal

RS / MF

Super Soul: The Sounds (1974)

Time for a dose of funky mostly upbeat South African instrumental soul. Hugh Masekela's "Thiba Kamoo" gets a great work-out here. Another track from this album to feature on the earlier Electric Jive June 2012 mix-tape preview is "Bushy Mayanka" .


The Number One label marketed by EMI Music for Pleasure seemed to produce mostly low-price instrumental albums targeted at the urban township market. This particular album still has its "Checkers" super-market price tag of R1.99.

While the marketing may have been cut-price, lovers of this early seventies funky-soul, slightly psychedelic genre will be very pleasantly surprised at this offering. Buried in this here album are some juicy samples just itching and waiting patiently to be lifted and re-worked.

Other than listing composers (see back cover) there is no further information provided on the who the musicians might be. Do Enjoy!

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Keeping Time: 1964 - 1974 The Photographs and Cape Town Jazz Recordings of Ian Bruce Huntley

This book celebrates the public emergence of an extraordinary visual and audio archive that was initiated by Ian Bruce Huntley in Cape Town fifty years ago. Electric Jive is very happy to announce that a limited edition print run of 500 copies is now at the printers. The book is expected to be available towards the end of November.

Covering the period 1964 - 1974, the Ian Bruce Huntley archive opens a window to a little known era of South African music history, documenting an ‘underground’ jazz scene that persisted in creative defiance of all that grand apartheid threw at it. In addition to 120 historical images, 56 hours of live recordings from many of the photographed performances are indexed in this book and will become available for free download through Electric Jive.

This previously hidden archive documents accomplished South African jazz musicians pushing the creative envelope and entertaining appreciative audiences. In his accompanying essay Jonathan Eato argues that Ian Bruce Huntley’s photos and recordings document an extension of the Drum decade lineage right through to the 1970s.

Many of the musicians Huntley worked with have passed on, and a large number were never afforded the opportunity to record (whilst others remain woefully under-documented). Combined with the loss to exile of yet more key people in the history of jazz in South Africa and the general inaccessibility of records that do exist, this conflation of events and circumstances has left a big dent in our historical understanding and resources. For those students, musicians, scholars, and devotees of South African music who wish to engage with the achievements of a generation of South African jazz musicians the newly found accessibility of the Ian Huntley archive goes a small but invaluable way towards maintaining memory and articulating lost stories

Published by Chris Albertyn and Associates in partnership with Electric Jive, the book is edited by Chris Albertyn. In addition to a biographical sketch of Ian Huntley, the book offers a substantial essay by Jonathan Eato, a full discography of all the recordings, and an index. Electric Jive's Siemon Allen is responsible for the design and layout, while Cedric Nunn has painstakingly spent many many hours restoring the  professionally scanned digitized images. More details will be made available in the coming months.

The front cover image is of Psych Big T Ntsele playing at a 1971 open-air concert in New Brighton Township.

So - in celebration herewith a very rare recording. As regular Electric Jive visitors will know, one of the bands that Ian recorded in Cape Town was "The Jazz Disciples" - which included Tete Mbambisa (piano), Barney Rachabane and Ronnie Beer (saxophones), Dennis Mpale, Trumpet, Max Dayimani (drums) and either Sammy Maritz or Martin Mgijima on bass. You can read more about them and hear their music here, here, and here,

It is known that the Jazz Disciples did record for the SABC in 1964. What is less known is that there was at least one commercial release of a 45rpm on His Master's Voice, featuring the historic Tete Mbambisa compositions, Umsenge (his first) and Tete's Jump. While the labels do not indicate a date or release, it is estimated that this would be either 1964 or 1965. 

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