Accordion Jive Special - Vol. 1

Right - I think it's about time Electric Jive delved deep into the mbaqanga archives for some more special compilations! Over the next two weeks, we will present a number of township jive anthologies. Today we draw our attention to an infectious dancefloor music of choice for many of South Africa's township-dwelling population of the 1970s. EJ has previously shared a number of fantastic accordion jive albums and individual singles, but never before have we devoted an entire post to the hugely successful genre. So here we are! Accordion Jive Special - Vol. 1 draws together 20 instrumental hits originally released on 45 rpm format between 1973 and 1985.

 

The idea for this post actually came about after digitising a large batch of recently accumulated singles of varying styles - sax jives, soul pop, bump jive, girl groups, solo male numbers, and so on. To me, much of the accordion jive material that popped on and off my turntable actually sounded rather uninteresting and repetitive compared to the other 45s. It took me a few singles more to get into the groove and subsequently realise what accordion jive was intended for. It wasn't music to be analysed or deconstructed… it was dance music with a distinctly 'traditional' influence; music to be played if one felt in the mood to jump and jive until they dropped; the perfect accompaniment to hectic dancefloor moves.

It's difficult to pin down exactly when the first accordion jive recordings were produced. But the style almost certainly developed after the arrival of the first famo musicians to the recording studios of Johannesburg in the late 1960s. Some of the early stars of Basotho famo included Forere Motloheloa, piano-accordion player for the legendary Tau ea Matsekha which began recording for EMI (Coplan, 1994). The earliest known accordion jives were produced at Gallo's Mavuthela Music division under the supervision of producer Rupert Bopape in 1969. Piano-accordionist Mtabhane Ndima, backed by the Makgona Tsohle Band, recorded a few instrumental singles for Mavuthela's popular Inkonkoni label (some of these singles were later released onto the LP Thala Thala, a 1971 compilation of Mavuthela instrumental hits which can be downloaded from Electric Jive here).

A lead accordion backed by the elastic mbaqanga rhythm suddenly developed into a craze. Some of those who followed Ndima into the music industry included Walter Ndaba, Delford Ngcemu, Johannes Lenkoe, Joseph Mazibuko, Jeremia Luvuno, Mzwandile David, Johnson Mkhalali and a whole host more. For the entirety of the 1970s and well into the 1980s, singles categorised as 'accordion jive' or 'sax and accordion jive' were recorded and pressed in their hundreds. All of the major mbaqanga instrumental teams of the day produced accordion jives - from the Makgona Tsohle Band to Abafana Bentuthuko to the Boyoyo Boys. In Accordion Jive Special - Vol. 1, Electric Jive presents some of the best hits from back in the day.

Every track is enjoyable and certainly danceable but I have a few particular favourites. “Kagiso Special”, from Johannes Lenkoe and His Accordion, has a tetchy percussive beat and - aside from the airy piano-accordion melody - memorable rhythm and bass lines. Mzwandile David improvises a striking introduction to “Repairs”, credited to Marks and The Shaluza Boys, but actually the Makgona Tsohle Band complete with West Nkosi on alto saxophone. Alfred Makalima's “Station Tsikisa” is another gem for me. Makalima and his Township Boys provide an unashamedly rough-and-ready beat with bright percussion and sharp guitars, which I always find myself tapping my foot to if at the computer desk. Then there's “Transkei Special” with its watery guitar repetition and arresting accordion work from Johnson Mkhalali. Mzwandile David returns with his majestic accordion rhythms in “First Stop Mapetla”, but the real star of that number for me is Jerry Mthethwa with his superb springy guitar rhythm. “Hela Manyewu”, as recorded by Sebaka Borena (actually a session band led by Elias Lerole on lead guitar and named after a huge early 1970s sax jive hit), rather unusually features male vocals and a rather huge rhythm section comprising accordion, violin, bass, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, drums and tambourine.

“Nomonde”, from the always-solid Mzwandile David (and West Nkosi on alto sax) represents a change in direction with a new pop-style drum backing, recorded when the African music scene was being dominated by a new distinctive fusion of mbaqanga, soul and disco. So, the accordion was made more strident and the drums made harder, as evidenced by Lulamile Simoyi's “Blythswood Special” (from 1980) and Johnson Mkhalali's “Lusikisiki Special” (from 1985). Shortly after the recording of “Lusikisiki Special”, Paul Simon's Graceland album made its mark on the western world and helped to introduce mbaqanga music to an entirely new audience of listeners. (One of the numbers on the album, “Gumboots”, was directly influenced by an early 1980s accordion jive hit by the Boyoyo Boys. Simon tried to recreate the number in the studio but his efforts - and those of the reconstituted Boyoyo Boys - proved futile, so he placed his vocals and horn melodies on top of a recording of the original song.)

Well, there's nothing more I can tell you than this: download Accordion Jive Special - Vol. 1, get your dancing shoes ready, and work yourself up into a frenetic dance frenzy. YEBO!

