Alpheus Ramavhea - Ndo Shavha Tshikolo (1982)

Alpheus Ramavhea ranks alongside Eric Mukhese and the Takalani Band, Irene Mawela, Daniel Luambo, Colbert Mukwevho and Adziambei Band as one of the most influential Venda artists of all time. Today we share Ramavhea's 1982 album, Ndo Shavha Tshikolo, released on the Igagasi label and produced by Mavuthela guitarist Marks Mankwane.

By the late 1970s, Irene Mawela had become highly revered by Venda listeners and artists alike as the first artist to record mbaqanga songs in her mother tongue. (Record companies generally discouraged artists from recording songs in 'unsellable' languages, so the bulk of Irene's compositions were written in Zulu and Sotho for Gallo to release on 45rpm singles. Irene would then translate most of these into Venda for airplay on the then-Radio Venda, a unique move making her the first 'pop star' of the station when all other music broadcast was labelled 'traditional'.) Alpheus Ramavhea signed a recording contract with Gallo/Mavuthela in about 1979 and was immediately joined by Irene in the studio, who provided backing vocals and offered suggestions on how to make his sound more distinctive over potential competitors.

With the help of both Irene and guitarist and producer Marks Mankwane, Ramavhea's laidback vocals, groaning moans and acoustic picking were infused with the trademark mbaqanga sound. Ndo Shavha Tshikolo is Alpheus Ramavhea at his best, featuring twelve foot-stomping tracks. The vocal patterns here are just excellent and the backup is crisp. Particular highlights include "Vhuhadzi" (that is Irene doing the solo halfway through the song), "Muhadzinga", "Tshililo" and "Lufuno". Simply great music!

Enjoy!

ALPHEUS RAMAVHEA
NDO SHAVHA TSHIKOLO
produced by Marks Mankwane
engineered by Keith Forsyth
Igagasi IAL 3029
1982
Venda Vocal

MF

S'modern Girls - Unina Kavusi (1980)

We share another album of crisp and clean 1980s female mbaqanga today, this time from Izintombi Zesimanjemanje under their alternate pseudonym, S’modern Girls. 1980’s Unina Kavusi features 10 strong Zulu vocal numbers with powerful harmonies, sunny guitar, pounding bass and glorious organ.

Izintombi Zesimanjemanje (usually corrupted as ‘Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje’ on their record sleeves thanks to careless designers) established itself as a serious competitor in the local music scene early on and had been a relatively dominant force for just over five years when the original line-up, fronted by Sannah Mnguni, quit and went over to form Amagugu Esimanjemanje at EMI. Isibaya Esikhulu producer Hamilton Nzimande quickly reformed the group. His partner Jane Dlamini – the only Zesimanjemanje vocalist who stayed on at Isibaya – was soon joined by Lindiwe Mthembu (from Izintombi Zephepha), Nobesuthu Shawe (from the Mahotella Queens) and Ruth Mafuxwana. From 1972 to 1976 the quartet produced some brilliant high-quality vocal jive LPs (although naturally the 45s came first, then the albums), some of which were Nomali (1974), A Man and a Woman (1974), Isitha Sami Nguwe (1976), Bomakoti Bakajeno (1976) and Usithathaphi Isibindi (1976).

In 1977, the Zesimanjemanje maidens were joined by Hilda Tloubatla, who had recently left Gallo-Mavuthela after more than 12 years as the famous lead singer of the Mahotella Queens. It was at this same time that Nzimande began developing the famous Soul Brothers, then virtually unknown but soon to become Isibaya Esikhulu’s (and ultimately one of South Africa’s) biggest selling artists. As the era of girl group mbaqanga began to come to an end, Nzimande reinvigorated Zesimanjemanje’s backup to resemble that of the Soul Brothers, with a horn section, synth, organ, disco beat and just one guitar. The changes were a step into the future but the material remained very strong, notable albums including Ho Buoa Morena (1977), Ujabulisa Abantu (1978), Ha Le Dikela (1979), Umuntu Othulile (1979), Makoti Wakena (1980) and today’s share, Unina Kavusi (1980). In a bid to maintain the group’s popularity, Nzimande arranged for the ladies to record some of their own compositions using the same musical arrangements from the most popular Soul Brothers singles.

Most of the vocals on Unina Kavusi are split pretty evenly between the Zesimanjemanje maidens and a male soul chorus (not actually the Soul Brothers on this LP, although they do sing on Ujabulisa Abantu). The trademark mbaqanga rhythms are definitely imbued with that Soul Brothers magic and the result is happy, sunny and delightful. Every number is brilliant but particular standouts include “Ukuhlakanipha Akukho”, “Utshwala”, “Thathakahle” and “Mawumthanda”.

The female vocalists on this LP are: Jane Dlamini, Julia Mangqu, Lindiwe Mthembu, Nobesuthu Shawe and Hilda Tloubatla.

Enjoy!

S’MODERN GIRLS

UNINA KAVUSI

produced by Hamilton Nzimande

Umjondolo LJD 30

1980

Zulu Vocal

MF

Zulu violin dance from the mountains

A Friday tribute dedicated to all my friends from the 1980s who were also excited by the Shifty Records release of the Noise Khanyile and Joburg City Stars number Grooving Jive Number One. That infectious violin-led 12-inch track received many a spin at many a party.

The track shared today traces one root of "Zulu Violin Dance" back to Durban Harbour circa 1960. A simple, pure and equally infectious violin and guitar duet composed by one V. Gumede for the "Point Docks String Combo". The title "Ezintabeni" can be translated as "to the mountains" or "from the mountains".

This track along with a number of others will be made available via Electric Jive in due course. For now:

Check out this link here.

Heartbreaker: The G. Kente Voices (1977)

OK, so there is an appetite for Gibson Kente's music, thanks for the comments and feedback. Here is another Gibson Kente production, recorded 29th August 1977, ten weeks after "Can You Take It". The eight-piece band remains intact, while the vocal ensemble is reduced to eight female voices, led again by Olive Masinga. Produced by Ray Nkwe on the Jazz Appreciation Society (JAS) Pride label.

A notable addition among the voices is that of a young Mandisa Dlanga who went on to make a name for herself in the theatre world, as a session singer, and has since 1986 been the longest serving band member in Johnny Clegg's regular line-up. Mandisa Dlanga is still performing live, and has recent recordings with the Soweto Gospel Choir, and also on Vusi Mahlasela's 2011 "Say Africa". You can check out and purchase CDs on which Ms Dlanga is featured here.

Kente (1932 – 2004) is remembered as the father of South Africa’s Black Theatre. In the 1950s he was a talent scout for the Gallo music company. Inspired by King Kong, he founded a theater business in the early 1960s His first play was Manana, the Jazz Prophet (1963). The second, Sikalo  is featured earlier on Electric Jive here. I have made a note to digitise and share Kente's 1973 offering "How Long" sometime in the future, stay tuned.

Kente is credited with training more than 400 artists and producing 30 plays and three television dramas before his death from Aids in 2004.

Download link here

Can You Take It (1977)

 The 'father of township drama' Gibson Kente was not only remarkably prolific, he could assemble some seriously talented musicians to present his many offerings. This 1977 recording was produced by the inimitable Ray Nkwe through the "Jazz Appreciation Society" - in the days when such societies released recordings.

Olive Masinga and cast

 Let's start with a 13-piece vocal ensemble led by Mahotella Queens stalwart Olive Masinga, accompanied by an eight-piece brass-heavy band comprised of the likes of Dennis Mpale and the guitar wizardry of Themba Mokoena.

In his liner notes, Aggrey Klaaste highlights the music: "Long before I saw TAKE IT I heard a rendition of "JIKI JIKI", I was driven almost to tears by the deep nostalgia andand unmistakable Township bounce. I know some Black Americans are driven to such emotional transport by the Blues or spiritual songs. What makes the impact greater is the universality of their effect. You don't have to be a Black American to be stirred by their spirituals, or by the Blues. In a like manner you don't have to be moved by a song like JIKI JIKI. The effect is more emotional if you are part of the township environment and this is what Mr Kente exploits. Some men are blessed with the gift of churning out songs that live in memory for years. If Gibson Kente does not stand among such Black men in our history, the History will have gravely wronged him. The effect his songs have is more, much more than sentimental, they live. That's the trouble with them."
Recorded in Johannesburg on 6th June 1977.
Click on the photo below to see the artists' details and track listing.

Link here

Soultime With the Flaming Souls (1969)

Here is another important (and great) record in the slowly emerging picture of South Africa's under-documented "Soul" history. Nineteen Sixty-Nine was the year where it all ignited - with at least five locally produced LPs - two from the Flaming Souls (and another in 1970), two from The Beaters, and one from Almon Memela ... and we are still counting.

"The Anchors"  and "Almon Memela" appear to have got the ball rolling, with both their recordings being the either the first or second vinyls pressed by the subsequently successful City Special and Giant labels respectively.

If it is correct that the demise of The Anchors saw Simon Twala, Philip Malela and Herman Fox going on to form "The Flaming Souls", then these musicians recorded at least three albums in 1969. Pepsi Rapoo might be another, as he was a member of the Anchors, and is credited with writing five of the ten tunes on this album.

