Each week during the month of March Soul Safari presents a selection of exquisite South African boogie/disco rarities. Final selection for March is this rare promo by South African singer Stargo-Man with 2 boogie/disco sides from 1989
Play of the day -Danny Mashinini – 2 rare unreleased boogie/disco tracks
March 16, 2015
Danny Mashinini is best known for his album “Georgina” released in 1989. Today’s post features a rare white label promo by the South African singer with two exciting sides of boogie/disco. Not sure if these tracks were ever released or commercially available.
Play of the day -Tata -Afro Breakdance -electro/boogie 1985
March 9, 2015Each week during the month of March Soul Safari presents a selection of exquisite South African boogie/disco rarities. Here is the much sought after 12″ from 1985
Tata -Afro Breakdance
Tata -Afro Breakdance/It’s A Mess -Hot Stuff Records 1985 South Africa
Play of the day -Eric D -Slowdown/Nothing For Nothing -boogie/disco 1988
March 2, 2015Each week during the month of March Soul Safari presents a selection of exquisite South African boogie/disco rarities.
This week starts with a few tracks by Eric D from his album “Slow Down” originally released in 1988.
Eric D Slowdown/Nothing For Nothing -Sounds of Soweto SOS 2 -South Africa 1988
Backing Vocals – Mandisa Dianga, Marilyn Nokwe, Sipho Nkumalo, Thandi Seoka, Wake Mahlobo
Composed By – B. Bophela, T. Sothole
Guitar – Themba Mtshali
Keyboards – Barney Bophela
Producer – B. Bophela, T. Sothole
Saxophone – Mandla Masuku
Lost & Found pt 2 -Peanut Butter Conspiracy -South African 70’s Soul & Psych
February 24, 2015see also Lost & Found pt 1 -Wanda Arletti -Love Power!!
Lost & Found is a series that showcases long lost music from the 60s by South African white artists. Maybe these songs and sounds were lost for years but not forgotten. Today I want to present a record by Peanut Butter Conspiracy aka PBC, a group that worked with The Flames and singer Una Valli. Not to be confused with the American band of 1966 with the same name. A combination of soul and uptempo excitement, just plain talent combined with ambition and gutsy professionalism. No hype, no hustle.
see also The Flames -Soulfire!! South Africa’s soul super group
peanut butter conspiracy
The group Peanut Butter Conspiracy was formed in 1968. The original line up included: Una Valli (vocals), John Lindeman (guitar),Brian Mulder (bass), Ron Naturam (keyboards), Mike Fox (drums), Peter Lynch (sax/mouth-organ/guitar) and Mike Koch (drums). Subsequent band members included Ton Schiff (keyboards), George Hill (drums), Herbert Simon (guitar), Moose Forer (bass), Frank Hill (drums), Stuart Preston (drums), Mick Spooner (keyboard/sax), Eddie Payne (trumpet) and Freddie Schesser (trumpet). “Understanding”reached #2 on Springbok’s Top 20 in May 1971 and spent 17 weeks on the charts. It went to #1 on the Rhodesian charts for three weeks in May 1971. Other hits include: “Hold On To What You’ve Got” (#4 Aug ’71) and “Amen” (#2 Dec ’71).
Their cover of the song “Part Of Someone (Church)” originally by Steven Stills remains a true gem that is waiting to shine again.
PBC continued on to at least 1973 releasing a few records on the Columbia record label in South Africa. Alan Brackett of the American band said that he no doubt believes that they used their name especially because both bands were signed with Columbia. There is also a barbershop quartet with the same name. There were many foreign bands that emulated American sounds with 60s psychedelia, progressive rock, and soul music. Apparently Columbia had no problem with this.
Peanut Butter Conspiracy…Chart Busters…Soulmates. Take six musicians: Patent Brian Mulder’s gravel-voice delivery. Add brass. Peter Lynch, Mike Spooner and Eddie Payne. Blend in Stuart Prestam’s drumming and Herbert Simon’s guitar riffs. Now you have it – the PBC sound. Here’s their debut album to confirm your suspicions. This is South Africa’s pop discovery of the 70s.
source; liner notes Peanut Butter Conspiracy (CBS ASF 1627-South Africa)
and
Grendelmonster8u112 videos
New Haven, Connecticut, USA • YouTube
Township Soul & Boogie Vol 12; Neville Nash ‘Wind Me Up’
February 3, 2015
Today’s post features all tracks from an early album by Nash ‘Wind Me Up’ released in 1981 in South Africa on his own label Nash
Tracklist
A1 Wind Me Up 5:12
A2 Love Me Now 4:00
A3 Let The Music Play 3:53
B1 Funky Feelin’ 6:22
B2 Blame It On Magic 3:48
B3 Ooh Baby 3:31
Neville Nash and his band The Miracles parted ways when the South African singer went solo. By 1985 he had a big hit,”One Of Those Night”,which was later included in the Concert In The Park double album.”What’s Your Name,What’s Your Number?” produced by Tom Mkhise on the CTV label Solid. In 1986 he followed up with the album “Why?” which featured the hit “Feel It” produced by Tom Mkhise, Solly Letwaba and Neville himself.
