We Miss You Manelo
(1987)
RBM 068
Promotional 12" copy
MF / RS
Also check out Chicco's youTube video:
We Miss You Manelo
(1987)
RBM 068
Promotional 12" copy
MF / RS
Also check out Chicco's youTube video:
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We Miss You Mandela!
We Miss You Manelo
(1987)
RBM 068
Promotional 12" copy
MF / RS
Also check out Chicco's youTube video:
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Hamba Kahle Tata Mandela
We grieve, we cry, we look for comfort, we give thanks - may Nelson Mandela's inspiring life make us all more resolute in pursuing his example of leadership, compassion and humanity. Hamba Kahle Tata.
In 1986 Johnny Clegg penned this beautiful protest anthem: Asimbonanga:
Asimbonanga (We have not seen him)
Asimbonang' uMandela thina (We have not seen Mandela)
Laph'ekhona (In the place where he is)
Laph'ehleli khona (In the place where he is kept)
Oh the sea is cold and the sky is grey
Look across the Island into the Bay
We are all islands till comes the day
We cross the burning water
Asimbonanga (We have not seen him)
Asimbonang' uMandela thina (We have not seen Mandela)
Laph'ekhona (In the place where he is)
Laph'ehleli khona (In the place where he is kept)
A seagull wings across the sea
Broken silence is what I dream
Who has the words to close the distance
Between you and me
Asimbonanga (We have not seen him)
Asimbonang' uMandela thina (We have not seen Mandela)
Laph'ekhona (In the place where he is)
Laph'ehleli khona (In the place where he is kept)
Steve Biko
Asimbonanga (We have not seen him)
Asimbonang 'umfowethu thina (we have not seen our brother)
Laph'ekhona (In the place where he is)
Laph'wafela khona (In the place where he died)
Victoria Mxenge
Asimbonanga (We have not seen him)
Asimbonang 'umfowethu thina (we have not seen our brother)
Laph'ekhona (In the place where he is)
Laph'wafela khona (In the place where he died)
Neil Aggett
Hey wena (Hey you!)
Hey wena nawe (Hey you and you as well)
Siyofika nini la' siyakhona (When will we arrive at our destination)
Asimbonanga (We have not seen him)
Asimbonang 'umfowethu thina (we have not seen our brother)
Laph'ekhona (In the place where he is)
Laph'wafela khona (In the place where he died)
(The picture featured is of the striking Nelson Mandela sculpture created by Marco Cianfanelli at the site where Mandela was captured by the South African Police near Howick in 1962.)
The great man makes an appearance in this video of the song. The original recording of the track can be downloaded below.
RS here
MF here
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Moonbeats over 2013 mixtape
So here we go with some of the favourites from 2013 that got stuck in my head over the past 12 months....enjoy!
Zephyr - Rodion G.A.
Adjinon We - Danialou Sagbohan
Safar - Hassan Shamaizadeh
Piya Tu Ab To Aaja - Kumar Sanu
Malam Joget - Orkes Melayu Bulan Purnama
WÅ„Åòrewan Am_ÉŒÅÇulle - Elias Tebabel
Hayeelin - Dur-Dur Band
Sina Raha - Hafusa Abasi & Slim Ali with The Yahoos Band
Ne me fatigue pas - Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba
Onsta La Yerbita - Los Destellos
w.e.l.f.a.r.e. - antonio castro
Moonbeams - Brenda Ray
Come Holy Spirit - God's Band
Ah, Music - Vinny Roma
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Electric Jive Durban Office Party 2013
What a year, and what a last week it has been. In saying good-bye to Tata Mandela over this last ten days it has been a privilege to feel part of a country-wide outpouring of grief, love and gratitude for the great man.
Of course, as a nation we will wake up after the year-end break and get on with the cut and thrust of our contested national project, all the way through to national elections ... with some daring to push the boundaries a little more, knowing that as the fissures and fractures re-appear in our national fabric, we also have the capacity (when most critical) to see the bigger picture and overcome those differences that we do feel.
Until then - it is time to dispense with your inhibitions, suspend your critical faculties, switch off your cheese-o-meter, (yes some of this is deliciously cheesey), kick off your shoes, find your loved ones and submit your groove to a feel-good bygone era of disco soul, swing, twist, funk and a little mashed up jazz from South Africa's 60s and 70s.
Thank you all for being part of the Electric Jive experience this year - it has been another wonderful ride. Thank you to everyone who has left words of feedback, thanks and encouragement - it means a lot to us. I look forward to picking up the conversation again in the new year when we will be able to announce a launch date of the dedicated Electric Jive Ian Bruce Huntley Archive pages.
For now - this Durban Office Party is a mix-tape gleaned mostly from single tracks especially digitized from various under-played LPs and 78rpms - if I can find a gap in the new year I will make an effort to upload a folder with the tracks separated.
1. Sonny and His Booi's: Funky Sax (1967) (King-Doggett)
2. Stan Lee's Boys: Rock Lobster Twist - (196?) (Glasser)
3. The Soul Brothers: Wonderful World - (197?) (The Soul Brothers)
4. Golden Disco: Makhelwane - (197?) (Babsy Mlangeni)
5. The Moonlight Expressions: If You Ready (1975) (H. Banks, R.Jackson, C. Hampton)
6. Lionel Petersen: Swing Your Daddy (1975) (Nolan)
7. Friends: Shoowa Shoowa (1976) (Cambridge Matiwane)
8. Wanda Arletti: Love Power (1969) (Vann)
9. Disco Six: Disco Six (1977)(Zane Cronje; Rene Veldsman; M. Horowitz)
10. Una Valli and The Flames: Tell Mama (1968) (Carter)
11. Lionel Petersen: That's The Way I Like It (1975) (Casey/Finch)
12. The Invaders: Shockwave (1970) (The Invaders)
13. The Elricas: No School Today - Soweto School (197?) (D. Makhubela)
14. The Elricas: Chez Gaye Special: (197?) (The Elricas)
15. Roy Petersen: Soulitis (1969) (Roy Petersen)
16. Elricas Dance Band: Take Five (?) (Paul Desmond)
17. Stan Lee's Boys: Twist for Six - (196?) (Stan Lee)
18. Elricas Dance Band:Medley (Amdelia, Ghomea Chero, Hoola Hoop, Chez Gaye Samba)
19. Dukes Combo:Le Vastrap (197?) (Vasie Naidoo)
20. Niek Potgieter:Bosveld Vastrap (?) (Potgieter)
21. Nico Carstens:Kitaar Boogie (?) Carstens/De Waal
22. Nick Mick Band: Pick and Choose (196?) (Mickey Vilakazi)
23. Henry's Sextet: Ndolondlo (1968) (Henry Sithole)
24. Zee Zee Jazz Appointment: Jive and Rest (196?) (Rupert Bopape).
Rapidshare here
Mediafire here
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Irene Mawela - The 'Unknown' Legend
The name may not ring many bells, but the sound of this great lady’s voice is most likely lurking in the minds and memories of a huge amount of black South African people today. The sound of the voice is soft, sweet and yet resilient. It is a voice that is somehow very well known, even if the name is not. The amount of groups that this lady made beautiful music with is astonishing. We couldn’t possibly list every single group – but here are some of the best: Dark City Sisters, Killingstone Stars, Black Sea Giants, The Sweet Sixteens, The Telegram Specials, Brit’s Sweethearts, Young Stars, Radio Stars, Pretty Dolls, Beauty Queens, Irene and The Sweet Melodians, Mgababa Queens, Izintombi Zomoya, The Zebras, Mahabula Joza, Mahotella Queens… and the list rightly goes on and on.
It is Electric Jive’s honour to proudly present to you the life story of a supreme talent – Irene Mawela, one of South Africa’s finest and most distinctive female singers. As well as being a tremendously gifted vocalist, Irene is also a prolific songwriter and has composed some of the most memorable mbaqanga songs of the last few decades. A couple of months ago, I had the wonderful honour of making contact with Irene herself. To be able to converse with this humble lady and then prepare a biography has been nothing short of overwhelming. My thanks go to Irene for her remarkable and prolific work completed over the course of a near-60 year career.
Irene Mawela was born into a Venda family in 1940 in Moroka, Soweto. Before Irene’s birth, her parents had moved from Muraleni village to Soweto in order to find work, but the destructive political situation of the time meant that the family could never reveal their true Venda identity outside of their own home. The joyful sound of music was embedded into Irene right from the start. Whenever the infant Irene started to cry or become unsettled, her mother would sing a particular song to keep her calm. ‘Ndiala, ndiala… ndiala, ndiala…’ crooned Irene’s mother to her baby. It worked every time and Irene always quietened down to listen to the beautiful tune. By the time she was learning to speak, little Irene began humming the song herself.
In order to hide her Venda identity, Irene was enrolled in a Sotho school in her childhood. She spoke fluent Venda at home but never outside it. At school, she learnt to become fluent in Sotho but also had the opportunity to learn and become familiar with Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi and Shangaan. Raised in a Catholic family, Irene regularly attended church where her keen love for singing grew. By her teens, she was a singer in the Sweet Voices, a chorus that sang at wedding ceremonies in Soweto. It was with this group that Irene began perfecting her uniquely sweet lead harmony, a talent that earned her many followers. 17-year old Irene was at a wedding party in Soweto singing with the Sweet Voices when the well-known talent scout and producer Rupert Bopape, at the time the head of EMI South Africa’s black production unit, approached her.
Bopape had recently formed a trio of female singers who he recorded as the Dark City Sisters, so-named after the township of Alexandra and its lack of electricity at night (although only one of the three singers actually hailed from Alexandra). The three founding members of the Dark City Sisters were Nunu Maseko, Francisca Mngomezulu and Kate Olene. Once their popularity kicked off in a big way (culminating in their hit Christmas/New Year 78 rpm featuring the songs “Umnyezane” and “Mntwana”), Bopape wanted to expand the group and begin recording the large team of singers under a variety of recording names (a practice already being perfected by rival producer Cuthbert Matumba at Troubadour Records). The reason usually given by producers for recording the same team of singers under different group names was because the industry only allowed a certain number of recordings by artists per year. The new strategy of recording under various names increased production and therefore increased profit for the record company.
Bopape often attended wedding parties on the lookout for singing talent to bring back to the studios. He was excited by the rich harmonies of the Sweet Voices, and invited two of its members – Irene and Monica – to Johannesburg for an audition. Irene was just out of school, but her parents gave their consent. Unfortunately, on the day of the audition, Monica failed to show up, leaving a nervous Irene to sing alone in front of Mr. Bopape. The wise talent scout saw Irene’s potential and, without hesitating, he gave her a recording contract. Irene was thrown into the deep end almost immediately, summoned into the studio to record as a member of the Dark City Sisters. Irene’s very first recording, “July Handicap”, was also her own composition (though ultimately credited to Rupert Bopape). In the strange environment of a studio for the very first time, Irene recalls the mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness that contributed to her shivering, “vibrating” performance in that first session! Pretty soon, any feelings of anxiety subsided and Irene settled into an enjoyable routine of recording, performing and composing.
The EMI girls were originally backed by a band of pennywhistler-singers titled The Black Mambazo, who comprised Aaron ‘Jack’ Lerole, Elias ‘Shamba’ Lerole, Zeph Nkabinde and Peter Khumalo. The band was joined in Bopape’s studios by the likes of Zacks Nkosi (saxophonist, principal arranger of EMI’s African jazz recordings and also the husband of Dark City Sisters singer Kate Olene), Elijah Nkwanyane, Ellison Themba and Almon Memela, all of whom contributed at one point or another to the various recording names.
The Dark City Sisters of this era (1958 to 1962) comprised Esther Khoza, Nunu Maseko, Irene Mawela, Francisca Mngomezulu, Hilda Mogapi, Joyce Mogatusi, Grace Msika and Kate Olene. The first public appearance of the Dark City Sisters was at Zoo Lake in Johannesburg. Although a large contingent of singers recorded under the name in the studio, only four of them performed live. After their appearance at Zoo Lake, the Sisters began to perform at a number of other venues such as halls and schools. The happy crowds would throw money at the stages in excitement at seeing the famous group in the flesh. The group’s first trip outside of Johannesburg was to a local hall in Durban, as part of a show that also included fellow recording artists The Black Mambazo and The King’s Messengers Quartet. Crowds flocked to see the artists in action – by the time the show started, the hall was completely full to the brim!
The serene and inventive vocals of Joyce Mogatusi, who joined the Sisters in 1959, usually led most recordings made under the various names, although Irene did perform her sweet lead on some of the songs. “Tap Tap Ntshebe” features Irene singing the lead vocals in conjunction with Simon ‘Mahlathini’ Nkabinde, the younger brother of The Black Mambazo’s Zeph (and soon to be a sensational crowd-puller). Both Mahlathini (providing some spoken word) and Irene (singing the ‘high part’) can be heard harmonising on one of the Sisters’ memorable hits of the day, “Rose”, the story of a man’s search for his one true love. Irene didn’t just sing as part of the Sisters – she also backed several of EMI’s solo female stars, including Alice Gava and Susan Gabashane.
Irene’s prolific composing career began at EMI. She possesses a great talent for telling an engaging story through the combination of expressive lyrics and a beautiful melody. On many occasions she would come up with both the lyrics and the melody, but often she would come up with melodies for the hundreds of lyrics written by Mr. Bopape. Irene also regularly took traditional songs and re-arranged them for her fellow musicians to sing in the studio. One of these is “Mamorwesi”, which features Joyce Mogatusi’s prominently gorgeous soprano, with Irene singing the corresponding alto part. The song narrates the journey of a girl named Mamorwesi who has left her village to go and find work in Johannesburg. Her family left behind continues to struggle to make ends meet, and Mamorwesi’s sister-in-law asks why she doesn’t help out. Although singing and writing songs was indeed a nice job to have, there were restrictions on artists that often took its toll. For example, the majority of Irene’s material was composed in Zulu and Sotho, despite her being a Venda girl. Record company management ordered that ‘popular music’ had to be recorded in mostly Zulu and Sotho, for the simple reason that most black record buyers in the urban areas spoke either of those two languages. Venda and Shangaan listeners were mostly populated in the rural zones. In addition to being forced to disclose her true identity as a Venda person, Irene consistently felt during those early years as if she was burning inside by not being able to do anything for her mother tongue, even if she was very fluent in most languages. In addition, there were apparently restrictions on how many songs a composer could write per year. It has been claimed that this was a policy created by producers in order to keep their artists in place. Rupert Bopape worked around the difficult situations by giving Irene different names to compose under, all of which then appeared on the disc labels – the most used of these pseudonyms was ‘Irene Nhlapo’.
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| RUPERT BOPAPE, 1972 |
Bopape was a very smart individual whose careful control and management led to EMI’s huge success within the market during the early 1960s. As a talent scout, he was extremely capable at spotting some of the best musicians to be found. As a producer, he did his job very precisely and firmly. In fact, it was his almost domineering leadership that sent Irene on her way. Bopape advised his artists that although singing was a pleasure, they needed to be serious and objective about their jobs. They were instructed to avoid alcohol and present themselves properly when in public. The singers had to turn up to rehearsals and recording sessions on time – if they were even so much as five minutes late, Bopape would scold them for not being prompt. Retrospectively, Irene respects the fact that Bopape was trying to instil a good sense of timekeeping and proper conduct within her and her contemporaries, but as girls who were barely in their 20s, they could not have disliked his harsh treatment more! Irene became unhappy with Bopape’s treatment and left EMI in 1962.
After leaving EMI, Irene went straight to Troubadour under the production of Cuthbert Matumba. Troubadour was at a time one of the biggest forces to be reckoned with in the industry, producing a veritably lengthy stream of records in a topical vein by numerous artists. Matumba was a canny operator whose uniquely perceptive management was the answer to Troubadour’s popularity and reputation of the day. Irene became part of the team that produced recordings under a variety of popular group names, the most famous pseudonym during the early 1960s being The Sweet Sixteens. The team of female singers at Troubadour included Irene, Lindi Khumalo, Olga Mhlongo, Ida Radebe, Mary Thobei and Ruth Xaba. With this assemblage, Irene made some memorable recordings including “Insizwa” (as the Telegram Specials), spotlighting one of Irene’s most mesmerising leads. Irene felt at home at Troubadour, but she had left EMI in 1962 without actually informing Bopape – she had “run away” from him. Bopape was astonished by Irene’s disappearance but he was soon given a tip-off about her whereabouts, so the producer made it his mission to find her. He would turn up at Troubadour’s studios on many occasions in the next few years in the hope of finding Irene. After being told by one of her fellow musicians that Bopape was in the building looking for her, Irene would always manage to hide from him until he left the premises! In 1964, Bopape left EMI and joined Gallo Africa where he built up a new black music operation for the organisation later called Mavuthela Music Company. At Mavuthela, using some newer innovative session musicians including Marks Mankwane, Vivian Ngubane and Joseph Makwela, he began building up the more elastic and heavy mbaqanga sound that quickly found huge popularity. He continued to turn up at Troubadour from time to time, hoping to find Irene.
Despite these peculiar incidents, Irene remained a firm fixture at Troubadour Records. As well as making the classic girl group records, she also acted as a backing singer for Troubadour’s solo female stars including Dorothy Masuka, Mabel Mafuya and Dixie Kwankwa. While Irene was still writing as many songs as she wanted to, producer Cuthbert Matumba also insisted that the industry only allowed a certain number of compositions by songwriters every year. To try to skirt around the rule, Irene was credited for many of the songs she wrote at Troubadour as ‘Sarah Ngwenya’. But it did not end there. Troubadour’s artists noticed that the majority of the company’s 78 rpm disc labels actually credited their compositions to unknown names such as ‘Ngubane’, ‘Gumede’ and ‘Bepete’. Even many of Matumba’s own compositions were credited to any one of those three names. When confronted about it, Matumba reminded his artists of the rule that only a few songs per composer could be released in a year. The artists had their own suspicions as to why most of their songs were credited to these unknown people, fictitious or not, but on went the practice until Matumba was killed in a car crash in 1965.
Irene continued to record as a Troubadour session vocalist under Matumba’s replacement, Daniel Makhubela (better known as sax jiver Kid Margo), but the company had begun to lose its grip after Matumba’s death, largely due to the development of Bopape’s Mavuthela as the most dominant label in the local music market. In 1969, Trutone bought the declining Troubadour and its assets were absorbed into the larger company, with Troubadour effectively ceasing to exist. Irene continued singing at Trutone with the other session girls including Sannah Mnguni (originally the lead singer of Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje) as The Sweet Sixteens. Then, about two years later, Trutone itself was bought out by Teal Records and most of the ex-Trutone staff was fired. Teal’s own black music production stable had been managed since 1969 by alto saxophonist and talent scout David Thekwane. Irene became part of the Teal roster and the popular Sweet Sixteens name lived on. Though there were other session girls in the studio, it was under Thekwane’s production that Irene started to “back” herself for the first time – i.e., singing all of the vocal parts herself and then having them multi-tracked to create a smooth, girl group harmony.
Irene’s longing to record in Venda language had persisted throughout her career so far. She had proposed her idea to record company management who did not understand why she wanted to do so. It simply was not commercially viable for artists to record in languages that did not sell – the notion was that Zulu and Sotho listeners were not going to enter a record store with the purpose of buying a single recorded in Venda or Shangaan. During her two years at Trutone, Irene fought with the management and they relented after some deliberation – Irene was allowed to record one Venda single in order to gauge the market. Thusly, Irene became the very first mbaqanga artist signed with a commercial label to record a song in Venda. Her first recording in that language (with The Sweet Sixteens) was “Rosina”, a song that analysed the difficult relationship between wives in a polygamy marriage: Rosina, the second wife, overpowers Emily, the first wife, a dishonourable act that was not allowed within polygamy marriages. It remained her only Venda song recorded for Trutone – but at Teal, to Irene’s delight, David Thekwane consented to the recording of a couple of singles in Venda. For these recordings, Irene reminisced about her childhood. The beautiful song that her mother used to sing to baby Irene surely had to be a perfect number to record – and so, it was in early 1972 that the adult Irene crooned the magnificent “Ndiala” in the recording studio. Although these few Venda recordings did sell better than management originally thought, Irene was still instructed to record the majority of her material in Zulu or Sotho. As a result, she decided to freelance with the SABC where she recorded Venda language versions of the Zulu and Sotho songs she made for the record company. The recordings were still administered by the record company but transmitted across the airwaves via Radio Venda. Much of the music transmitted on Radio Venda up to now consisted of field recordings of traditional music performed by Venda people living in the rural areas. This put Irene in a unique position as the only Venda artist recording mbaqanga songs in that language.
An excerpt of Irene singing “Ndiala” during a conversation in 2013
By 1972, Rupert Bopape’s Mavuthela stable was still flying high with a variety of popular bands, many of them among the most popular groups in South Africa. His 1964 creation, the Mahotella Queens, had long since overtaken his 1958 creation, the Dark City Sisters, as South Africa’s leading female group. In conjunction with Mahlathini and the Makgona Tsohle Band, their recordings were always of a distinctly high quality, and the stage shows were not to be missed. But even though Bopape was running a wonderfully successful ship, he had not given up searching for the girl who had run away from him all those years ago. His searches had constantly come to nothing – Irene always managed to successfully hide herself after being informed that he had turned up looking for her. Bopape and Irene were eventually reunited – but the meeting was completely unintentional. It was in mid-1972 when Irene attended SAMRO to collect the annual royalties owed to her. Bopape was also collecting his royalties when the two spotted each other. There was nowhere for Irene to go and hide! Bopape called out her name and she went to him. “Come to Mavuthela”, he told her. “We need you”.
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| IRENE MAWELA in a Johannesburg park, 1970s |
Irene decided to join Mavuthela shortly after her meeting with Bopape. Irene would discover that she had indeed made the right choice. She began recording as part of a new junior line-up called the Mgababa Queens. Irene also recorded with Izintombi Zomoya, the second-tier group behind the senior Mahotella Queens. (In late 1971, several of the Mahotella Queens quit following a payment dispute with Bopape, and some of the Izintombi Zomoya members filled the vacant places in the Queens line-up. Izintombi Zomoya was kept together with a slightly newer line-up that included Irene. Robert ‘Mbazo’ Mkhize was the groaner for both groups after Mahlathini’s departure from Mavuthela later in 1972.) In addition to recording with those groups, Irene was given the honour of her own line-up: Irene and The Sweet Melodians. The new name was a nod to the famous Sweet Sixteens but also marked the first time Irene herself was given prominent billing. Her musical creativity saw no bounds throughout her eleven years at Mavuthela, under the brilliant directorship of Mr. Bopape. Together with some of the best session musicians in the country, she produced some of her finest work. “Abakhulu”, which was recorded in 1974 by Irene and The Sweet Melodians, was one of her greatest numbers of the decade. Irene’s wonderfully repetitive chants of ‘sukumani!’ (get up!) helped to keep the sprightly, upbeat tune in the minds of listeners. The rhythmic tune featured Irene singing an extended solo accompanied only by the swinging band of studio musicians – keys, guitar, bass and drums. “Abakhulu” went on to win Irene her first award – the second place certificate for Best Song at the SARIE Awards.
A little known but amazing fact is that Irene Mawela is perhaps responsible for initiating the commercial recording career of a superb isicathamiya choir named Ladysmith Black Mambazo. It was the golden voice and the brilliant mind of leader Joseph Shabalala that helped put the group on the path to success. The sound of Mambazo built on the innovations of Enoch Masina’s King Star Brothers, who had successfully “softened” the strident tones that were very typical of Zulu male vocal choirs up to now. But what separated Mambazo from the rest was the utterly excellent quality of Shabalala’s compositions, which were always meaningful and profound no matter the topic. In 1967, the group travelled to the SABC studio in Durban to audition for Yvonne Huskisson, then the organiser of ‘Bantu music’. Mambazo built up some staggering popularity in and around Durban over the next five or so years, their recordings being transmitted regularly on Radio Zulu’s Cothoza Mfana programme. In early 1972, after being inundated over the last few years with questions from listeners about why Mambazo records were not available to purchase, Cothoza Mfana presenter Alexius Buthelezi wrote letters to the different record companies based in Johannesburg. Buthelezi requested that producers come to Durban to hear the magnificent group. West Nkosi received Buthelezi’s letter and made the trip to Durban. Nkosi was a hugely popular sax jive artist who had just been promoted to a producing role by Rupert Bopape, who wanted to increase Mavuthela production. Nkosi immediately invited the group back to the Gallo studios in Johannesburg. A very hesitant Mr. Bopape met Nkosi and Mambazo upon their arrival. Bopape had seen other male vocal choirs such as the King Star Brothers, who were produced by rival talent scout Hamilton Nzimande, fail to catch on much with the public. Had Irene not been in the building that day, Mambazo would not have received a recording contract with Mavuthela. She had heard the group’s solid harmonies on Radio Zulu and, being an excellent composer herself, admired the unique quality of Joseph Shabalala’s songwriting. Irene insisted to Bopape that this was a group well worth recording, and she certainly was not wrong. Mambazo’s debut 1973 album Amabutho, recorded for Mavuthela and produced by West Nkosi, became the first black record in the country to hit gold. By the end of the 1970s, Ladysmith Black Mambazo had become the most popular isicathamiya group in the country’s history. The rest is history!
Bopape and Irene had a natural musical partnership that developed perfectly during the 1970s. He had a unique talent for storytelling and would come up with hundreds of lyrics that were not only relevant to the listening audience but also distinctive – one might say that a Bopape composition was always distinguishable from the hundreds of records put out by each company every week. How Bopape’s songs came together during his time at Mavuthela was very interesting: although he certainly knew how to create the lyrical content of a big-selling record, he wasn’t actually a musician himself. During the week, Bopape would write song lyrics in his office for particular groups. On Friday afternoons, he would make sure every member of the group had a copy of his lyrics – their ‘homework’ over the weekend was to each come up with a melody for the composition. On Monday mornings, a Mavuthela team led by saxophonist Ellison Themba would listen to each one’s melody and select the best one. Lead guitarist and arranger Marks Mankwane would then supervise the song’s construction. It is true that Bopape was a legitimate and clever songwriter, but it is also important to consider that he did take much more credit that he was actually entitled to. Very often during the 1970s, some of Irene’s compositions (especially those written in Sotho language) would give a joint songwriting credit to both Bopape and Irene, even if she had come up with both the lyrics and melody herself.
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| IRENE posing for an album cover, 1983 |
Bopape and Irene’s personal association grew stronger, and it continued to develop to a point where they became romantically involved. Eventually, the two got married. Irene recalls the memory of being the wife of a music executive. At his home in Tzaneen, she was his wife. In the Gallo studio in Johannesburg, she was just another singer. Bopape’s professional conduct was to treat all the girls equally and fairly, no matter who he was personally acquainted with. He maintained a strict and impartial work ethic that ensured no private relationships complicated or distracted from the job in hand.
Many prominent black businessmen partook in the widespread traditional custom of polygamy. Rupert Bopape was one of these. He was romantically involved with several women over the years, many of them singers under his production, and was the father of scores of children from these relationships. When Bopape married Irene in the mid-1970s, he had already been married to Francisca Mngomezulu – the original leader of the Dark City Sisters – for around a decade. Francisca was a melodious singer who had written some of that group’s most popular singles. Bopape and Francisca entered into a romantic relationship during the early 1960s while she was a member of the Sisters. By the time he was building up Mavuthela into a musical powerhouse for Gallo Africa, Bopape had married Francisca and began monitoring her movements closely, even restricting her musical career. He moved her into his home as his wife in Tzaneen permanently, as well as strangely severing her ties with her own family in Alexandra. Bopape would sometimes bring Francisca to Johannesburg to record with his new line-up the Mahotella Queens, but then made sure she went straight back to Tzaneen after the session. It remains unknown as to why Bopape controlled Francisca, but it has since been alleged that he was fearful of the possibility of the beautiful Francisca escaping his grasp. With her movements restricted, Francisca often wrote songs that she would give to Bopape to take to Johannesburg. Irene Mawela moved into Bopape’s Tzaneen home when she married him, living in peace alongside Francisca with whom Irene naturally got on very well. Irene was adamant that her musical activity was not going to be limited now that she was married to Mr. Bopape. He agreed, but only on one condition – she would not tour with any of the Mavuthela groups that she recorded with. Irene obeyed his decision and her career otherwise continued as usual, travelling with Bopape to Johannesburg and returning with him to the Tzaneen home. Bopape decided to keep her very busy as an extremely productive studio artist, having her sing and write songs not only for herself but also for his other artists, including the Mahotella Queens – some of the many songs Irene wrote for the Queens (but did not sing on herself) included “Sithunyiwe Mnumzane”, “Uthando Luyisilima”, “Ntshwarele Ntate”, “Ho Nyalwa”, “Si Shaywa Umoya”, “Majik’eduze” and “Suzie Uyangiphoxa”. Sometimes, Irene and Francisca would write songs together. One of the numbers they co-wrote with Edmund ‘Ntemi’ Piliso was the incomprehensibly catchy soul-fuelled “Sidl’imali Zethu”, recorded by Irene’s own Mgababa Queens.
