Ah, I just realized I already know one of these songs, "Emakhaya," from the Next Stop Soweto comp
― rob, Wednesday, 9 December 2020 21:03 (three years ago) link
ah i just saw the reissue lp in the shop the other day, but grabbed this other south african jazz reissue instead. maybe i'll go back and see if it's still there!
https://outernationalsounds.bandcamp.com/album/habiba
― the late great, Wednesday, 9 December 2020 21:04 (three years ago) link
ah ah ah xp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umH2fPYpk_8
― xzanfar, Wednesday, 9 December 2020 21:06 (three years ago) link
That looks great, tlg, thanks! Gonna queue that up next. I am definitely ordering this Heshoo Beshoo, I can't resist the thrill of paying in Canadian dollars
― rob, Wednesday, 9 December 2020 21:10 (three years ago) link
There's a new Idris Ackamoor & the Pyramids album coming in July or August; it's called Shaman! (punctuation in original). Good stuff as always.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Friday, June 19, 2020 9:28 AM (five months ago)
This was good! Ackamoor's trio of 21st-century albums is an extremely impressive late-career run, though I'd suggest newbies start with We Be All Africans
― rob, Wednesday, 9 December 2020 21:13 (three years ago) link
I've been listening to a South African saxophonist named Teaspoon Ndelu - mostly stuff from the 1970s and 80s. Nice jazz-funk with some disco elements. This album, from 1988, is solid, but the reissue (which is what you get here) also includes his first album, Magic Man, from 1973, and that's the good shit.
https://teaspoon-ndelu.bandcamp.com/album/new-horizons-1988
― but also fuck you (unperson), Wednesday, 9 December 2020 21:32 (three years ago) link
I found the song I will be listening to on my porch every night this summer. Unfortunately not on YouTube. Thembe Mkhize, Emakhuzeni (stimela sase msawawa)
https://open.spotify.com/track/2kNlUZLurTIKoA7mT8fJ5q?si=lJSnz3v9SJyTsSR4a9sswQ
― Heez, Thursday, 6 May 2021 13:37 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Plxz3pC3ms
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Thursday, 6 May 2021 14:39 (three years ago) link
ty
― Heez, Thursday, 6 May 2021 14:41 (three years ago) link
man that's stunning, thanks for sharing
― the mai tai quinn (voodoo chili), Thursday, 6 May 2021 15:18 (three years ago) link
Yes, thanks!Some notes from last year's Top 20:Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela, Rejoice: some tracks a little too much like lesser or style-sound reliant variants of others? Maybe a couple, but overall groove and style-sound (what they do and how it's produced, lightning in a shapely bottle) hooks abound between the twin leads of flugelhorn (mellowness netted and pushed and pulled and slid through) the loping, splattering, slinking, stinking, whatever's right for drums, with bits of tenor sax, keys, vibes at times hang-fly (to steal an ancient Village Voice-quoted term of Steve Coleman's) Calm and tireless, enough space in there, none wasted.
Felt lousy all morning---then I heard this! Legendary vibraphonist and "Father of Ethio-jazz", Mulatu Astatke joins forces with Melbourne-based eight-piece Black Jesus Experience on their latest album To Know Without Knowing, an absorbing nine-track assembly of majestic Ethiopian melodies and hip-hop-infused jazz and funk grooves. Also: Latin, reggae extrapolations, 16-bar blues (as a bed for much else), instrumental inflections from at least five different countries of origin, cool but committed female voices, incisive rap, psychedelic guitar (one trip, but that's enough, for "Living On Stolen Land" (Ain't it graaand"): Its moody 6/8 vamp in D is a gateway, yes.) And they've got wedding song, a send-off to the afterlife, other serious fun---that flugelhorn omg:https://mulatuastatkeblackjesusexperience.bandcamp.com/album/to-know-without-knowing
Asher Gamedze, Dialectic Soul--->AG: "Fundamentally, it is about the reclamation of the historical imperative. It is about the dialect of the soul & the spirit while it moves through history. The soul is dialectic. Motion is imperative. We keep moving." For instance, in the opening "Emergence Suite," tenor sax and trumpet can seize on moments all they like or or must, while bass & drums are like,"Yeah, yeah, that's good, that's good, come on now, mind your head, good." Also perfectly supportive of, never submissive to horn comments and slender, strong singing in "Siyabulela." Then a witty, fabulistic stroll through enormity in "Interregnum," where "the hopscotch ended much as it began" along the way (Don't worry, that's almost all for the voices). "Eternality" is more work-out than bliss-out, but good between the couch potato headphones. "Hope In Azania" is adrenaline afterglow in second wind, not too hopeful, but reasonably so it seems; oh yeah Speculative Fourth" does eventually let a human sing along some more with the horns, for a little while, sorry anti-voxxers*. https://ashergamedze.bandcamp.com/album/dialectic-soul
*Some people on Rolling Jazz really aren't into vocals
― dow, Thursday, 6 May 2021 18:18 (three years ago) link
Also, speaking what Tipsy Mothra said upthread, ouis Moholo and Dudu Pukwana are mentioned above, but the whole universe of music that came out of The Blue Notes and their coterie is amazing. The Blue Notes recordings themselves are basically mid-60s Afro bop, and they're great, but after they moved to England they all did so many different things: Brotherhood of Breath, Spear, Assagai, Harry Miller's Isipingo and the totally essential "Blue Notess for Mongezi." Just a remarkable constellation of players, exploring a wide range of stuff and bringing South African influences into all kinds of settings., this is a very intriguing roadmap:How South Africa’s Blue Notes Helped Invent European Free Jazz By Piotr Orlov · September 16, 2020https://daily.bandcamp.com/lists/blue-notes-south-african-jazz-guide?utm_source=footer
― dow, Thursday, 6 May 2021 18:29 (three years ago) link
lol at "anti-voxxers"
― rob, Thursday, 6 May 2021 20:26 (three years ago) link
had never heard of Tlokwe Sehume & Medu from South Africa but this kept popping up while i was listening to random Eddie Harris tracks on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPBh-2tE21o
― made entirely of styrofoam (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Sunday, 4 September 2022 10:21 (one year ago) link
I see Johnny Dyani was mentioned upthread but not this particular album (which was on a lot over the summer). Whole album is great but this track in particular is pure gold.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ4DiS6Vc3Y
― Shard-borne Beatles with their drowsy hums (Chinaski), Monday, 5 September 2022 18:59 (one year ago) link
Thanks, need to check some more of his----meanwhile, something I posted about on Rolling Jazz 2022:
...jazz is where you find it, and I'm smitten by this Sudanese ballad: hybrid guitar, normie rhythm guitar, bass, perc., just the right bits of tenor sax (most other tracks are faster, equally thoughtful grooves, and the finale has its own dynamic):
― dow, Monday, 5 September 2022 20:48 (one year ago) link
That's thishttps://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3036461062_10.jpg
― dow, Monday, 5 September 2022 20:50 (one year ago) link
Ghanaian saxophonist Gyedu-Blay Ambolley is doing highlife versions of jazz tunes on his album Hi-Life Jazz, which comes out October 7. Here's his version of "Round Midnite" (how it's spelled on the album):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w4fh11mv6E
― but also fuck you (unperson), Monday, 5 September 2022 20:54 (one year ago) link
xpost Right after the one I posted on RJ, budo jeru added:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XwKYYFvcDo
― dow, Monday, 5 September 2022 20:55 (one year ago) link
xpost Ambolley too! We're cooking this afternoon.
― dow, Monday, 5 September 2022 20:56 (one year ago) link
Saw some thread on Twitter about modern South African jazz but I can’t find it now. Any recommendations?
― Heez, Sunday, 19 November 2023 14:25 (six months ago) link
Nduduzo MakhathiniKeleketla!
― Nabozo, Sunday, 19 November 2023 14:33 (six months ago) link
Oh thanks!
That in the spirit of ntu album was mention on that thread
― Heez, Sunday, 19 November 2023 14:54 (six months ago) link
two other recent favs
Ayanda Sikade - UmakhuluLinda Sikhakhane - Isambulo
if you don't get a response from unperson on this thread, try asking your question on the rolling jazz thread
― budo jeru, Sunday, 19 November 2023 15:45 (six months ago) link
oh and
https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/rainbow-revisited
― budo jeru, Sunday, 19 November 2023 15:50 (six months ago) link
Really loving this record
https://honestjons.com/shop/artist/The_Malombo_Jazz_Makers/release/Down_Luckys_Way
― X-Prince Protégé (sonnyboy), Sunday, 19 November 2023 17:04 (six months ago) link
Nduduzo Makhathini is fantastic, as others have said — in addition to his latest one, In the Spirit of Ntu, check out Ikhambi (the first thing I heard by him) and Listening to the Ground.
Tenor saxophonist Linda Sikhakhane (a dude) is really good, too; his albums Two Sides, One Mirror and Isambulo are traditional (if Coltrane-in-1964 is a tradition) but worth your time.
I also like saxophonist Sisonke Xonti; wrote about him here.
I interviewed drummer Ayanda Sikade for Bandcamp last year; that was a thrill. He's a super nice guy.
Trumpeter Ndabo Zulu's Queen Nandi: The African Symphony is really good, too; I wrote about that here.
― Tahuti Watches L&O:SVU Reruns Without His Ape (unperson), Sunday, 19 November 2023 22:06 (six months ago) link
https://mindmaintenance.bandcamp.com/album/mind-maintenance
This Josh Abrams & Chad Taylor record is a nice one from a few years ago
― bbq, Sunday, 19 November 2023 23:27 (six months ago) link
unless i'm mistaken, neither of them are south african?
― budo jeru, Monday, 20 November 2023 04:38 (six months ago) link
They are not. I guess I was just recommending “other stuff that is heavily influenced by African sounds”
― bbq, Monday, 20 November 2023 16:17 (six months ago) link
gotcha. this would be the thread for that ;)
― budo jeru, Monday, 20 November 2023 16:23 (six months ago) link