Funky Soul Volume 1 (1982)

South African recordings on the Atlantic label generally do not disappoint. This one is a mixture of slow ballads with some strong more funky uptempo numbers from the likes of Kabasa, Xoliso, Marimba and Lerato.

The Kabasa tracks (Searchin; Happy Together) have featured on Electric Jive before.

Get Yourself Together from Xoliso is off their self-titled debut album. See picture to the right. Francis Gooding also points out that Stompie Mavi (featured as solo artist here) was also a member of Era, whose Manyano album you can find here. Thanks Francis.

Amanzi by Lerato is a funky conscious commentary on the importance of water. In the Lerato album shared here earlier on Electric Jive Matt writes: "Lerato (Sesotho for love) was a short-lived trio comprising Steve Woycieh (drums and percussion), Wally Fry (lead vocals) and Vuli Yeni (bass, saxophone and vocals). It's probably best filed under South African "cross-over", next to Izimpande or even Juluka. But still worth a listen even if the rock drumming accentuates the 4/4 timing a little too strong and leaves little space for the rhythm to breathe."

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Disco Soul Jive - Some More

In anticipation of year-end feel-good times, a selection of singles to warm you up. This offering continues the great groove set by Siemon and Nick in their very popular DiscoSoulJive and Disco Soul postings.

As a bonus, a different-style epilogue  of four tracks that Kabasa released as singles from their 1980 debut album "Kabasa". More on Kabasa's debut album at FlatInternational here. You can find Kabasa's second album here.

Looking at the EJ schedule two days ago I realised (a little belatedly) that my traditional Durban Office Party mix would have to be quickly brewed and appear in this post, or else the next slot for it might only be January. So, following a  rummage in my crates for singles I had not yet listened to, a pleasant evening was spent listening to and digitising. The result is a selection of tracks that stood out for me  - mixed and separated.

South Africa's blend of big-band disco-soul-jive produced some real crackers between 1975 and 1980 - tight vocals, banks of horns, funky key-boards, all held together by catchy, energetic and rubbery base-lines and rhythm guitars.

While The Movers played a strong genre-defining role for the South African scene, there was no shortage of very competent bands - some of them put together and given a name for a recording session only. The pool of musos came from mbaqanga, soul, rock and jazz to take the disco craze and make it their own.
The core of musicians were very often not credited as they would jump across labels and producers, being paid a cash fee per recording.

I had never heard of "The Suns of Thunder" before, and I am still not yet sure if they are the same band as the "Sons of Thunder" also featured. I was thrilled to find a really strong single by "The Sakie Special Band". Among these is a second mention for the Movie Movies  who recorded in Durban. There was even 'Shangaan Disco' with the Matanato Brothers and Gaza Queens' giving "Sporo Jive" its own twist.

All said and done - thanks for stopping by at Electric Jive this year. Despite a slow-down in post frequency, we continue to build on an archive of out-of-print and otherwise "lost" sounds.

Happy holidays!

Disco Soul Jive Some More

1. The Sakie Special Band:  Let Yourself - Atlantic ATS815 (1979)

2. The Suns of Thunder: Soweto Sporo -  Flash HS748 (1979)
3. The Movers: Onthekele Beer-  Disco Music Beat DMB 942 (1981)
4. The Sakie Special Band: Groovy Cats - Atlantic ATS815 (1979)
5. Lynette and The Soul Brothers: Groovy Time - Score SCO 160 (undated)
6. The Meritones: Soul Bump -  Lita Records LA 46 (undated)
7. Lynette and The Soul Brothers: Come On Baby - Score SCO 160 (undated)
8. Sons Of Thunder: Uzozizwela - Fire RE126 (1978)
9. Brand New Soul: Bumsie-Boogie -  Dice Dic 636 (undated)
10. Walter and The Beggers: Disco Jive - Disco Soul DCO 15 (1978)
11. Movie Movies: Inkosi Kala - C&G Records CAB504 (1980)

12. Walter and The Beggers: Sweet Miriam - Disco Soul DCO 15 (1978)
13. Movie Movies: Sene Lisiwe -  C&G Records CAB504 (1980)
14. Matanato Brothers & Gaza Queens: Sporo Jive - Motella MO 732 (1981)
15. Kabasa: Kabasa - Atlantic ATS 830 (1980)
16. Kabasa:  Burning Splinters - Atlantic ATS 830 (1980)
17. Kabasa:  Happy Together - Atlantic ATS 837 (1980)
18. Kabasa:  Uzozibona - Atlantic ATS 837 (1980)

Mixed-tape version download 

Separated tracks version download