Irene’s involvement in the Mgababa Queens and Izintombi Zomoya eventually ended: the Mgababa Queens disintegrated after a year or two, while the membership of Izintombi Zomoya was rejigged in 1976. Irene carried on making sweet music as Irene and The Sweet Melodians, as well as Irene and The Zebra Queens. For recordings released under these two names, she was sometimes joined in the studio by other vocalists – including some of the Mahotella Queens, like Thandi Nkosi and Caroline Kapentar – but Irene mostly sang the entire girl group harmonies herself (just as she had done during her time at Teal), recording each vocal part one after the other. Part of the reason for this recording technique was because the other girls were out on tour across the country and surrounding territories. To keep Irene busy, Bopape formed another studio group in 1976 with Irene as the lead singer. With no other girls left in the studio to back her, a team of male singers accompanied her instead. This rather interestingly turned the usual girl group and groaner combination on its head. This new group was named The Zebras and made several hits, one of the best being “Selemo Sekene”. Irene sings happily to the listeners that the cold weather is finally over – summer is here, the season full of green pasture and nourishment.
In 1977, Rupert Bopape suffered a mild heart attack. He made a full recovery but later decided to retire from his role as the executive head of Mavuthela. After more than 25 years as a hugely pivotal figure in the music industry, Bopape took a left turn and concentrated his energies on setting up local businesses in and around Tzaneen. West Nkosi, by now becoming one of the most successful black producers in South Africa, was able to use his professional nous to develop a good rapport with Gallo’s board of directors and this enabled him to take over Bopape’s vacated seat as head of Mavuthela. Although Bopape had resigned from the Gallo organisation and was collecting his pension, music never fully left his system. He still wrote song lyrics from time to time, mostly for Irene but also for the Mavuthela groups produced by Marks Mankwane, such as Abafana Baseqhudeni, the Mahotella Queens and Walter and The Beggers. The latter group was formed when Marks Mankwane recruited soul singer Walter Dlamini to his stable of artists as a rival to the wildly successful Jacob ‘Mpharanyana’ Radebe, produced by West Nkosi. Walter was backed by Mankwane’s recently formed instrumental band The Beggers, as well as a trio of girls – Irene, Thandi Radebe and Emily Zwane. Uniquely, all of Walter and The Beggers’ records were produced in English, and Irene composed a number of the group’s hits including “Disco Jive” and “Waited For So Long”.
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| IRENE in traditional clothing, 1983 |
Unlike most other Mavuthela artists, Irene was not kept under the wing of one single producer. This freedom allowed her to contribute to hundreds of recordings of varying styles and genres under several different black producers employed by Gallo. Irene also continued to simultaneously record Venda versions of the music she produced at Mavuthela for the SABC. In 1978, under the production of West Nkosi, Irene recorded songs for her first full LP which was eponymously released as Irene and The Sweet Melodians. She was joined in the studio by a team of supporting vocalists who regularly provided backing vocals on Nkosi productions: Catherine Dumakude, Helen Mosolodi, Sandra Senne and Joana Thango. The title track of the LP, “Mudavhini”, was Irene’s first Venda song made for a commercial record company since 1972. Alas, it was the only Venda song in this album. In addition, there were some songs performed in Xhosa and also one in English. “You Promise” was a new version of a song Irene had originally recorded with her Troubadour session mates in the early 1960s. The new recording was an up-to-date version complete with swinging soul beat and the trademark Irene Mawela serenade. ‘Never forget that you are still in my dreams… oh, yeah… darling, never ever worry, ‘cause happy days are coming soon, I know…’ croons Irene to her sweetheart.
By the end of the 1970s, Irene Mawela was arguably one of the most familiar and recognisable voices in South Africa thanks to the hundreds of songs that were kept on rotation over the SABC airwaves. Following Irene’s breakthrough as the first mbaqanga artist to produce a selling Venda record, a host of Venda musicians had followed in her footsteps and arrived in Johannesburg to try their luck. Many of the musicians who were recorded were actually performing traditional Venda music instead of the dancing mbaqanga beat that Irene preferred. When Mavuthela auditioned and eventually awarded recording contracts to Venda artists such as Alphus Ramavhela and Eric Mokhese, Irene was able to build up good working relationships and friendships with them. She offered suggestions, influenced the way the sound was developed, acted as a backing singer on their records and also wrote one or two numbers for them. In particular, Eric Mokhese and his group Takalani Band became another fixture on Radio Venda thanks to the support of the first lady of Venda music!
In late 1979, Irene joined the studio line-up of the Mahotella Queens for a series of recordings. She had written many songs for the Queens over the last seven years, but she had never actually recorded with them under that name. Members of the Queens had sometimes backed Irene for recordings made under the familiar Irene and The Sweet Melodians name. Since the late 1960s, around seven or eight ladies had provided the vocals on Mahotella Queens recordings (but only five or six of them would appear on stage and on the front of LPs). During 1979, the Mahotella recording line-up suddenly fell short of a few vocalists and producer Marks Mankwane had to expand the team until he could find more permanent members. Irene was drafted in to write and sing for the group, as well as fellow solo artist Olga Mvicane. These recordings were released across 45 rpm singles and then compiled into the LP Tsamaya Moratuoa, released in early 1980. Two of Irene’s contributions during her brief time recording under the Mahotella Queens name were re-arrangements of Sotho standards: “Re Basadi Kaofela” and “Mpulele”. Although Irene did not sing on the latter track, she recalls the thrill of hearing her arrangement taken to new heights by the musical team in the studio. The track begins with an intense combination of drum kit and bongos. The organ appears, flourishing a warm melody and before long, that classic Mahotella sound fills the ear. The dynamic Walter Dlamini joins the ladies with the now-famous ‘it’s raining outside, raining outside’ lyrics that made the song a hit. Likewise, it was Irene’s lilting ‘dumela… dumela…’ introduction that helped “Re Basadi Kaofela” become a top-seller of its own. Irene’s lead vocals guide the Queens melodiously and effectively – and there is even an amusing spoken monologue recited by member Caroline Kapentar.
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| The front cover of KHANANI YANGA, 1982 |
In late 1982, Irene was given permission to record her first LP completely in Venda language for Mavuthela. Lucky Monama, one of Mavuthela’s public relations officers and also the chief producer of the company’s traditional output, produced the 10-track album – which incidentally was the first material to be credited to ‘Irene Mawela’ rather than a recording name like ‘Irene and The Sweet Melodians’. The album, Khanani Yanga (Motella BL 370), is still Irene’s best-known Venda work. The most successful number from the LP was “Nditsheni Ndi Digede”, often referred to by fans as ‘ndi itwani naa tshisiwana’, which is the first line of the song. In the tune, Irene sings that people should stop being envious of other people’s success – they should enjoy the benefits of their own hard work and efforts. Another wonderful tune from Khanani Yanga is the delightfully upbeat “Ariyeni Muraleni”. In the song, Irene tells all to come with her to her home village of Muraleni to hear a songbird that can lift the spirits of whole nations with her music.
Rupert Bopape’s last main contribution to the music industry in the 1980s was a collection of Northern Sotho lyrics written for the Mahotella Queens in late 1982, which producer Marks Mankwane put melodies to. A number of political obstacles within Mavuthela had made it more and more difficult for Bopape to participate in the industry after his 1977 retirement. With Irene still an active recording artist, Bopape became frustrated and, in 1983, started refusing Irene’s requests to travel from Tzaneen to the Gallo studios in Johannesburg. This was an attempt to effectively end Irene’s singing career in the same way he had put a halt to Francisca Mngomezulu’s musical activities. On one occasion in October 1983, the Bopape home received a visit from Gallo representatives sent by Lucky Monama who had specifically instructed them to bring Irene to Johannesburg to record. Bopape had little choice but to agree, and Irene went to Johannesburg to begin working on some new recordings to be produced by Monama. During the following studio sessions, Irene recorded twelve songs that were simultaneously issued on 45 rpm singles and three EPs (as part of Mavuthela’s popular Super Maxi series). The first EP (Motella SML 5017) contained four Sotho songs: “Hao Nkarabe”, “Haba Mamele”, “Etlo Labohlano” and “Oitshware Hantle”. The second EP (Motella SML 5018) comprised two Zulu songs and two Xhosa songs: “Thenjiwe”, “Jabula Mfana”, “Mbhekeni” and “Baba Siya Cela”. The third EP (Motella SML 5019) featured four Venda songs: “Mme Anga Khotsi Anga”, “Vhubva Khanani”, “Ni Songo Shona” and “Vhana Vhashu”.
Among Irene’s wide Venda listenership, there are two particular songs that are considered her signature tunes. These are: “Nditsheni Ndi Digede” from 1982’s Khanani Yanga, and one of the classics from her 1983 Venda EP – “Mme Anga Khotsi Anga”. The two songs remain the most requested and remembered of her entire career. Irene wrote “Mme Anga Khotsi Anga” as a dedication to her late parents, the mother and father who had given their consent for her to follow her talent and become a musical star. In the song, Irene questions why her beloved parents had to leave her all alone without even witnessing their daughter’s musical success. However, the will of God is something that must be obeyed, she sings, and the strong love will remain no matter what.