The Flaming Souls also feature  on four different record labels in 1969, with "Soultime" being released on both Colombia and then, within the same year, on budget label Music for Pleasure (MFP) - thanks Eddie at Soul Safari. for the MfP cover. The Colombia pressing is a pristine vinyl, but unfortunately does not possess a cover.

"She's Gone" by The Flaming Souls was released on the "Atlantic City" and "Up,Up, Up" labels in 1969. While I do not have any hard evidence to support me, my guess is that "She's Gone" was the second of the two recordings - being a vocal album and a little more expansively produced.

So - in all, it is fair to conclude that 1969 was a great vintage for Soul music in South Africa.You can find the third album from the Flaming Souls, the 1970 "Alex Soul Menu"  here.

Soul Time with the Flaming Souls

Colombia 33YE 1005 (1969)

LINK HERE

Josaya Hadebe on 78 rpm (c1947-1954)

Some years ago I published a compilation here at EJ titled Maskanda Roots, that traced the history of this, often guitar-based, Zulu traditional music. In that article I mentioned Zimbabwean omisaganda, Josaya Hadebe as one of the major influences of this style of music, though at that time I had no examples of his work. Today we feature ten tracks recorded for Trutone roughly between 1947 and 1954.

Both David Coplan and Joyce Makwenda point to the Ndebele (with their close roots to Zulu) styles in southern Zimbabwe, notably Bulawayo, as an early significant influence on maskanda with artists such as Josaya Hadebe, George Sibanda and Sabelo Mathe.

Josaya Hadebe from Makwende's book

Interestingly these Bulawayo guitarists were referred to as omasiganda and had a distinctive country western influence modeled after the singing cowboy in American films of the time. Omisaganga like maskanda is derived from the Afrikaans musikant. The omisaganda were one-man band troubadours strolling the township streets of Bulawayo, basically busking for money. Often they were in demand as entertainers at functions such as “tea-parties”, shebeens or at venues like the Stanley Hall built in 1935.

Makwenda, in her book Zimbabwe Township Music, actually credits Hadebe, as having introduced the ukuvamba (vamping) style in the late 1940s when he would come to South African towns, and draw huge crowds while busking on street corners. Significantly, Hadebe’s songs, as Makwende points out, were “about the deteriorating social values, which were a reflection of emerging city life: drunkeness, prostitution and crime”. (Makwende)

Makwende also suggests that Hadebe recorded fifteen songs with Eric Gallo, through Hugh Tracey’s AMR unit, in 1948 but I have found no examples of these. Tracks by Hadebe that I have located from this period seem to have been recorded for Trutone and I suspect that it is these that she may have been referring to.

The XU prefix on these Trutone discs is a hold-over from Llewelynn Hughes’ Better label (La Fayette Recording Studios) that was acquired by Arthur Harris around 1945. Harris was able to improve the quality of his recordings by hiring a professional sound engineer and building a new studio. Towards the end of the 1940s he changed the name of his business to Trutone. (Allingham / Meintjes)

Much of Hadebe’s material featured below was recorded in the late 1940s and early to mid 1950s. Based on the matrix number of XU 93 (2119) and the transitions at Trutone my guess is that Hadebe could have been recording for the company as early as 1947. What I suspect are the earliest known recordings by Hadebe — Langa Shona and Sitwande Same (XU 89) — can be found in the ILAM archive and heard at SAMAP. Jonathan Ward's compilation, Opika Pende, also features a later track recorded by Hadebe around 1957: Yini Wena Funa (Quality, TJ 6020, matrix T  6647-1)

Finding additional background information on Hadebe has proven to be difficult but a paper by S.J. Mhlabi titled An African Troubadour: The Music of Josaya Hadebe has been cited in a number of publications. If anyone has a copy of this text please let us know.


JOSAYA HADEBE ON 78 RPM (c1947-1954)
(flatinternational, Electric Jive, FXEJ 18)

01) Batatazela (c1947, Trutone, XU 93, 2120-D)
02) Ma Sheet Bed (c1947, Trutone, XU 93, 2119-D)
03) Diana (c1948, Trutone, XU 125, 2928)
04) Elina (c1948, Trutone, XU 125, T 2937)
05) Cigarette (c1953, Trutone, XU 145, T 3429)
06) iDlulamithi (c1953, Trutone, XU 145, T 3435)
07) Hlanganisa (1954, Trutone, XU 222, T 3654)
08) Sithandwa Same (1954, Trutone, XU 222, T 3656)
09) iWatch Lika Baba Ligugile (1954, Trutone, XU 244, T 3666)
10) Wazi Bamab Emarabeni (1954, Trutone, XU 244, T 3671)