There are many 1970s youngsters that will say Jacob “Mpharanyana” Radebe was the best soul singer that South Africa has produced. The man from Katlehong was hugely popular in the mid to late 1970s, until his life was cut short in 1979.
He recorded “a handful” of albums for the
Mavuthela stable, calling upon ‘cream-of-the-crop’ musicians in “The Cannibals”
and “The Peddlars” – many of whom formed the core of the Pelican Club House
band in Soweto at the time.I do like the cover of Clarence Carter’s “Slipping Away” – compare for yourself with the original here. In addition to its soul foundation, this strong eclectic line-up of tracks references mbqanga, disco, bump and rock. The track “Satane” nods to the music Thomas Mapfumo was producing at the time.
The line-up on this album is:
Ray Phiri: Lead guitar and backing vocalsJacob Radebe: Lead vocals and percussion
Ephraim Hlope: Organ
Isaac Mtshali: Drums and backing vocals
Richard Shongwe: Base guitar and backing vocals.
Mpharanyana features on two previous posts on Electric Jive here and here.