Irene singing a few lines of “Mme Anga Khotsi Anga” for us in 2013
One of the songs from the Sotho EP, “Hao Nkarabe”, took Irene to another level of fame. The song is a beautifully written piece, the story of a woman declaring her undying love for her man, from whom she is separated by hundreds of miles. ‘Driven by my love, I wrote a letter to you… but it has gone unanswered… the love that I have for you is more valuable than gold… if I had enough money, I would board an aeroplane immediately in the hope of being with you’. The song, with its nicely sentimental lyrics and creative use of the sound effect of an aeroplane, quickly established itself as a big-selling record.
Shortly after the recording of the October 1983 material, Irene appeared alongside fellow singers Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Lynette Leeuw and Hilda Tloubatla in a local movie titled The Rain Queen, dedicated to the Modjadji (Rain Queen) of Balobedu. During the film, Irene performed her freshly recorded “Hao Nkarabe”. To meet with the then-ruling Queen Mokope Modjadji was a huge personal honour and achievement for Irene, but she was completely humbled when the Queen offered her a R10 note in response to her performance of the song. Following this unexpected honour, members of the public did the same and graciously gifted money to Irene!
The October 1983 sessions were to be Irene’s last recordings of new material for a number of years. In 1984, she became pregnant with her son Rudzani ‘Bellafonte’ Mawela. With Irene Mawela and Rupert Bopape as his parents, it was perhaps inevitable that Rudzani would grow up with a fervent passion for music and an incredible talent for singing. In the same year, Bopape and Irene harmoniously separated. Irene left Tzaneen, returning to her Venda roots and settled in Muraleni. Even though the two had split, Irene cherished the positive aspects of the man who had instilled a great many attributes within her during her formative years in the music industry. The negative aspects of his personality could be rivalled in size by the immense and positive contribution to the careers and personalities of so many countless artists. Bopape was an intelligent and smart man who Irene respected for the way he had taught her to keep proper time, to avoid laziness and to be very serious about the job that she and her fellow vocalists were doing in the recording studio. Irene was more than willing to keep in close contact with the producer who had built her up into a music star, regularly travelling over the years from Muraleni to his Tzaneen home where she spent full days with the former producer and his lengthy family of children and grandchildren.
Irene’s musical career was left dormant for the rest of the 1980s while she fulfilled her duties as a mother. It was perhaps inevitable that she would eventually pick up where she left off. With her children on the road to adulthood, Irene decided to resume her musical career in the early 1990s but was met with a number of hurdles. A markedly changed and increasingly saturated market meant that even her old contemporaries were struggling to convince recording companies to release their music. The only possible exceptions were Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens, although their popularity and success was mostly concentrated overseas, with little recognition from the home crowds. Nonetheless, Irene’s sweet voice and enormous gift for excellent, memorable songwriting ensured that she was the most widely known artist among the Venda-speaking people. The recordings she had made in this language for the SABC and for Mavuthela were still a staple of the musical playlist of Radio Venda (soon to merge with Radio Thohoyandou to become Phalaphala FM). Using this fame, Irene was able to travel to the SABC studios to record some of her first new songs for almost a decade, most of them in Venda.
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| IRENE in front of the Phiphidi Falls, 1990s |
One of Irene’s new compositions of the 1990s was a tribute to the breathtaking majesty of the revered Phiphidi Falls and Guvhukuvhu Pool in Venda. ‘Your fame has been heard from afar countries’, sings Irene in Venda language to the sacred waters, ‘the narrators ran out of words to describe your splendour… those who had merely heard about you were left with their mouths open in awe, and the sense of longing to see you became unbearable. Please show me the way, good people… then I can head over to Venda, lovely people… by word of mouth, I will eventually get to Guvhukuvhu.’
Some of Irene’s other new recordings for the SABC included “Athilaiwi”, “Danny Boy”, “Fhumulani”, “Mutale”, “Ndo Vhuya Venda”, “Thohoyandou”, “Tshigombela”, “Vumani”, “Vurhongo” and “Xikolo”.
Irene singing the introduction of her beautiful “Guvhukuvhu” composition to us in 2013
Although Irene recorded from time to time in the 1990s (as well as performing on SABC television programmes such as Gospel Gold), it was not until 2007 that Irene had the honour of returning to a studio to produce her first commercial recordings since 1983. She decided that it was finally time to record an album after continued requests over the years from fans of her music; although she had recorded many transcriptions for the SABC during the 1990s, they were only played over the radio and not available to purchase from music stores, and the material she had made for record companies was long out of print. Working in conjunction with a talented team of musicians that included Simba Mapfumo (lead guitar), Jabu Sibumbe (bass), Tshepo Monama (drums), Emmanuel Mamphogoro (keyboards), Connie Mhlongo (backing vocals) and her talented children Windy and Bellafonte, Irene produced the superb Tlhokomela Sera. The ten-track album – mostly sung in Venda language – marked Irene’s comeback in a big way, fusing the classic sound of her smooth vocals with the trademark mbaqanga rhythms and a heavy, fresh, modern beat – a surprisingly irresistible and contemporary mixture. “Mme Anga Khotsi Anga” and “Vhana Vhashu” (the latter track renamed to “Morena Re Thuse” in recognition of the first line of the song) were given the 21st century treatment alongside a number of other newly written songs and two modern reinterpretations of traditional hymns. There are two deeply incredible gospel songs – “Kwelo Khaya” and “Loyo Muntu” – that demonstrate Irene’s everlasting vocal versatility even into her 70s. Irene still has the privilege of seeing Tlhokomela Sera selling well as the years go on. The album can be purchased digitally via iTunes, and is also widely available to buy on CD from almost all South African music retailers.
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| Irene's new album AFRICA 5, released in 2012 |
Irene’s friendship with Rupert Bopape continued until his death. His family became closely acquainted with the lovely singer once married to their grandfather, the nice lady who would visit their home to share memories and stories with the old man. During a visit to the family home in early 2012, Bopape presented Irene three recently written Sotho songs: “Kgwerana Mapimpane”, “Tirekere” and “Thitshere”. Irene set to work almost immediately, developing melodies for each of the tunes, as well as re-arranging two memorable numbers that Bopape had written for her groups in the past: “Phakisa”, composed for Irene and The Sweet Melodians in 1975; and “Ha Ibe Kgotso”, composed for the Black Sea Giants around 1960 under the original title “Kae Le Kae”. Along with a number of newly composed songs by Irene, these songs were recorded and released into a new studio album titled Africa 5. The 14-track album featured a brand new version of the tune closest to Irene’s heart, “Ndiala” (retitled on Africa 5 as “Mphenivho Ndile”), as well as a re-recording of one of her truly stunning Venda songs, “Guvhukuvhu”, now rearranged as a tribute to the splendour of the Mapungubwe National Park – and appropriately retitled on the new album as “Mapungubwe”. Irene’s innovative mind continues to explore the wide possibilities of music making, successfully tackling a modern Shangaan beat in “Ta Vinjana” – and there is even a collaboration with Venda rapper Komrade Li in “Litshani Vhutshivha”, which also features the contemporary vocal brilliance of Bellafonte.
Although Bopape was by now long retired and in delicate health, he was able to join Irene in the studio to provide some delightfully poetic spoken word on one of Africa 5’s tracks, a lovely throwback to the Mavuthela days when Bopape used to deliver a mountain of dialogue and chants on hit songs by his artists. “Tirekere” is the story of a woman (Mapula) who struggles to convince her husband (the eponymous Tirekere) to accept his responsibilities as the man of the house. Tirekere is an idle man who forever looks after number one; he feeds himself without thinking about how to feed his wife and children. Irene sings about the fact that Tirekere has entered the house with “maeba a mabedi” (two doves) and intends to eat all the meat himself. ‘If you have two doves’, says Mapula, ‘then you should prepare two bowls of porridge – a bowl of meat and porridge for each of us. We have been married for many years, but still you fail to provide properly for your family. When I prepare food for you, I take my time to prepare it grandly and lovingly. I’ll keep on reminding you about your selfish ways until you act responsibly for your family’. The story of Mapula and Tirekere is told beautifully through the passionate harmonies of Irene and the charismatic chanting of the great storyteller, Rupert Bopape. He passed away on 15 June 2012, aged 86, shortly after the completion of Irene’s Africa 5 album.
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| IRENE with her Tshima Awards honour, 2012 |
The greatest testament to Irene’s remarkable talent is the astonishing number of deserving awards she has received over the years. In 1974, her hit song “Abakhulu” won Best Song at the SARIE Awards, earning a second place certificate; in 1983 she won another second place Best Song award from the SARIEs for her popular composition “Hao Nkarabe”; Irene won the award for the Best Leading Venda Artist (‘Nambi ya Dzinambi’) from the SABC/Radio Venda for three years in a row – 1982, 1983 and 1984; in 2005, Irene was honoured at the Night of the ‘50s ceremony held by the South African government’s Department of Arts and Culture; she was honoured again in 2007 in the next ceremony, the Night of the ‘60s; in 2010, Irene was honoured a third time by the government as part of a tribute to successful and influential female figures within the arts and cultural sector; in the same year, she received a special award from the Calvary Christian Church for her contribution and influence; and in 2012, Irene was honoured with a long-awaited Lifetime Achievement Award in the first awards ceremony dedicated solely to Venda music, the Tshima Awards. (Irene’s acceptance speech at the 2012 Tshima Awards can be viewed here on YouTube.) As can be deciphered from the intricate, graceful and almost poetic wording of her compositions, Irene is truly blessed as a musical artist.
Between approximately 1957 and 1983 – a period in which she was perhaps the most highly creative studio artist of the day – Irene produced or contributed to a figure of songs that is inestimable, but certainly within the hundreds. Under a flurry of different producers, groups and names, Irene produced a veritable library of excellent music. Yet, next to nothing of it has been made available for consumers to purchase, in spite of the fact that Irene’s music is still regularly given generous airtime on Phalaphala FM because of popular demand. One only hopes that the problem is rectified in the near future with the most famous and well known of Irene’s songs given the digital releases they deserve. Until then, Electric Jive has selected the best material from the original vinyl records and now presents them to you for your enjoyment.
