Hey Bra! (Bra Sello with Abafana Bentithuko)

Staying with the jive theme this December here we have another rare LP with a hot dose of
instrumental jive led by Bra Sello, a popular sax jive artist. He appeared alongside vocal artists
such as Mahlathini in a number of revue shows in mid seventies and cut a number of singles
on the CBS label. This compilation collects these sides together with other tunes from artists
on the CBS label. 

Bra Sello with Abafana Bentuthuko Vol 1 (CBS LAB4006, c1972)
01 16-0-16 :: Bra Sello
02 Tycoons No 8 :: Bra Sello
03 Mr Music :: The Big Four
04 Can't Be Still No 2 :: CBS Al Stars
05 15-0-15 :: Bra Sello
06 Thashi Thashi :: The Big Four
07 17-0-17 :: Bra Sello
08 Down Town :: Bra Sello
09 Mthembu Nonzimande :: Abafana Bentuthuko
10 Siyanyawuka Nzimande :: Bra Sello
11 Boom Straat :: The Big Four
12 Jive American Jive No 1 :: Bra Sello

ENJOY: MF download

Intuthuko Brothers - Stars of Africa (1976)

As promised last week, today we feature the first in a series of posts on the Intuthuko Brothers. Also known as Abafana Bentuthuko, this distinctly mellow mbaqanga group was led by guitarist Hansford Mthembu and can often be heard backing Bra Sello Mmutung on a number of his LPs. The 1967 compilation album, Modern Sax Stars, featured here at Electric Jive includes Mthembu and his group as well as David Khanyile and Bra Sello.

The group that became the Intuthuko Brothers were formed around 1966 and were hugely popular in South Africa and toured extensively throughout the country and Swaziland in the mid 1970s.

Stars of Africa (1976) is dedicated to the group's first bassist Jackson Simelane Makwenta who unfortunately died in a car accident in 1975. Makwenta is also remembered by the inclusion of the first track, Mahlabathini Special No. 6, which he composed and arranged.

Intuthuko Brothers
Stars of Africa
Kaya-Lami
KYL 2002
1976

Modern Sax Stars (1967)

I recently acquired a number of distinctly mellow mid-70s mbaqanga LPs by the Intuthuko Brothers and for today I had planned to post the earliest of those featuring Hansford Mthembu. But I came across a YouTube posting by alkis09 of Bra Sello with Abafana Bentuthuko where kayem11 had added a comment mentioning that Abafana Bentuthuko were also known as the Intuthuko Brothers. Of course I should have known... I recalled a 1967 CBS LP Modern Sax Stars featuring David Khanyile (Festus the Great), Bra Sello and Hansford Mthembu or (as the LP cover clearly notes) Abafana Bentuthuko.

Abafana Bentuthuko led by Hansford Mthembu were the backing band on a number of LPs for Bra Sello Mmutung. So for today's post I thought to focus on this earlier LP featuring the group, and cover their later 1970s material in future postings. You may be familiar with some of the tracks included here, 12-0-12 and Vala Nzimande were big hits for Bra Sello and Hansford Mthembu respectively, and are also featured on Nick Lotay's earlier post: Sax Jive Special. Bra Sello can also be heard here at EJ on Butterfly, and on the compilations DiscoSoulJive, and Pull Up! Sixties Jazz 78s.

David Khanyile (Festus the Great)
Bra Sello and his Band
Hansford Mthembu (Abafana Bentuthuko)
Modern Sax Stars
CBS
LAB 4002
1967