ACCORDION JIVE SPECIAL - VOL. 1
COMPILED BY NICK LOTAY

01) MAKHONA ZONKE BAND - BUSHMAN ROCK (1976)
02) JOHANNES LENKOE AND HIS ACCORDION - KAGISO SPECIAL (1975)
03) MARKS AND THE SHALUZA BOYS - REPAIRS (1976)
04) TOWNSHIP BOYS - STATION TSIKIZA (1976)
05) MR. V. MZWANDILE - SAKHILE (1977)
06) JOHNSON MKHALALI - TRANSKEI SPECIAL (c1975)
07) MR. V. MZWANDILE - HELELE MAKOTI! (1975)
08) ABAFANA BAMARABI - TJOTJO (1973)
09) DELFORD NGCEM' AND HIS ACCORDION - NTLALAKAHLE (1973)
10) SIPHO MTHETHWA & HIS FRIENDS - FIRST STOP MAPETLA (1973)
11) ABAFANA BESI MANJE MANJE - BATHINI NZIMANDE (1974)
12) JOHANNES LENKOE AND HIS ACCORDION - KELEBONI (c1975)
13) SEBAKA BORENA - DIKOMPONENG (1977)
14) MR. V. MZWANDILE - EMTHIMDE (1976)
15) MATHWALIMBUZI - TICKY DRIVE (1977)
16) SEBAKA BORENA - HELA MANYEWU (1977)
17) MR. V. MZWANDILE - NOMONDE (1976)
18) SHASHA BOYS - MAKOTOPONG (1979)
19) SIMOYI & HIS ACCORDION - BLYTHSWOOD SPECIAL (1980)
20) JOHNSON MKHALALI - LUSIKISIKI SPECIAL (1985)

Download link: MF

Jive Smodern Jive! - classic instrumental jive from the '60s and '70s

JIVE SMODERN JIVE!
30 instrumental grooves from the Mavuthela Music Company
compiled from 78 and 45 rpm records from the 1960s and 1970s

The ball started rolling with Mavuthela – The Sound of the Sixties, shared at Matsuli in September 2009. This was followed up with a second installment, Classic South African Jive, shared here at ElectricJive in May 2010. We are only too happy to share whatever music we can; music that we feel deserves to be heard again… music that doesn’t deserve to be locked up in a dusty archive… music that stirs your emotions… the list goes on. That is precisely why we share what we share, and it is also why the third compilation focusing on the music of the Mavuthela Music Company is making its way to EJ readers today. Jive Smodern Jive! – a 30-track tribute to Mavuthela’s talented instrumental team.

Whereas the previous two compilations featured a healthy mix of vocal and instrumental jive, the attention has been put solely on the latter this time round. One can never underestimate the talents of the individuals who were contracted to Gallo’s Mavuthela stable, but the Mahotella Queens, Izintombi Zomoya, Mahlathini, Abafana Baseqhudeni and all the other Mavuthela vocal stars certainly owe a great deal to the men in the background. The guitar virtuosos and sax stars were responsible for a large part of their success.


















'The guys in the background'... three members of the Makhona Tsohle Band, Mavuthela's house band, 1967. L to r: Marks Mankwane (lead guitar), Lucky Monama (drums), Joseph Makwela (bass)

Marks Mankwane, the guitar wizard affectionately called “umthakathi” around the Gallo studios, features on almost every track. His astonishing skills are displayed to perfection in Bela Bela No. 2, with an all-too-brief (though perfect) guitar solo. Joseph Makwela’s thundering bass forms a solid and elastic foundation for many songs here including Pheladi and Matamato Jive Matamato, two tracks in which he unashamedly takes the spotlight. Mankwane’s lead and Makwela’s bass sit perfectly alongside Vivian Ngubane’s bouncing rhythm guitar (check out Jive Smodern Jive B 5 and Ndiza Mshini for great examples) and Lucky Monama’s precision drumming, gelling together the sound of the band. In addition to these guys who so vividly formed the core of the Makhona Tsohle Band, there is the clear presence of bassist James Mukwevho on various tracks in the ‘mabone’ series, guitarists Christian Nombewu and Marubini Jagome, accordionist Delford Ngcemu, violinist Noise Khanyile (on Two Mabone and Five Mabone) and sax jive stars West Nkosi, Christopher Songxaka, Reggie Msomi, Elias Lerole (Lerole under the group name Amaphikankani) and Shadrack Piliso (a harmony expert and assistant producer whose ear for detail proved a vital part of the backbone of Mavuthela). Last but by no means least, groaner extraordinaire Simon Mahlathini Nkabinde is a special guest vocalist on two tracks: Baya Biza Ekhaya and Sithunyiwe Thokozile. The latter was a tune originally recorded by himself and the Mahotella Queens in 1966. The version included in this compilation, recorded a year later, was a 'follow-up' to the original.