My humble thanks must go to Laurent Dalmasso for providing a digital transfer of a 1960s 78 rpm (“Buya Kunzima”); to Siemon for five other 1960s recordings (“Insizwa”, “July Handicap”, “Mamorwesi”, “Our Love So Great”, “Rose”); and to Matt for a song from the Dark City Sisters (“Tap Tap Ntshebe”).
Finally, I would like to give my acknowledgement to a wonderful individual who has graciously and enthusiastically supported me in my wish to document the history through the memories of those who were there at the time. Without the backing of Norton Ramavhoya, whose tireless efforts have already given so much in a short space of time, this post simply would not have happened. Thanks so much for all you have done, Norton.
…and now, please download the compilation below for a true insight into one of South Africa’s most enduring musical legends – Irene Mawela.
IRENE MAWELA – THE ‘UNKNOWN’ LEGEND
COMPILED BY NICK LOTAY
1) NDIALA– THE SWEET SIXTEENS (1972)
2) SELEMO SEKENE– THE ZEBRAS (1976)
3) INSIZWA– THE TELEGRAM SPECIALS (c.1962)
4) ARIYENI MURALENI– IRENE MAWELA (1982)
5) LALA KAHLE– THE SWEET SIXTEENS (1971)
6) ABAKHULU– IRENE AND THE SWEET MELODIANS (1974)
7) MME ANGA KHOTSI ANGA– IRENE MAWELA (1983)
8) BAJIKA BEJIKILE– IRENE AND THE SWEET MELODIANS (c.1976)
9) ANGILALA– MGABABA QUEENS (c.1973)
10) JULY HANDICAP– KILLINGSTONE STARS (c.1957)
11) TAP TAP NTSHEBE– DARK CITY SISTERS (c.1961)
12) MAMORWESI– KILLINGSTONE STARS (c.1961)
13) BUYA KUNZIMA– THE SWEET SIXTEENS (c.1962)
14) OUR LOVE SO GREAT– THE PRETTY DOLLS (c.1962)
15) ROSE– DARK CITY SISTERS (1962)
16) THULA THULA– THE ZEBRAS (1976)
17) MALOME LEBELLA– IRENE AND THE SWEET MELODIANS (c.1976)
18) SIDL’IMALI ZETHU– MGABABA QUEENS (1973)
19) TSHIWANYANA– IZINTOMBI ZOMOYA (1974)
20) MOGADIBO – IZINTOMBI ZOMOYA (1974)
21) UZWILE NA?– MGABABA QUEENS (1972)
22) NTSHWARELE NTATE– MAHOTELLA QUEENS (1975)
23) LOVA NGIYEKELA– IZINTOMBI ZOMOYA (c.1975)
24) RE BASADI KAOFELA– MAHOTELLA QUEENS (1979)
25) EMARABINI – IZINTOMBI ZOMOYA (c.1975)
26) YOU PROMISE– IRENE AND THE SWEET MELODIANS (1978)
27) THABA TSWEU– IRENE AND THE SWEET MELODIANS (1982)
28) MPULELE– MAHOTELLA QUEENS (1979)
29) HAO NKARABE– IRENE MAWELA (1983)
30) OITSHWARE HANTLE– IRENE MAWELA (1983)
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Rock Jive - Volume 2 (1952-1968) plus FXEJ Series
We close this year with a second volume of South African jive tracks loosely themed around the influence of rock n' roll. Volume One was featured here at Electric Jive earlier this month. All tracks are sourced from the Flat International archive and this compilation marks the 14th in the FXEJ series. If you have not had a chance to hear some of the other material in this series check out the comprehensive list with links below.
As with Volume One all tracks here are digitized from 78 rpms except for the beat version of Strike Vilikazi's Meadowlands by The Meteors which comes from a 45. And like those on Volume One, these tracks cannot strictly be categorized as rock but show a range of eclectic global and indigenous influences including swing, ska, kwela and majuba.
Fans of LPs like Taxi Jive and Ice Cream and Suckers will find much joy here. The later half of this compilation includes material that could be termed "sax jive" and documents a transitional period before South African popular music became dominated by the heavier bass sounds of mbaqanga.
Like before, this comp features some real gems including tracks by Kippie Moeketsi and his Hot Rocks as well as the African Symphonics featuring Ntemi and Shadrack Piliso. Also of note is the track Taxi Ride by Danny Boy that comes from a unique vinyl (and not shellac) 78 rpm disc. The label name, Plastik, says it all — a truly transitional artifact!
Happy New Year!
ROCK JIVE - VOLUME 2
(Flat International / Electric Jive, FXEJ 14)
01) Philemon Mogkhosi - Sasihlezi Nentombi Yami (c1952, Bantu Batho, BB 100)
02) The Meteors with Archie Coker - Meadowlands (c1962, Rave, R 209)
03) Roland Mqwebu - Emakete (c1960, Winner, OK 018)
04) African Symphonics - Zulu Roll (1957, Troubadour, AFC 491)
05) Roland Mqwebu - Bayakhala Emakhaya (c1960, Winner, OK 018)
06) Betty Khoza and her Sisters - Yebo (c1965, Winner, OK 211)
07) SDV Swing Band - Braai Vleis (c1966, Winner, OK 267)
08) Sparletta Rockers - Sparletta Rock (1962, Big Beat, BT 405)
09) Billie the Kid and his Zombies - Zombie Phatha Phatha (1959, Zonk, TV 134)
10) Third Avenue Cellars - Niza-Niza (1960, Big Beat, BT 296)
11) Third Avenue Cellars - Ka Marao (1960, Big Beat, BT 296)
12) Danny Boy - Taxi Ride (c1968, Plastik, PL 27)
13) Jimmy Masuluke - Mamabolo (FM, FM X116)
14) Prince Paul Morgan - Thatha (c1967, Modden Jive, MOD 54)
15) Prince Paul Morgan - Thu Thu Ka Paul (c1967, Modden Jive, MOD 54)
16) King Marshall - Mojo Dance No. 5 (c1967, Hit, HIT 363)
17) Soweto Stokvel Septette - Soweto Ska (1966, Stokvel, ST 002)
18) Samuel Levuno - Stock Sweets and Ice Mints (1968, Stokvel, ST 050)
19) Billie the Kid - New Year Kwela (c1960, Winner, OK 105)
20) Kippie Moeketsi and his Hot Rocks - Stick Up Rock (1957, Troubadour, AFC 472)
21) Sore feet Boys - Ugweva (1962, Hit, HIT 226)
22) Swingather's Band - Peter's Sister (c1956, Bantu Batho, BB 1026)
23) Simon Hlatshwayo Crazy Crackers - Pingo Ke Ngoana (c1956, Philips, SB 52)
THE FXEJ SERIES
(Compiled by Flat International for Electric Jive)
(1958-1998) — FXEJ 1
Over her prolific career, from 1954 up to her death in 2008, Makeba issued no less than 29 individual albums along with countless 78s, 45s and EPs, pressed in at least 33 countries. In addition, over 28 compilations of her works have been and continue to be issued on compact disc. For the most part this compilation featured tracks that either had never been reissued on CD or if they were, were seldom, if at all, included on her “best of” compilations. I was surprised to see the number of significant hits and gems remaining un-reissued.
Volume 1 (1927-1952) — FXEJ 2
Volume 2 (1954-1964) — FXEJ 3
Almost every text on maskanda usually opens with a mention of this scene: a seemingly lonely figure walking the streets of Durban, decorated guitar in hand, strumming away and singing to himself. The ambulating musician and the cyclical, repetitive structure of the music almost suggests a journey or even a kind of nomadic life. Maskanda is often described as a Zulu neo-traditional style of music and is most famously linked to the guitar, though not exclusively. This compilation traces the early beginnings of this music.
Volume 1: Swing to Majuba (1953 – 1956) — FXEJ 4
Volume 2: Majuba to Sax Jive (1957-1961) — FXEJ 5
Volume 3: Sax Jive to Mbaqanga (1962 – 1967) — FXEJ 6
As this compilation grew, I realized that it was becoming something closer to a survey of a golden age of South African Jazz and it revealed how that music was transformed, over a decade, into something else that was distinctly more African. I suppose the subtitle of the post could have been how American swing became mbaqanga. Majuba, msakazo, or what is more commonly referred to as African Jazz is a quintessentially South African sound. Originally it was a big band sound that took American swing and indigenised it with elements of marabi. From its hey-day in the 1950s it was created by and produced some of the key figures of South African Jazz. Volume 2 and 3 cans be viewed here.
Volume 1 — FXEJ 7
Volume 2 — FXEJ 8
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This compilation features a cross-section of mostly South African music in exile. For purposes of definition, "exile music" here covers a thirty year period from 1959 to 1990, during the heart of the apartheid years. This survey is by no means comprehensive, nor is it representative of all South African exile artists or even their ‘best’ work. Rather it is a collection of some of my favorite, more personal tunes. Tunes that for me capture some of the darker but also more ecstatic moments of exile.
(1956-1960) — FXEJ 9
Mabel Mafuya in the mid to late 1950s was one of South Africa’s top-selling jive vocalists. At Troubadour, she was only second to Dorothy Masuka. Remarkably very little material by this legendary artist has been available. In many ways the collection of 26 songs captures Mafuya at the peak of her singing career and is a unique and valuable window into a dynamic social period.
Volume 1 — FXEJ 10
Volume 2 — FXEJ 11
A compilation of South African disco-soul-jive material from the mid to late 1970s through the early 1980s. This mix developed quite serendipitously — I had been putting it together for the better part of a year by adding interesting tracks to a folder as they turned up. Let me just say, invest in some serious shoes before your listen to these two volumes!
