Soul Safari

It’s official folks! Soul Safari is proud to announce the release of our second compilation in collaboration with the  International Library of African Music (ILAM), Grahamstown, South Africa. 18 rare gems of Township Jive & Kwela Jazz from South Africa recorded between 1930-1962.

Official date of release; November 18th 2013 

Available now in LP, CD  formats and iTunes downloads!

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The second Soul Safari compilation features 18 rare gems of Township Jive & Kwela Jazz from South Africa.

Released as a 180 grams premium vinyl LP and iTunes downloads.

Date of release: 18th November 2013

18 tunes of raw kwela and pennywhistle jive, some great rhythm & blues, accordion jive and vocal jazz; true messages of joy and hope that were recorded between 1930 -1962.

Tracklisting 

side A

1          Flying Jazz Twist -Twisting Sisters (1960) 2’.20”

2          Johnny -Twisting Sisters (1960) 2’.25”

3          Sesir Inyembezi -The Batchelors featuring ThokoTomo (1962) 2’.19”

4          Tshidi -Martindale All Stars (1960) 1’.57”

5          Skanda Mayeza -Benoni Flute Quintet (1930) 2’.26”

6          Quintet Special -Benoni Flute Quintet (1930) 2’.59”

7          Ek Se Cherry -Lemmy Special and the Mofolo Kids (1960) 2’.28”

8          Broadway -Alexander Sweet Flutes (1960) 2’.55”

9          Jacko Mambo -Aron & Pieter (1956) 2’.41”

side B

1          Ziyavuma Mambo -Aron & Pieter (1956) 2’.34”

2          Baya Ndi Nemeza -The Skylarks with Miriam Makeba (1962) 2’.31”

3          Paulina -The V Dolls (1940) 2’.14”

4          Egoli -Mighty Queens (1940) 2’.17”

5          Sala Sithandwa -Mighty Queens (1940) 2’.10”

6          Teku Special -Richard Nombali (1960) 2’.22”

7          Nozipho -Ndlovu Brothers (1960) 2’.16”

8          Ubundibetelantoni -Sample Siroqo (1960) 2’.34”

9          7-2-7 -Kid Ma Wrong Wrong (1940)   2’.15”

Most “African” recordings from 1930 -1962 in South Africa were issued only on breakable 78 shellac discs and poorly locally distributed in an era when Apartheid ruled. Few hundred copies a title perhaps found a home, if one was lucky to possess a record player.

The surviving discs landed mostly in collections and sometimes in air-conditioned archives, never to be played again. Until now, that is. A new chapter is here; volume 2 of Township Jive & Kwela Jazz, compiled by Eddy De Clercq for this blog.

Feel the energy of pennywhistle jive by The Benoni Flute Quintet, a group that had a big hit with their recording of ‘Skanda Mayeza’ in 1930. The tune was originally recorded as a vocal and The Benoni Flute Quintet picked up the tune on their penny whistles; their playing of it established the tune as one of the all time favourite with the Africans. On this compilation the original humorous spoken intro is kept intact, later versions were released without this spoken intro.Hear the battle of wild basslines in ‘Ek Se Cherry’ by Lemmy Special with vocal group The Mofolo Kids (1960). ‘SesirInyembezi’ is a superb Zulu cover version of the American original doo-wop hit ‘Book Of Love’ (The Monotones) by The Batchelors featuring ThokoTomo (1962)

Or listen to the delicious vocal harmonies of ‘Flying Jazz Twist’ by Twisting Sisters, a vocal group who were popular enough in the 1960’s for Gallo Records to release two hot sides on one platter. In 1956 Aron & Pieter did the mambo, African style while the festive upbeat vocal swing of ‘Tshidi’ by Martindale Stars (1960) remains timeless.

All recordings were prepared and mastered from the original 78 rpm shellac discs as found in the archives at ILAM in Grahamstown, South Africa. The goal was to clear the dust and dirt of decades gone by, while preserving the original dynamics and keep the sound as little altered as possible.

This compilation ℗ + © Ubuntu Publishing 2013. All rights reserved.