Diggin’ in Japan; vol 6 Osaka Dec 2014 by MP Flapp
January 23, 2015
in addition to MP Flapp’s previous post on diggin’ in Japan here is his report on Osaka.
see also Diggin’ in Japan; vol 5 Tokyo Dec 2014 by MP Flapp
Next stop Osaka.
Osaka is just over three hours from Tokyo by shinkansen. Unlike Tokyo Shin-Osaka where the shinkansen arrives is about 20 minutes from downtown Osaka by metro. Namba is a recommended spot to find a hotel as two large groupings of records stores exist in this area. The first is roughly between Shinsaibashi and Yotsubashi metro stations. The second is south-west of the main Namba railway station. Between the two there are in excess of twenty record stores. A third area with about five stores exists just south of Nakazakicho metro station.
Complementing the stores, from 26th December for four days, the Hanshin Department Store at Umeda plays host to a record fair. Recommended for the fact many stores not based in Osaka are represented at the fair. The stores from Osaka who sell at the fair tend to use it as a means to offload excess stock at sensible prices. It is still worth visiting the stores in person as many of the more obtuse or rare records remain in store and not at the fair. The fair is a bit different to European fairs in the organised loosely by genre/theme across a number of tables. None of the sellers are present, but their stock is tagged up according. You basically build up a pile of records from across all the sellers. Go to the inspection area where you can check the records, returning any that are not up to scratch. Then proceed to the check-out areas where you pay for and get your finds bagged. A bit odd the first time you do it, but I have to say it is fairly efficient.
Possibly the biggest difference between Tokyo and Osaka for record shopping is that there is less need for public transport. You can for the most part walk between stores and as such Osaka is a fairly laid back shopping experience. The shops are as equally well stocked as Tokyo, but there are just slightly less of them.
Some recommendations? Bamboo Music is closest to Nakazakicho metro station and a little out of the way, but is always worth a visit for the Jazz, soul and funk based selection. One of those stores with something for every pocket and quite a few titles you only ever see on-line. At the other end of town near Namba station you’ll find Naka Records. The store is a good starting point for the area as it often has a map for the other stores in the vicinity, and is a great source of lounge, easy and Japanese 45s. A short walk from Naka you’ll find Wild One Records. A delight of a store for Folk and Progressive rock music fans. The store is sensibly priced and has something for every pocket. Heading up to Shinsaibashi there is a great little club based music port of call called Rare Groove Records. Again the shop stocks a great range of LPs, 12s and 45s. They also have flyer map for the other stores in that area, a number of which are in the same building. A short walk from here and close to Yotsubashi metro station you’ll find Maru Ka Batsu. The store has existed for some years and has a great stock of 80s focused punk, alternative and industrial music. It’s well stocked in other areas too, but the aforementioned genres are always a distinct highlight. I often make this the last top of the day as at the end of the street the store is on you’ll find craft beer bar Kamikaze. It’s always a pleasure to drink there at the end of the day.
As short as this piece is you’ve probably guessed that with not too much effort and a bit of time it’s possible to discover a fantastic range of stores with an equally eclectic stock of records at a range of prices that makes record collecting available to every type of buyer. It’s not all about finding super rare records for three figure sums of money, but discovering new music that excites you and at a price you can afford. Saying that, if luck’s on your side you might just find that grail along the way by chance…
Notes:
- The for the Japanese record map book is http://recordmap.com/
- List of Five Independent stores in Tokyo. All of the following stores can easily be found via Google. Flash Disc Ranch and Yellow Pop both in Shimo-Kitazawa. Record Sya in Jinbouchou. Sonota (aka Manual of Errors) and El Sur Records both in Shibuya.
- List of Five Independent stores in Osaka. All of the following stores can easily be found via Google. Bamboo Records, Naka Records, Wild One Records, Rare Groove Records and Maru Ka Batsu
- For Sound Cafe Dzumi check https://www.facebook.com/SoundCafedzumi or www.dzumi.jp
- Two recommend craft beer bars that do a fine range of food in Osaka are as follows: Craft Beer Works Kamikaze (see http://www.cbw-kamikaze.com/) and Lezzet Craft Beer & Food Experience Bar (see http://ameblo.jp/lezzetcraftbeer)
- The Record Sale. A good resource for finding information on occasional record sales is http://www.oneboxrecordfair.com/. As well as organising the One Box Record Fair the site highlights other similar events.
- One record sale well worth investigating if you are in Tokyo on 14th and 15th Feb. 2015 is organised by Enan formally of the Turntable store. The details of the record fair are at https://www.facebook.com/Turntable-Tokyo/. This one takes place in a rented space, so is a little bit bigger than a bar sale. A short clip of one of Enan’s previous events is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJQQZBjpUKo
