Rock Jive - Volume 1 (1952-1968)

December brings our now annual tradition of featuring end-of-year compilations appropriate for the holiday season. I'll open with a first volume of South African jive tracks loosely themed around rock n' roll. All tracks are digitized from 78 rpms sourced from the Flat International archive.

While jazz and swing were the dominant styles influencing South African music of the 1950s and 60s, the impact of rock music was inescapable. Rock was marginally adopted by some black South African musicians in the late 1950s, and yet the principle focus still remained with jazz, jive and kwela. Reasons for this are well outlined in Charles Hamm's essay "Rock 'n Roll in a Very Strange Society" in his book Putting Popular Music in its Place. For more on this subject also see our earlier post on the Bogard Brothers.

Not all the tracks in this compilation are strictly rock — many include elements of swing, ska, kwela, goema and majuba (or African Jazz). Simply, I built the comp from tracks that either included the word "rock" in the title or band name or where a name or title was similarly suggestive such as Slim Guitar and his Band or the Hot lips Band. Some gems include the Bank Robber's Rock by Kippie Moeketsi and his Hot Rocks and Zulu Rock by the African Symphonics featuring Ntemi and Shadrack Piliso.

I think you will find the compilation suitable for dancing.


ROCK JIVE - VOLUME 1
(Flat International / Electric Jive, FXEJ 13)

01) Cowboy Superman - Madlaka Dlaka (1952, Bantu Batho, BB 113)
02) African Symphonics - Zulu Rock (1957, Troubadour, AFC 491)
03) Benoni Rocket - I'm Gonna Rock (1961, New Sound,  GB 3278)
04) SDV Swing Band - Riverside Blues (c1966, Winner, OK 267)
05) Slim Guitar and his Band - Mapapi Busuku (1960, Zonk, TV 155)
06) Soweto Stokvel Septette - Eddie's Ska (1966, Stokvel, ST 002)
07) Black Notes - Funky Papa (c1965, Tempo, KT 567)
08) Billie the Kid and his Zombies - Magidasibekane (1959, Zonk, TV 134)
09) Joe's Jazz Band - Fly-By-Night (c1955, Philips, P30803H)
10) Hot Lips Band - Julia (c1953, Bantu Batho, BB 162)
11) Fanani Sibanda - Abanga Bani (c1953, Troubadour, AFC 151)
12) Kippie Moeketsi and his Hot Rocks - Bank Robber's Rock (1957, Troubadour, AFC 472)
13) Telegram Specials - Imfene (c1962, Goli Rand, RA 154)
14) Sophiatown Gaities - Mosadi Ola (c1956, Philips, SB 55)
15) Simon Hlatshwayo Crazy Crackers - Ama Crazy Crackers (c1956, Philips, SB 52)
16) Black Notes - Madison Time (c1965, Tempo, KT 567)
17) Slim Guitar and his Band - Ndlela Mbi (1960, Zonk, TV 155)
18) Benoni Rocket - Khumbula Leyomini (1961, New Sound, GB 3278)
19) Billie the Kid - Xmas Night Jump (c1960, Winner, OK 105)
20) Samuel Levuno - Vereeniging Jive (1968, Stokvel, ST 050)
21) Swingather's Band - Emazini (c1956, Bantu Batho, BB 1026)
22) Telegram Specials - Insizwa (c1962, Goli Rand, RA 154)

Amagugu: Ubhek'uZulu (1974)

"Africa's Greatest Vocal Group": goes the front cover marketing hyperbole from 1974. Amagugu were certainly vocally very strong though - sultry, velvet harmonies. Add legendary lead guitarist and arranger Hansford Mthembu to the girl group and groaner mix, and you have a very strong mbaqanga album.

I turned to Electric Jive's walking mbaqanga encyclopedia, Nick Lotay, to see if he could tell me more than the little that is available on the record and cover. This is what he had to say:

"The regular members of Amagugu during this time included Sannah Mnguni (lead vocals), her sister Francina 'Thopi' Mnguni, Thoko Khumalo, Liliah Vilakazi and Thandi Kheswa (who was a Mahotella Queens member from around 1969 to 1974). The lady photographed on the front cover isn't Sannah - it looks like it could be Thandi Kheswa, but I'm not sure. The male groaner is Harry Nhlapo who later joined Abafana Baseqhudeni at Mavuthela, and at one point sang with the Queens.

"The lead guitarist on this LP is Thopi's husband Hansford Mthembu, one of the legendary mbaqanga players of all time and one of the crafters of Amagugu's sound. Kali Monare is the drummer. Titus Masikane, credited with writing two of these songs, was the group's producer and manager.

"I don't know who or what the "Umqangabodwe" credited as having written four songs was, but producers of the time would habitually invent random names to replace the name of the real composer, possibly to collect the ensuing royalty fee for themselves."

1. Ubhek'uZulu - (H. Nhllapho)
2. Imvula (Umqnagabhodwe)
3. Ulwandle (Umqnagabhodwe)
4. Inyoni Emhlophe (Umqnagabhodwe)
5. Instsholontsholo (Umqnagabhodwe)
6. Chuchu Makgala (Thandi Kheswa)
7. Mesong (K. Monare)
8. Samelu (Sannah Mnguni)
9. Emakhabaleni (T. Masikane)
10. Mngane Wami (T. Masikane)
11. King of My Heart (H. Mthembu)
12. Salani Kahle (H. Methembu)

AMAGUGU
UBHEK'UZULU
Producer: Titus Masikane
Skyline Jazz: SK80162

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Classic mbaqanga: Indoda Mahlathini (1969)

Today, Electric Jive is proud to present another compilation of hit singles from the days when mbaqanga was the sound of the townships - Indoda Mahlathini, released in 1969 on the Motella label, is a twelve-song LP that features some of the best-selling Mavuthela material of the past year. As is normally the case with this kind of record, the listener will find that they simply must get up and start grooving to the great vocal jive sounds offered here.

Although this LP bears his identity, it is rather interesting that Simon ‘Mahlathini’ Nkabinde appears only on four of the twelve songs! This particular time period was the absolute peak of Mahlathini’s popularity. The rightful king of all the groaners, this crowd-puller was the only singing star who attracted fans from right across the board – kids as young as ten would attend his shows, as well as elderly people who scrambled to the halls in their walking frames. It is obvious that the compilers of this album wanted to capitalise on Mahlathini’s enormous success by using his renowned moniker as the title of this record. The King’s bellowing groans can be heard on his solo numbers “Imbodlomane” and “Gabi Gabi”, as well as “Sengibuya Emarabini” which is recorded with the Mahotella Queens and “Akashaywa Umfazi” by the Sweet Home Dames.

From Mavuthela’s start back in 1964, the same team of ten (or so) female singers had recorded under the various group names dreamed up by Rupert Bopape. Following the recruitment of more singers during 1965, Bopape took one of the names and built it up into a regular recording and touring line-up: the Mthunzini Girls (Julia Yende, Windy Sibeko, Teddy Nkutha and Virginia Teffo) were the junior group of singers. The Girls also recorded under a second name, Izingane Zo Mgqashiyo. The senior female group at Mavuthela performed and recorded as the Mahotella Queens, but also cut records under various other (non-touring) names including Izintombi Zo Mgqashiyo, Marula Boom Stars, Soweto Stars and Sweet Home Dames. Some of these names were interchangeable, and it is not unusual to listen to a record credited to the Sweet Home Dames but featuring the voices of the Mthunzini Girls (or vice versa).

“Jive Didiza” was one of the Mthunzini Girls’ biggest-selling hits of the late 1960s. Possibly recorded as Mavuthela’s answer to the rival Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje’s celebrated 1967 top seller “Isidudla sika Joseph”, this number features the robust lead vocals of Yende who sings “siyatshitshizela, isidudla sikaMahlathini” (we’re moving like young girls, Mahlathini’s big women)! “Tete Muka No. 2” is a song that has an amazingly crazy guitar intro and a fast-paced beat that just won’t quit – and that’s definitely not a bad thing. The group’s other track on this LP is the wonderfully rumba-tastic “Sangena, Sangena”, a driving and dynamic number that happens to be my favourite one. The late Windy Sibeko’s distinctive alto voice can be clearly heard on these two classics.

The senior Mavuthela female group appears on four tracks on Indoda Mahlathini. One of them, “Sengibuya Emarabini”, uses the familiar and famous Mahotella Queens name. The usual rhythmic mgqashiyo beat works its magic in this lovely number composed by Rupert Bopape and Marks Mankwane. The other three numbers are credited to the Sweet Home Dames and feature the normal Mahotella line-up of the day, including Mildred Mangxola (who recently retired from the current line-up of the group in 2013), Juliet Mazamisa, Ethel Mngomezulu, Thoko Nontsontwa and Nobesuthu Shawe. Mangxola’s two compositions, “Yeka Amanga” and “Akashaywa Umfazi”, are yet another couple of examples of solid girl group harmony. Another gem is Shawe’s composition “Dumazile”, the complicated tale of a couple of lovers.

Later into the 1960s, with more young female vocalists joining the roster, Bopape took another of the pseudonyms used by the senior group and built up a third unit of junior singers. The Dima Sisters, who appear on three songs, included Sheba Malgas, Mavis Maseko, Nancy Ngema and Julia Ngubane. Various Mavuthela staff including Shadrack Piliso, Ellison Themba and the two Lerole brothers contributed to the group’s material. Following the departures of several vocalists in the early 1970s after a salary disagreement, the most talented singers in the lower-ranking Mavuthela groups were promoted into the senior Mahotella Queens line-up. Several Izintombi Zomoya members joined the frontline of the Queens, with two of the Dima Sisters also coming on board – Nancy Ngema and Sheba Malgas.

While you’re waiting for this LP to download, you’d best get your dancing shoes ready and get ready to do some heavy jive mgqashiyo until you drop. Enjoy!

VARIOUS

INDODA MAHLATHINI

produced by Rupert Bopape

Motella LMO 110

1969

Vocal Jive

RS / MF

Hidden South African Jazz archive comes to life

Tonight at a public lecture in the City of York there will be a live performance of four South African jazz compositions found in the Ian Bruce Huntley archive. The "original" Ian Huntley recordings are shared here today in celebration of the great work that Jonathan Eato and students at the Department of Music at the University of York are doing in bringing Ian's archive alive in a most positive manner. Jazz legend Louis Moholo-Moholo will be there tonight, participating in the celebration.

Jonathan is talking to an interested audience about the Ian Bruce Huntley archive, showing some of the pictures, and to illustrate some of the material found in the audio archive, he

Ronnie Beer: Pic © Ian Huntley

has taken the trouble to transcribe the music and give "the dots" as he calls the sheet music, to four students who will be performing compositions by Tete Mbambisa (Leads Dwana); Ronnie Beer (Immediately); Ebrahim Kalil Shihab aka Chris Schilder (Look Up ) and Winston Mankunku Ngozi (Ekhaya).

In writing to me about the planned event tonight, and the process leading up to it, Jonathan had the following to say:

"Obviously this couldn't have happened without Ian's recordings. They (the students) will play them as part of the Merchant Adventurer talk .... And what's great is that Mpumi Moholo and Louis Moholo-Moholo will be there (although this is making the drummer both very nervous and very excited). I wonder if these compositions have ever been played outside South Africa?

"When they're tidied up I'll send the dots through for Ian (if that's of interest to him...). In listening to this music in detail so I could transcribe it for the students the interesting thing to me is that although improvisation over blues sequences are ubiquitous in jam sessions and gigs with impromptu bands, 'Immediately', 'Leads Dwana' and 'Look Up' all do this in unusual ways. Probing and exploring the form in one way or another.

"The head for 'Look Up' is thirteen bars (the usual 12 with a sort of one bar hiatus added to the end), whereas 'Immediately' has an extra two beats added to bars 4 and 12 - which also gives a total length of 13 bars but with the elongations split up and spread throughout the head, if that makes sense. 'Leads Dwana' is really doing my head in - it's heavily modal but I think I'm going to have to do more work on trying to understand how it works (or perhaps hope that Tete will explain it to me - assuming we can find a language that makes sense to both of us). Anyways it's a 32 bar modal head which covers the main harmonic centres of a typical jazz blues without using the form, or the bebop language prevalent in modern jazz blues.

"Of course these musicians were aware of Miles Davis' work etc. (hence 'Milestones' etc featuring so often in the IBH recordings) - and even though Davis recorded that in 1958, Herbie Hancock's 'Maiden Voyage' (the other great landmark of modal jazz) wasn't recorded until a year *after* Barney Rachabane, Ronnie Beer, Dennis Mpale, Tete Mbambisa, Max Dayimani and Sammy Maritz recorded 'Leads Dwana' in the studios at Thibault Square."



Jackie, Philly and Chris Schilder
Pic © Ian Huntley

 

I hope the musically technical stuff made sense to some of you, I just nod my head and happily accept that I can still love and appreciate the music without really understanding the intricacies of how it is constructed.

 
Ian's recordings are believed to be the first or earliest recordings of all of these compositions - and as Jonathan wonders aloud, have they even been played outside of South Africa - before tonight? By my amateur reckoning, I do believe, Ronnie Beer's "Immediately" has the greatest chance of having been  performed in Europe while Beer was there playing with Chris McGregor and the Blue Notes. 

In addition to the two versions of "Immediately" already shared on this blog (The Thibault Square recording at 7:55) here and (Room At the Top) a 15 min 46sec take here  - we are sharing two more versions. A 9:52 take, from another fine performance by Mpale, Rachabane, Mbambisa, Beer, Mgijima and Dayimani at the Room at the Top - at the end of which you can hear one of the band members commenting about Max Dayimani "hitting the drums". The second take is a 13min 55sec version, also performed by the same members at the Room At The Top in 1964.
 

"Look Up" features on the 1968 vinyl holy grail - Chris Schilder Quintet's "Spring". The 3:35 version also features on Volume 3 of the great Strut Next Stop Soweto Compilation issued in 2010. The 1966 version of Spring recorded by Ian in District Six, Cape Town stretches to close on eight minutes performed by a Schilder family trio.

Tete Mbambisa's  Leads Dwana also deserves to be heard internationally, and perhaps it has been already. Who knows? Here, the Jazz Disciples - with Sammy Maritz on bass - provide a swinging eight-minute rendition.

The recording of Ekhaya is unlikely to have been performed and is not widely known. The recording shared here today was not a public performance and is not of the best sound quality, but those who recognize its importance will forgive that.

The musicians playing the four compositions at the live gig tonight are: Will Edwards (drums), Twm Dylan (bass), Joe McGrail (piano), Ben Turner (alto saxophone).

In his talk, Jonathan will be outlining the thesis he puts forward in his essay contained in the book "Keeping Time". Thank you to all of you who have pre-ordered the book - and for your kind and encouraging words. For those of you who have not yet reserved your copy - it might be a good idea. Click on the picture of the book on the side-bar - it will give you an e-mail address. Send me an e-mail requesting a copy, and I will send you further details.
 

 

1. Look Up  (7:59) (Chris Schilder): Chris Schilder (piano), Philly Schilder (bass), Jackie Schilder (drums) - recorded at the Moses House, Smart Street, District Six ~1966.

 

2. Ekhaya (7:35) (Winston Mankunku Ngozi) Winston Mankunku Ngozi (tenor), Ebrahim Kalil Shihab (Chris Schilder) (Piano), Midge Pike (Bass), Selwyn Lissack (Drums). Recorded at a practice session at Selwyn Lissack's Bantry Bay garage studio - 1966.

 

3. Immediately (Ronnie Beer) ver a (9:52) Dennis Mpale (trumpet), Barney Rachabane (alto), Ronnie Beer (tenor), Tete Mbambisa (piano), Martin Mgijima (bass), Max Dayimani (drums). Performed at the Room at the Top, Strand Street, Cape Town 1964.

 

4. Immediately (Ronnie Beer) ver b (13:55) Dennis Mpale (trumpet), Barney Rachabane (alto), Ronnie Beer (tenor), Tete Mbambisa (piano), Martin Mgijima (bass), Max Dayimani (drums). Performed at the Room at the Top, Strand Street, Cape Town 1964.

 

5. Leads Dwana  (11:32) (Tete Mbambisa) Dennis Mpale (trumpet), Barney Rachabane (alto), Ronnie Beer (tenor), Tete Mbambisa (piano), Martin Mgijima (bass), Max Dayimani (drums). Performed at the Room at the Top, Strand Street, Cape Town 1964.

 

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Keeping Time: Order Yours Now

Saturday 9th November 2013

Dear lover of South African Jazz

 

RE: “Keeping Time”

 



CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO SEND AN E-MAIL
ORDER ENQUIRY
160 pages - 30cm x 25cm - 158gsm art paper - hard cover

You are invited to get this book while you can. Keeping Time celebrates the public emergence of an extraordinary visual and audio archive begun by Ian Bruce Huntley in Cape Town fifty years ago.

This limited edition run of 500 opens a window to a little known era of South Africa’s music history, documenting a generation of jazz musicians in 120 selected and carefully restored colour and black and white images. Ian’s pictures and 56 hours of audio recordings capture an ‘underground’ jazz scene that persisted in creative defiance of all that grand apartheid threw at it. Many of the photographed live performances are indexed in this book and all will soon become available for free download through Electric Jive.

 

A handful of the musicians Ian Huntley worked with are still alive today. Some had few opportunities to record commercially - whilst others remain woefully under-documented. Combined with the loss to exile of yet more key people in South Africa’s jazz  history, and the few previously accessible recordings from these times, there is a deficit in our historical understanding and resources.

The new found accessibility of this previously hidden archive gives lovers of South African music, scholars, musicians, artists, anyone who is fascinated with the achievements of a generation of South African jazz musicians, a small but invaluable means towards

maintaining memory and articulating lost stories.

Published by Chris Albertyn and Associates in partnership with

Electric Jive, this cloth-bound hard-cover book is printed on high quality art paper and is being sold at the price it cost to produce. In addition to a biographical sketch of Ian Huntley, the book offers a substantial essay by Jonathan Eato, a full discography of all 56 hours of the recordings Ian made, and a comprehensive index.

South African artist Siemon Allen is responsible for the design and layout. Photographer Cedric Nunn has painstakingly restored the images.

  

ORDER YOURS NOW

 

Because of the high-quality art paper used the book weighs in at just over 1.5kgs. The post and packaging charges below are not marked up - they are the real cost. (not counting labour).

From USA: $59.99 + $4.00 postage (P&P to anywhere else worldwide $35.00)  SOLD OUT
 

From EUROPE: £39.99 + P&P: to UK (£6.70 - untracked, second class mail); to EU £13.50; anywhere else in the world £24.00 - STOCKS BECOMING LOW
 

From SOUTH AFRICA: R438.50 + R61.39 VAT = R499.89. P&P R45.00. (ordinary parcel service)

SADC: R460.00. P&P R270.00

Rest of World – from South Africa: ZAR470.00. P&P ZAR470.00

 

Yours sincerely

Chris Albertyn

e-mail me: recordforthe AT gmail DOT com to place your order

 

Allen Kwela, Sandile Shange, Evan Ziporyn (1984)

Sandile Shange playing at the Beatrice Street Durban "Bantu YMCA" in 1968
Pic: © Ian Bruce Huntley

From one perspective, South Africa’s musical history can be characterised as being of lost opportunities for some great musicians who, but for apartheid, would probably have been more widely celebrated. Some made huge sacrifices in pursuit of their musical destinies, while others made different choices, or had no choice. How much agency Allen Kwela and Sandile Shange had in seeing and taking their possible options, we may never know.

What I do know is that Allen Kwela and Sandile Shange were very fine guitarists, and they did have opportunity to record with internationally celebrated clarinetist and composer, Evan Ziporyn – in Durban in May 1984.

Prior to posting this, I wrote to Evan Ziporyn and he has very kindly found the time to share a few reflections about his time in Durban. Evan was very happy that Electric Jive is sharing these recordings - he thought they were lost, and had not heard them in thirty years.

Allen Kwela is well referenced on Electric Jive, here (solo), here (playing on Gideon Nxumalo's "Early Mart"),  here (on 78rpm) here (Allen's Soul Bag), here (Black Beauty) and here (playing with Winston Mankunku and the Cliffs).

Sandile Shange was another Durban guitarist, three to six years younger than Kwela (Kwela was born in 1939). I was privileged to see Sandile Shange play often with Darius Brubeck, Victor Ntoni and Barney Rachabane, and also at the Rainbow Restaurant with Busi Mhlongo. Shange made earlier recordings in the 1970’s with the “Shange Brothers”, including at a 1976 concert at the Jabulani Stadium in Soweto.