(1955-1959) — FXEJ 12
A follow up to Tracks Less Travelled with more, equally rare, sounds by Miriam Makeba on 78 rpm. The tracks on this compilation all come from the period before Makeba left South Africa in August 1959 and in many ways trace the growth of her early career — first as an individual (after many recordings with the Manhattan Brothers) and then with the all-female, close-harmony groups: the Sunbeams and the Skylarks. To my knowledge, none of the material here (save for one track) has been reissued in any subsequent format.
Volume 1 (1952-1968) — FXEJ 13
Volume 2 (1952-1968) — FXEJ 14
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. These compilation loosely document the impact of rock music on various South African styles.↧
More Shangaan Electro Roots - Samson Mthombeni's 1977 Debut
A big thank you to Donald Swanepoel who recently found this 1977 album featuring Samson Mthombeni and the Gazankulu Sisters. Some tracks by this artist were featured on what we though was one of the first examples of the early Shangaan style (see this post).
The tempo is slower and the recording shows some similarities with other recordings stimulated in part by Apartheid radio programming policy (i.e. only Zulu music on Radio Zulu etc). There were nine language specific stations to support this policy of ethnic identity when the key political challenge to Apartheid was an urban cosmopolitan population made up of different ancestries and home languages. By example Babsy Mlangeni issued the same album in three different languages. Crazy times!
So without further ado, and thanks again to Donald here is another fine LP for your enjoyment.
Samson Mthombeni and Gazankulu Sisters (1977, Fast Move)1. Ninyikeni Dzovo
2. Mingani Rivati
3. Vamabalani
4. Sophie
5. Yimani Nihibyela
6. Ndambi
7. Vatatenga
8. Mingatekeli Kuphumela
9. Vanitekele Shibelani
10. Vakhoma Njani
11. Anna Mabidi
12. Mhani Monyisa
ENJOY via RS/ZS
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En Direct du Congo (RIP Patrice Lumumba)
Various Artists: En Direct Du Congo (Pathe Marconi, 1967)
1. Katherine: Franco & TPOK Jazz
2. Mi Amore: Franco & TPOK Jazz3. Gouvernement ya Katanga Orient: Franco & TPOK Jazz4. Mantale: Franco & TPOK Jazz5. Nzambe: Franco & TPOK Jazz6. Bandoki Kabasaka Ye Neraka: Franco & TPOK Jazz7. Mojado Parati: Orchestra Bantous8. Tobomguisa Avenir: Orchestra Cercul Jazz9. Wa Baka Ku Luonandi: Orchestra Negro Band10. Ata Ndele Na Ko Dounda: Orchestra Cercul Jazz11. Lisuma Nini Na Ngai: Orchestra Negro Band12. Bo Ndumba Ya Brazza: Orchestra Cercul Jazz
Enjoy
RS / ZS
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Blue Notes at Wits (1963) - John Blacking recording
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Booklet promoting their last South African Tour before going into exile in 1964. From left to right Dudu Pukwana, Monty Weber, Chris McGregor, Mongezi Feza. courtesy of Tony McGregor |
Recorded by Professor John Blacking at the University of Witwatersrand in Johanesburg on 22nd March 1963, it features Chris McGregor (Piano), Elijah Nkwanyana (Trumpet), Dudu Pukwana (saxophone), Martin Mgijima (Double Bass), and it is believed to possibly be Nelson Magwaza on drums. It is not known who features on the baritone saxophone, but it may well be Christopher Columbus (Mbra) Ngcukana – as he did play with the band during 1963.
This gig comes near the beginning of a year of extensive change and touring for the Blue Notes in South Africa, winning the best band prize at that year’s Castle Lager Jazz Festival. The Blue Notes also played the Wits Great Hall on 29th April as part of a poetry and jazz evening with Dennis Mpale replacing Elijah Nkwanyane on trumpet, and Early Mabuza on drums. The poetry was read by Zakes Mokae. They went on to do a similar poetry and jazz gig in Cape Town on 18th May, and will have driven south-north right across the country to play the University of Turfloop Graduation ball on 26th May.
Further detail to this background information can be found on Mike Fowler’s great Blue Notes archive site here.
When I asked Ian how he came to be in possession of this recording, he said he was friends with architect Julian Beinart who moved to Cape Town from Wits in 1965. Julian Beinart had intersected with John Blacking at Wits University, an English anthropologist and ethnomusicologist who originally came to South Africa under the employ of Hugh Tracey at the International Library of African Music (ILAM). Blacking gave Beinart a copy of the recording, and Beinart gave Ian a copy. You can read more of Blacking and his studies of Venda music and culture here and here.Like Ian, Julian Beinart was a jazz aficionado. His CV says he produced two African Jazz Albums - I have written him a mail asking for more information. Beinart’s distinguished career took him to
international academic and design heights at MIT. Besides being responsible for designing some important buildings in the USA, Beinart was also responsible for the Pepper Pots in Vredehoek, Cape Town.
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| Disa Park, Vredehoek. |
Judging by the number of inquiries I have been receiving – especially from those of you who have purchased the book - there are quite a few Electric Jive visitors who are keen to know when the full Ian Huntley archive will become public. I am sorry to say that a bereavement in my family at the beginning of this year means it is going to take a month or so longer than I had originally anticipated. Please do be patient – I have Rose Lombard helping me out, and we are getting somewhere – but we are not there yet.
Today’s special recording comes in at around fifty minutes. Any help with identifying the opening track will be much appreciated.
Rapidshare here1. Unidentified (11:07)
2. Vortex Special (6:56)
3. Boogie Stop Shuffle (4:20)
4. Kippie (4:33)
5. The Baptist (6:38)
6. Ukuphuma Kwetanga (2:52)
7. Jongaphu (4:48)
8. Cherokee (6:40)
Mediafire here
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Reggie Msomi SABC Transcription circa 1963
Reggie Msomi, the legendary composer, arranger, producer, guitarist, saxophonist and more, was, in my opinion, one among a handful of South Africans who have contributed in such a high quality, prolific, diverse and boundary-stretching manner to this country's musics over a sustained period of time.
Just browse through Electric Jive's archives (use the search bar on the right-hand column) and you will find his contributions stretching over twenty years: as composer and band-member of the Tophitters in a 1957 kwela-jive, then as a key member of the ND Hotshots in 1960 on the wave of inventing mbaqanga along with a big-band swing infusion - all the way via twist, ska, and mbaqanga through to his 1976 hit albums "Soweto Grooving" and "Swing Africa." If you have not heard these, do yourself a favour and search 'Reggie Msomi' in the side-bar - the links are still live.
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| Reggie Msomi (1962) From an album featured on Flatinternational here |
Today's rarity is an SABC transcription of "Reggie Msomi and His Hollywood Band", we believe to be from 1963. By this time Reggie Msomi had recruited Joseph Makwela (bass) and West Nkosi (saxophone) to the Hollywood Band - after he heard them repeatedly busking outside the doors of Gallo. Lucky Monama (rhythm guitar) was already at Gallo and part of the Hollywood Band. Makwela, Monama and Nkosi would go on to later form the core of the Makona Tsohle Band.
This transcription features six great Msomi tunes from by a very polished band. I tried all I could to remove the slight interference that accompanies the beginning of most of these tracks. They are brief - the music endures.
View more of Msomi’s albums at flatinternational.
You can also find a few more references to early Reggie Msomi on the South African Music Archive Project (SAMAP) site here.
Reggie Msomi and His Hollywood Band - SABC Transcription (LT5222)
All compositions by Msomi.
1. Highway Blues
2. No Pay No Play
3. S.W.A.
4. 7th Floor Blues
5. Black Cat
6. Go Man Go
Mediafire here
Rapidshare here
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Maroon Commandos: Usiniambie Unaenda (1981)
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| Bagamoyo sunrise. Commuters on their way to Zanzibar |
In Bagamoyo I heard new fusions from young artists, plucking the Taarab “banjo/type-writer” 72-string flat zither into Cuban Rhumba territory. The sensational contortions of young Ethiopian circus performers, in time to live Ethio-jazz, convinced me that they had absolutely no spines. The enthusiasm, music and energy of all the performers convinced me that Africa’s artistic futures are in good hands.
Drinking in beautiful sunrises ahead of a day’s work I found time to digest the rush of exhilarating experiences. The drive back south to Dar Es Salaam was accompanied by a mellow soundtrack of Habel Kifoto’s Maroon Commandos oozing through the taxi-driver’s sound-system.
I had the good fortune of watching another combined performance of these amazing artists at the Sarakasi Dome in Nairobi a little later last year. If you are in Nairobi, do yourself a favour and go and see a performance hosted by the amazing Sarakasi Trust.
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| Bagamoyo sunrise |
The sleeve notes have the following to say:
“The group was formed in 1970 but only became popular in 1975 mainly because the material they performed was copied from the then popular bands in Kinshasa, Zaire. The Maroon Commandos later decided to compose and record a few singles; but these failed to take off because they were not well rehearsed, and fans were then of the opinion that the Group performed copyright material better than their own compositions.
“The group, however, did not give up, and worked hard at improving their compositions – in fact, the “Maroons” of the eighties are a totally different story in that they have gone far to establish that they are a “force to reckon with” music-wise.
“The Maroon Commandos signed on with CBS Records (Kenya) Ltd in June 1980, and recorded two singles, both of which sold fairly well. Their first recording in CBS Records
“Kenya Studios, “Usiniambie Unaenda” turned out to be a nation-wide hit in Kenya. Since its release in April 1981 it has dominated top positions in local charts and it still there in December 1981. The other single, “Bi Sophia NO 1” has also ben a hit, though not as massive as the former.
