Classic South African Jive from Nick Lotay

If you enjoyed “Mavuthela – The Sound of the Sixties” over at Matsuli, you’ll definitely love this second and equally special compilation: “Classic South African Jive” – thirty more songs from the golden age of mbaqanga, all originally released on 78 and 45 rpm records between 1964 and 1977. A respectable history of mbaqanga music can be revealed by this collection: the origins of early jive in the 1960s (“Isikebe Siwile”, “Rocsy Pie Conti”), the “toughening-up” and growing elasticity of the sound in the middle 1960s (“Duba Duba 900”, “Ngikhala Ngiya Baleka”, “Izihambi”), and the very zenith of mbaqanga in the 1970s (“Deda Endleleni”, “Izinto Zimanukwenza”, “Vuka Uzibuke”). There are many famous names adorning this compilation – among them Shadrack and Edmund ‘Ntemi’ Piliso, Elijah Nkwanyane, West Nkosi, Simon Nkabinde, the Mavuthela girl group team in all their pseudonymous guises, and of course the solid backing unit the Makhona Tsohle Band who are present on all recordings here with very few line-up changes, led by the fantastic two – Marks Mankwane on electric lead and Joseph Makwela on electric bass.

All of these songs were originally released on hard-to-find discs on Mavuthela’s “Motella”, “Gallo New Sound”, “C.T.C. Star Record”, “Smanje Manje” and “Gumba Gumba” labels and come from my modest assortment of vinyl. The big thank you must go to Siemon Allen, who contributed eight wonderful tracks to the first Mavuthela compilation and has shared many vinyl treats over the last few years with both Matsuli and ElectricJive. Siemon is responsible for fourteen of the thirty tunes here in this second instalment, and I’m sure that once you listen to this compilation you’ll be as grateful to him as I and many others have been!

Treat yourself to this second helping of delicious electric jive. Enjoy it as much or as often as you see fit!
Nick Lotay, May 2010


Tracklist
1 ISIKEBE SIWILE – ALEXANDER ALL BAND (1964)*
2 UMKHOVU – ALEXANDER ALL BAND (1964)*
3 ROCSY PIE CONTI – BOB-CATS (1964)
4 BACKYARD 21 – BOB-CATS (1964)
5 BALA THOKO – MARULA BOOM STARS (1964)
6 WATHELA, WAYEKA – MARULA BOOM STARS (1964)
7 EFLETHINI – L.V. SISTERS (1964)*
8 ISALUKWAZI – L.V. SISTERS (1964)*
9 GUN 077 – ANANIA WA MOFOLO (1964)
10 JIVE SOPHIA – ANANIA WA MOFOLO (1964)
11 DUBA DUBA 900 – WEST NKOSI & HIS ALTO SAX (1966)
12 JIVE MTSHIKISA 500 – WEST NKOSI & HIS ALTO SAX (1966)
13 NTOMBI ZODWA – MTHUNZINI GIRLS (1967)
14 NGIKHALA NGIYA BALEKA – MTHUNZINI GIRLS (1967)
15 VALA IZWE – BIG VOICE JACK (1967)*
16 BAILE BATHO – BIG VOICE JACK (1967)*
17 IZIHAMBI – IZINTOMBI ZOMGQASHIYO (1968)*
18 USIKHESHE KHESHE – IZINTOMBI ZOMGQASHIYO (1968)*
19 BASIBON’ IZITHUTHA – MAHLATHINI AND IZINTOMBI ZOMGQASHIYO (1969)*
20 ABANGANI BAMI – MAHLATHINI AND IZINTOMBI ZOMGQASHIYO (1969)*
21 NAMHLA KUNGAMI – MAHLATHINI AND IZINTOMBI ZOMGQASHIYO (1970)
22 OKWAMADODA KUYA BHIKWA – MAHLATHINI AND IZINTOMBI ZOMGQASHIYO (1970)
23 DEDA ENDLELENI – MAHOTELLA QUEENS (1972)
24 IGUGU LEZWE – MAHOTELLA QUEENS (1972)
25 ITHENDELE ELIHLE – EMILY ZWANE & THE SWEET SOUNDS (1974)*
26 IZINTO ZIMANUKWENZEKA – EMILY ZWANE & THE SWEET SOUNDS (1974)*
27 UMNTANAM’ ULAHLEKILE – MAHOTELLA QUEENS (1975)*
28 IZINYEMBEZI ZESULIWE – MAHOTELLA QUEENS (1975)*
29 VUKA UZIBUKE – MAHOTELLA QUEENS (1977)
30 YADILIKA INTABA – MAHOTELLA QUEENS (1977)
*courtesy of Siemon Allen at flatinternational