 

This very beautiful recording I share here is an SABC transcription recording made in Durban during May 1984 – and I am wondering what hand Darius Brubeck might have had in bringing this together? Writing in Jurgen Schaderberg’s “Jazz, Blues and Swing”, Brubeck talks about his being appointed to the first jazz post at the University of Natal, Durban in 1983 (following instigation by Chris Ballantine). Brubeck gives high praise to Allen Kwela, and goes on to say:

Sandile Shange at Dorkay House 1966.
Gordon Mfandu on drums
Pic © Ian Huntley 

“Another self-taught guitarist from Durban, Sandile Shange was the first professional jazz musician to work with me on a regular basis. Collaborating with Sandile and Allen were timely and humbling lessons for a newly minted teacher. As fate dictated, 20 years later both made their final recordings with me Victor Ntoni, Sandile Shange, Allen Kwela and Barney Rachabane ... inducted me into South African jazz life”.

Both Shange and Kwela died in 2003 – Kwela from an asthma attack and Shange being knocked off his scooter in Durban by a hit-and-run drunk driver.

Evan Ziporyn is very much still creating in this world. If you are in San Fransisco on Friday 8th November you can catch him in Berkeley. Described as an American composer of post minimalist music, Ziporyn is Professor of Music at MIT, a member of the Silk Road Project and recognised as one of the USA’s top living artists.

Even though he is busy touring, Evan agreed to write a few lines about his time in Durban and this recording: This is what he has to say:

"As you guessed, Darius Brubeck was the matchmaker here - he invited me to be in residence at the university for several months in early 1984, when the jazz program there was somewhat new.  The decision to come to SA at all at that time was complicated, but I trusted him & his wife Cathy, and I very much wanted to work with African musicians.  On a social and political level there are lots of stories to tell, but I suspect they would all be familiar to people from the region.  Interesting and strange times - the system was slowly opening up on so many levels, and everyone knew it; at the same time, there was so much entrenchment, so much awareness of race and social status, so much pain in even the simplest human interaction.  Change seemed both inevitable but hard to imagine actually happening without violent upheaval. So I could have Allen or Sandhile at my home or even visit theirs (albeit often being pulled over by the police while entering KwaZulu, and condescendingly warned that I 'didn't know what I was getting myself into'); we could even socialize together in public in certain neighborhoods and situations - but it was very clear that this was all in the context of something far more brutal and systematic, and that at any moment any black or mixed race African could be pushed around and debased in any number of large or small ways.  

 That was a large part of the experience, but even so it was thrilling to me to work with Allen Kwela and Sandhile Shange - amazing musicians, but different players with very different personalities.

Sandile Shange, Barney Rachabane, unknown pianist entertaining
at Dorkay House (Johannesburg) 1966. Pic © Ian Huntley

 Allen - despite his last name and obvious connection to kwela - was a consummate jazz artist and aficionado, with a deep love and knowledge of the American songbook.    He taught me a lot about it.  What's New was a particular favorite of his - when he sang the lyrics it would almost bring tears to my eyes.  Sandhile to my ears connected directly to the very rich African guitar tradition - not just Zulu styles but older Congolese and East African styles, at least what I knew of these.  There was always a deep groove present in his playing, but even on straightforward chord progressions his harmonic sense was sophisticated and inventive.  I remember listening to Tschaikovsky with him at the Durban Symphony - between movements he leaned over and whispered 'great chords!'

 Though I didn't know it at the time, these recordings - which I haven't heard in almost 30 years - marked the end of my own sojourn into something approaching mainstream jazz.  I left South Africa soon thereafter and pursued a very different musical path.  Coincidentally these recordings reemerge during a period where I'm once again exploring improvisation and valuing the type of interpersonal connection that it can manifest.  i played a lot of music with both Allen & Sandhile during those few months - often with the excellent bassist Marc Duby - and it always felt remarkably good.  Whatever my own abilities in the idiom, it still feels good to hear it - I'm deeply grateful it was preserved.  It never occurred to me that I'd never see either of them again, I always figured we'd get around to it sooner or later.  I wish it had been sooner.

Thank you to Olivier Ledure for sharing this recording with Electric Jive.

The pictures above are of three of Ian Bruce Huntley's pictures of Sandile Shange that appear in "Keeping Time". To order a copy of this book, check this link out here - and click on the picture of the book on the sidebar of this blog - it will give you an e-mail address.

