Indoda Mahlatini Na Madodana (1979)

Today's share is a 1979 album by the legendary mbaqanga groaner himself - Simon 'Mahlathini' Nkabinde.

Mahlathini's 1970s career had been decorated with a series of hits and misses. In late 1972, the groaner left the Mahotella Queens and joined a new group formed by some of the same ladies called Amakhosazana. A two-year period saw immense success, unsigned, but ended abruptly after the members were ripped off and cheated by aspiring impresario Piet Ntuli. Mahlathini and Amakhosazana ended up at Satbel under the careful production of C.B. Matiwane, this time recording as Mahlathini and The Queens. The gutsy, tough and raw music produced during this era can be found on the excellent Earthworks compilations The Lion of Soweto and King of the Groaners, as well here on Electric Jive. Matiwane's involvement in Satbel eventually waned and the company disintegrated around 1977. Mahlathini and The Queens moved over to CCP (a local subsidiary of EMI) under the production of none other than Piet Ntuli. Two LPs were produced (one of which can be found here) until Ntuli's corrupt ways finally dissolved the band. The Queens disintegrated but Mahlathini and Ndlondlo Bashise stayed on at EMI, this time under the production of the groaner's friend, sax jiver and occasional vocalist Bra Sello Mmutung.

By the time Indoda Mahlatini Na Madodana was recorded, mbaqanga had already started its sharp decline after a 15-year period as the preferred sound of the townships. In many ways this album is a pure oddity, combining the raw Satbel-era sound with some rather gaudy electric keyboard and - on one track - disco drums. Nonetheless, there are some goodies here. "Siyabuza" is fiery Mahlathini at his best, duetting with longtime musical associate Lazarus 'Boy Nze' Magatole. "Akekho" is another tune in the same great vein. Mahlathini, Boy Nze and Bra Sello handle most of the vocals, although they are joined by the Mahlathini Girls - Lindiwe Gamedi, Gugu Sithole and Hilda Tausi - on three of the tracks.

A strange one... but definitely worth a listen. Enjoy!

MAHLATHINI

INDODA MAHLATINI NA MADODANA

produced by Bra Sello

Goli GOL (E) 307

1979

Zulu Vocal

MF

The Queens (1977)

We continue the girl group theme here on Electric Jive with a 1977 album from The Queens, the female troupe that backed the legendary Mahlathini during his time away from the Mahotella Queens.

The music of Mahlathini, the Mahotella Queens and the Makgona Tsohle Band dominated the townships during the 1960s and early 1970s. Under music exec Rupert Bopape’s vigilant direction, the Queens, the triumvirate recorded a massive amount of highly successful singles and performed in hundreds of halls and stadiums across South Africa and neighbouring countries including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Malawi and Swaziland.

But exploitation was rife within the music industry. In the early ‘70s, Mahlathini and several of the Mahotella Queens resigned after disputes with Bopape over show takings. (Bopape, with assistance from Makgona Tsohle Band members Marks Mankwane and West Nkosi, replaced the missing Queens with newer singers and had Robert ‘Mbazo’ Mkhize installed as their new groaner.) After one or two similarly unfavourable (and very brief) recording deals, the girls and Mahlathini formed a performance-only group, Amakhosazana (the princesses). This group was hugely successful for nearly two years until aspiring promoter Piet Ntuli charmed his way into the group, subsequently pocketing all the wages and creating in-fights. The singers left Ntuli in 1974 and joined Satbel Record Company under producer Cambridge ‘Baba’ Matiwane. Backed by the wonderful strains of Ndlondlo Bashise, Mahlathini and The Queens (the new name referencing their time within Mahotella) recorded a series of beautifully fierce, tough, gritty singles.

In 1977, Satbel underwent a reorganisation and Mahlathini and The Queens ended up once again without a studio to record in. Their only option at the time was to join EMI, under the production of none other than the corrupt Piet Ntuli. They gave him a second chance and simply carried on recording the wonderful hard-edged jive that they had created at Satbel. The result was two albums, both released on EMI’s Yashingoma label: Wavutha Umlilo, spotlighting King Mahlathini in all his glory; and the aptly-titled The Queens which we share with Electric Jive readers today.

Some songs, such as “Izinyoni”, “Ikhubalo”, “Keba Bone” and “Umakhelwane” are brilliant examples of unadulterated jive, while the growing influence of American soul on mbaqanga music can be detected in groovy numbers like “Ndiphilise Nkosi Yami”, “Bakgotsi Baka” and “Ndiphuthe Somandla”. All 12 songs are enjoyable and it's hard not to be moved by the passionate harmonies of The Queens - Mildred Mangxola (lead vocalist - tracks 2, 4, 7, 8 and 10), Isabel Maseko, Agnes Mhlauli, Thoko Nontsontwa, Belinda Sithole and Paulina Zulu

Enjoy!

THE QUEENS

THE QUEENS

produced by Piet Ntuli

Yashingoma YGA (E) 301

1977

Zulu Vocal Jive

Sotho Vocal

Xhosa Hymn

MF