Tuesday 9 July 2013

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

12 comments:

  1. WOW--thank you so much, man.

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  2. Congrats for 300 great posts on one of the best blogs ever! Hoping to see another 300!

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  3. Tx porco .. glad to see you up and running again ... not forgotten Letta - just otherwise hectic

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  4. Thank you! Only listened to the second set so far but boy it's swingin! -MB

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  5. Set 2, track 4 sounds like Blue Monk to me. -MB

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  6. Pace MB, I think Set 2 track 4 is Monk's 'Misterioso' – see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zz-7Jo2YCM for example.

    Bob D.

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  7. Also the track labelled 'Gloria's Step' is in fact 'My Man's Gone Now', from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. And though the last track does sound Monk-ish I don't think it's 'Straight No Chaser'. Is it a loos-ish version of 'Friday the 13th'?

    Bob D.

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  8. Thanks so much Bob D and MB - this is very helpful. 56 hours of digitizing scrambles reality somewhat. Now that I have been able to search out the titles you suggest they may be, I must agree and amend accordingly. Friday the 13th was in the Cape Town repertoire at the time, with Mankunku, Pike, Schilder, Lissack et al playing it too. You are right on Misterioso too - that was really bugging me .. Dollar Brand plays it on Sphere Jazz. Thanks again good people.

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  9. Nice scholarship, Bob D! -MB

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  10. thanks for this and many of your other amazing uploads - living on a small island here so hard to find this kind of music.... thank you!

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  11. The song "Leads Dwana" is actually Hugh Masekela's "Dollar's Moods"

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  12. Thanks anonymous for the correction - track one of set 2 is indeed Dollar's Moods and not Leads Dwana. I will re-label and re-up the zip files. Stay tuned, when it is my turn next I will upload "Leads Dwana" with Dudu Pukwana, Ronnie Beer, Dennis Mpale, Tete Mbambisa, Martin Mgijima and Max Dayimani

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