SABC Transcription – Durban – May 1984 (Studio 5)

Producer: Cyril Grover

Recording Enginer: Clive Staegemann

Side One: Allen (“Alan”) Kwela and Evan Ziporyn (LT 21 132)

1. Sunday Blues (Allen Kwela)

2. Whats New (Allen Kwela)

3. Blue Burst (Allen Kwela)

4. The Unknown (Allen Kwela)

Side Two: Sandile Shange and Evan Ziporyn (LT 21 133)

5. Everything Happens To Me (Carmichael/Mercer)

6. Izolo (Shange)

7. St Thomas (Sonny Rollins)

8. Mexican Border (Shange)

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More Mankunku from Ian Bruce Huntley's archive

Winston Mankunku Ngozi - Morris Goldberg in background. Pic: Ian Bruce Huntley

It is a matter of a month or two before Electric Jive visitors will have full open access to the more than 56 hours of music recorded by Ian Bruce Huntley - and also be able to see many of the pictures featured in "Keeping Time", the limited edition book that will become available later this month.

The books, printed in Hong Kong, were loaded on a ship two days ago and are expected in the UK on 2nd December, and in Durban on 24th November. Siemon Allen in the USA will be receiving 50 copies via courier this week (holding thumbs Siemon).  There are 500 copies printed - we will soon provide details on costs and ordering.

The photo of Winston Mankunku Ngozi you see featured above is the only one in Ian's book that has not been digitally restored - while the scratching is particularly bad, it is also a kind of a nod from Siemon Allen (who put the book's great layout together) to the wonderful mood of the picture, and also to Cedric Nunn - who put many many hours into digitally repairing all the other images featured.

Keeping Time contains a substantial and fascinating essay by Jonathan Eato, the University of York-based composer and musician who worked with Bra Tete Mbambisa in releasing his solo piano work, "Black Heroes".

Jonathan describes in his essay how Ian set up the recording equipment on stages - when there was electricity available.

"Huntley would set up four microphones and use their proximity to the instruments to create a balanced ‘mix’. Relatively few of the photographs show Huntley’s microphone placement, but listening to the recordings one is struck by the clarity of the sound. As the pianos used in the various venues were all uprights, Huntley would place one microphone behind the instrument to pick up sound directly from the soundboard, with a second microphone placed near the drums. Huntley also reports experimenting with a piece of foam that had a hole cut in the middle to hold his third microphone. This enabled the microphone to be wedged into the bridge of the bass, accounting for the high quality bass response on the recordings (a level of fidelity which was probably not available to either the musicians or audiences at the time of the performance). Another of Huntley’s techniques was to put the fourth microphone inside a lampshade, which then acted as an improvised parabolic reflector to gather the overall sound of the horns. Once the microphones were in place, Huntley would be free to leave the tape running – until the tape ran out at least – whilst he attended to his camerawork." 

Jonathan then goes on to describe how the musicians would gather in Ian's flat to carefully listen to their recordings, coming to one of many interesting conclusions:

"Although one can only speculate at this point, it is not inconceivable that Huntley’s recordings were instrumental in contributing to the practice of modern jazz in South Africa. A pianist enabled to hear a walking bass line with clarity – even if not in the immediacy of performance – might well be further encouraged to explore the rootless left hand voicings they heard on records by Bud Powell, Bill Evans and others pioneering the practice in the U.S."

In keeping with the spirit of Ian's work, Jonathan's full essay will become available as an open access document - but not before the book comes out.

So - in all-round celebration, herewith nearly two hours (240mb) of some more gems from the archive - which Ian's records say were recorded at the Art Centre on 29th September 1966.

Art Centre (September 1966)

Tape 33
11 tracks at 1:54:21
Art Centre, Green Point Common, Cape Town.

Winston Mankunku Ngozi (tenor), Chris Schilder (piano), Midge Pike¹ (bass), Selwyn Lissack (drums), unidentified² (trumpet), Merton Barrow (vibes)³, Morris Goldberg⁴ (tenor).

1. Blues for Gary Peacock (7:14)

2. Summertime (George Gershwin) (11:16)
3. Woody ‘n’ You (Dizzy Gillespie) (8:54)
4. Nardis (Miles Davis) (7:13)²
5. Majong (Wayne Shorter) (13:40)
6. Love for Sale (Cole Porter) (16:02)
7. Well You Needn’t (Monk) (15:11)
8. Bessies Blues (John Coltrane) (8:42)
9. You Would Be So Nice To Come Home To (Cole Porter) [bass solo¹] (4:15)
10. Misty (Erroll Garner) (11:04)
11. Groovy Blues (10:46)^{3 & 4}

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