A moderate history of mbaqanga can be revealed from listening to these tracks. From the early, rough jive as heard in Unana No. 2, through to the tight-knitted sound of Ndiza Mshini, Marabi Sideways and the spotlight number of this collection, Jive Smodern Jive B 5. The growing influence of the USA is clearly heard in the soul-driven numbers The Rock, Hard Way Up and Evil Ways, while the bump jive fad makes its presence felt in Crazy Bump and Tsikiza Jive. Also not to be missed is the 'mabone' craze of '73 to '74 - represented here are Two, Four, Five and Six Mabone, all of them containing the hard driving beat that personified that craze.

All thirty tracks, digitised from several 78 and 45 rpm recordings, were originally released on the “Motella”, “Gumba Gumba”, “New Sound”, “Gallo-USA”, “Smanje Manje”, “C.T.C. Star Record”, “F.G.B.” and “Soul Jazz Pop” record labels between 1965 and 1975. A huge thank-you must go to fellow ElectricJivers Chris Albertyn, who contributed three tracks including Joseph Makwela's fantastic Matamato Jive Matamato, and Siemon Allen, who contributed six tunes including West Nkosi's classic Marabi Bell.

Load this compilation into iTunes or add it onto your iPod and get ready to listen to the real deal. In the words of the formidable Mavuthela boss Rupert Bopape in his intro to Two Mabone, this music definitely is “something wonderful”. This is Jive Smodern Jive! - enjoy!

- Nick Lotay, May 2011





















Tracklist
1. TWO MABONE – WEST NKOSI NABASHOKOBEZI (1973)
2. MAKOMKOM – MARKS MANKWANE AND HIS SHALUZA BOYS (1974)**
3. BAYA BIZA EKHAYA – MAKGONA TSOHLE BAND (1972)
4. UNANA NO. 2 – GUITAR RHYTHM SESSION (1965)
5. MATAMATO JIVE MATAMATO – JOSEPH MAKWELA AND HIS COMRADES (1967)**
6. JIVE SMODERN JIVE B 5 – MAKGOLOKGOLO (1965)
7. KHULA NGWANE – MARKS MANKWANE AND HIS ALTO SAX (1967)
8. MARABI SIDEWAYS – CHRIS SONGXAKA AND HIS HOME TOWN UNIT (1967)
9. PHELADI – MARKS MANKWANE AND HIS SHALUZA BOYS (1969)
10. SITHUNYIWE THOKOZILE – MAKGOLOKGOLO (1967)
11. SEA WATER “800” – DELFORD NGCEM' & HIS ACCORDION (1973)*
12. FOUR MABONE – WEST NKOSI (1973)
13. THE ROCK – WEST NKOSI (1967)*
14. HARD WAY UP – THE STOKKERS (1973)
15. CRAZY BUMP – AMAPHIKANKANI (1975)
16. EVIL WAYS – THE BOOGALOOS (1972)
17. MARABI BELL – WEST NKOSI NABASHOKOBEZI (1973)*
18. FIVE MABONE – NOISE KHANYILE & VIOLIN (1973)
19. JUNE JULY SKA NO. 2 – WEST NKOSI (1966)*
20. MONO SARAH NO. 2 – REGGIE MSOMI AND HIS HOLLYWOOD JAZZ BAND (1967)
21. MULENDZE PHANDA – S. PILISO & HIS SAX (1967)*
22. BELA BELA NO. 2 – MARKS MANKWANE AND HIS ALTO SAX (1967)*
23. ITSHE LIWELA ESIZIBENI – WEST NKOSI & HIS ALTO SAX (1967)
24. MARKS SPECIAL NO. 7 – MARKS MANKWANE AND HIS SHALUZA BOYS (1971)
25. SIX MABONE – THE BIG BAG BOYS (1973)
26. UNKNOWN – AMAPHIKANKANI (1975)
27. TSIKIZA JIVE – S. PILISO’S SUPER SEVEN (1975)
28. TLAPA LE WELA BODIBENG – JOSEPH MAKWELA AND HIS COMRADES (1967)**
29. TWO GUN MAN – WEST NKOSI & HIS ALTO SAX (1967)
30. NDIZA MSHINI – WEST NKOSI & HIS ALTO SAX (1967)
*courtesy of Siemon Allen
**courtesy of Chris Albertyn

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Compilation no. 4 here!

Stomping good fun: South African Accordion Jive (1972)

A boisterous stomping good time is being had by football lovers in South Africa. In Durban the beachfront promenade is one big festival of fun – which is also what South African jive music is mostly all about.

The City of Durban has done a great job all-round, including bringing in local musicians and artists to entertain the hordes of happy visitors. Pictured here is Matt of Matsuli fame having a chat to long-time musical stalwart Elliot Ngidi whose recordings date back to the shellac 78rpm days of the 1950s with songs such as Umatanazan and Busman. See reference in Chris Ballantine's collection here.

In celebration of fun, and in response to a request from our good musical friends in Barranquilla, Columbia, we offer you a 1972 Accordion Jive Compilation on the Go Go label.

Of the three artists featured, Lulu Masilela is now the most well known. Masilela wrote and played with Paul Simon on the Graceland album. He also headlined the Boyoyo Boys - their CD SuperJive Hits can be bought for R45 here.

RS here

MF here