Their new album “Usiniambie Unaenda” includes both the above hits, as well as two new ones. All four songs have been composed by David Kibe and Laban Ochuka. Listen to the album once and you will only be able to say the group is HEAVY!!!.”Habel Kifoto: Group Leader; Lead Guitar; Keyboards; Vocals
David Kibe: Deputy Leader; Vocals, Tenor and Alto SaxLaban Ochuka: Bass; Vocals
Albert Orguro: Rhythm Guitar
Joshua Ogoma: Trumpet
Tom Mutuku: Drums
Paul Mwandembo; Idi Mathias: Vocals
Hamishi Shabani: Tumba
1. Usiniambie Unaenda – Part 1 & Part 2
2. Bi Sophia NO 1 – Part 1 & Part 23. Bi Sophia No 2 – Part 1 & Part 2
4. Safari Ni Ndefu – Part 1 & Part 2
Rapidshare here
Mediafire here
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Sax Jive Special
It dawned on me a few days ago… why not devote an Electric Jive post to the groovy instrumental sounds that made black South African partygoers shake their hips on the dance floor in the 1960s? And so, here we are. Sax Jive Special throws you 20 classic mbaqanga instrumentals – all of which have to be played at full volume and must be accompanied by the listener jiving around the living room until they drop.
Yes indeed, sax jive was the dance music of choice in South Africa at precisely the same time that Beatlemania swept the international world. Nonetheless, this compilation begins with a rather subdued number performed by Abafana Bezi Mpalampala, led here by alto saxophonist Thomas Motshwane. “4 By 4” (possibly a nod towards West Nkosi’s earlier hit “2 By 2”) focuses mostly on gentle rhythms and musical harmony. Amabhungu Emvelo’s “Woza Nazo Vala” changes the cordial mood by a long way and takes us well and truly into a mad frenzy of guitar-sax-drum interplay. Hazekiel Mazibuko certainly knows his way around a saxophone. It’s hard not to feel stimulated by this track!
Abafana Bezi Mpalampala returns for one more song that stirs in a spoonful of soul magic. “Blackstick Soul” proves its hipness with a trendy, modern keyboard solo when the saxophonist puts down his horn in the middle of the tune. It’s certainly a groovy song. Before one has the chance to get carried away with all this soul stuff, in step the Makgona Tsohle Band to tell us how true, grassroots studio jive is performed. Vivian Ngubane’s genius rhythm guitar introduces “Mafeking Platform 12” calmly, and Marks Mankwane – without missing a trick – gets right down to business by scratching out that trademark fast-paced lead guitar sound. We step a couple of years ahead to hear an emphatic, driving rhythm created by the peculiarly named artist Bhengu & Bhengu. What we do know is that the brilliant Sipho ‘Sammyboy’ Bhengu is on alto sax here, with Nunu Luphoko on rhythm guitar. Then, we step another couple of years backwards to hear a classic sax jive from the master, West Nkosi, backed as usual by the brilliant Makgona Tsohle Band. Although West is on top form here, the standout musician has to be Joseph Makwela who just plucks that electric bass like there’s no tomorrow.
West Nkosi was a sax jive star – but then again, so was Selby ‘Bra Sello’ Mmutung. “12-0-12” was a huge hit for Bra Sello in 1967, so much so that Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje did a vocal jive cover of it entitled “Ingwe Idla Ngamabala”. Bra Sello created a long stream of funky, soul-infused sax jive for a number of years before retreating to the more comfortable and familiar traditional formula in the mid-1970s. It was nothing spectacular, but you just find yourself getting lost in the frenetic melody of tunes like “Mancintshana”. There were other saxophone stars too, such as Teaspoon Ndelu. His “Miss Durban” is a hell of a tune. Noise Khanyile, that legendary studio violinist, bulks up the instrumental team that jives undeterred as Teaspoon hits the highest registers of his alto sax.
Sax jive was perhaps at its most fertile during the late 1960s – and in recognition of this, we again recoil and return to the earlier time period after a number of 1970s instrumentals. Amabhungu Emvelo steps back into the limelight to play another hit of the day, “Impalampala Outside”. But it’s down to Abafana Bentuthuko to close the show – and a fine job of it they certainly do, playing their mid-tempo “Tycoons No. 2”.
Many thanks to Chris for allowing me the use of “Matamato Jive Matamato” – and also thanks to regular EJ reader Manzo Khulu for sharing with us his out-of-print copy of Bra Sello and Abafana Bentuthuko’s greatest hits.
Now download, play at full blast and do your thing, man!
Now download, play at full blast and do your thing, man!
SAX JIVE SPECIAL
COMPILED BY NICK LOTAY
01) 4 BY 4– ABAFANA BEZI MPALAMPALA (1969)
02) VIKA WETHU– ABAFANA BE MVUNGE (1968)
03) WOZA NAZO VALA– AMABHUNGU EMVELO (1967)
04) VALA NZIMANDE– ABAFANA BENTUTHUKO (1967)
05) BLACKSTICK SOUL– ABAFANA BEZI MPALAMPALA (1971)
06) MAFEKING PLATFORM 12– LUCKY MONAMA AND HIS PARTNERS (1967)
07) PRETORIA TYCOONS– FESTUS THE GREAT (1967)
08) MA UJIKA– BHENGU & BHENGU (1972)
09) MATAMATO JIVE MATAMATO– JOSEPH MAKWELA AND HIS COMRADES (1967)
10) 12-0-12– BRA SELLO (1967)
11) KHANYISA MARKS– MARKS MANKWANE AND HIS SHALUZA BOYS (1973)
12) RED STOEP– ROGER AND HIS BIG SOUNDS (1972)
13) VIA FARADAY– FASTOS THE GREAT (1977)
14) MISS DURBAN– TEASPOON NDELU AND HIS “T” BOYS (1973)
15) JIVE MABONE JIVE– SHADRACK PILISO (c.1973)
16) MOPIE SPECIAL– UMKHIZE OMCANE (1967)
17) MANCINTSHANA– MATHWALIMBUZI (1976)
18) MAGIRIGIRI– WEST NKOSI & HIS ALTO SAX (1969)
19) IMPALAMPALA OUTSIDE– AMABHUNGU EMVELO (1967)
20) TYCOONS NO. 2– ABAFANA BENTUTHUKO (1967)
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Zulu Music and Songs (c1951)
It is interesting that of all the styles of South African music being recorded at this time that this first international endeavor would focus exclusively on “Zulu” music. I can only speculate over the marketing reasons behind that decision but it may have something to do with how non-white South Africans were presented and imaged in the UK and US — a complex history that can be traced back to Anglo-Zulu Wars and even earlier.
Certainly events concurrent with the LP’s release must have played a role in how potential international consumers viewed black South Africans. For example the Royal African Society in London hosted a Silver Jubilee Garden Party on June 26th, 1951, that featured traditional Zulu clothing and dancing: “The costumes were found by the well-known organizer of Zulu dance teams at Lever Brothers’ factory in Durban, Mr. T. Topham, and dispatched by airfreight to London. The display of Zulu Dancing was a great success and photographs of the performers appeared in the leading illustrated journals.” (African Music Society Newsletter, Vol. 1 No. 5, 1952) The practice of Zulu ethnological exhibition was not new but rather had a long history stretching all the way back to 1853 when A.T. Caldecott took twelve Zulu men and a single woman to London “for the purposes of exhibiting them to the English public.” (Bernth Lindfors)
Nevertheless, regardless of these speculations over the potential motivations behind the issuance of this record, the music compiled here is truly fascinating and rich — featuring a range of styles from mbube or proto-iscathamiya vocalisations, to vaudeville and early roots of maskanda.
The first two tracks are credited to the Evening Birds but after some investigation, it does seem likely that these were performed by two different groups. Veit Erlmann’s discography on isicathamiya in his excellent book Nightsong lists the original 78 rpm recording of the first track Intombi Netfuzwa as being made in 1937 by the Evening Birds with Alson Mkhize "Bomvu" (as leader), Alphas Mkhize, Edwin Mkhize, Josiah Mkhize and Msibi (all on vocals) with unknown musicians on concertina, banjo and guitar. Interestingly, Erlmann has the original title of the song as Intombi Nezintsizwa and his account of the social implications of the track are quite detailed and worth the read.
You will have no doubt when you hear the second track, Makasane, also credited to the Evening Birds, that this is actually Solomon Linda’s Original Evening Birds. Linda remains uncredited on the LP but Erlmann’s discography points to the original 78 rpm which was issued as Linda’s Original Evening Birds — the same group that recorded the classic Mbube in 1939. Makasane is an earlier track from 1938 with Solomon Linda (as leader), Gilbert Madondo, Gideon Mkhize, Samuel Mlangeni, Boy Sibiya and Owen Sikhakhane (all on vocals); and unknown musicians on concertina, banjo and piano. Though I can’t exactly make out the piano…
Solata Nje, was probably recorded in 1937 by the Royal Amanzimtoti Entertainers lead by William Mseleku. In his book African Stars Erlmann writes that Mseleku was “one of Durban’s younger black entertainers during the late 1930s and perhaps one of [Reuben] Caluza’s most promising disciples. A Marianhill graduate and Amanzimtoti teacher, Mseleku had been experimenting with traditional dance and music genres tied together in a coherent stage presentation from at least 1932. […] In 1932 Mseleku formed a group of musicians and actors variously as the Amanzimtoti Players, Amanzimtoti Zulu Choir, or Mseleku’s Party. The troupe recorded almost thirty records for HMV and consisted of Mseleku’s siblings Mavis and Alfred, his wife Elvira and the students Victor Khumalo, Siberia Chamane, Raymond Dladla, Alzenia Sishi, and Lulu Msome. In 1935 the group was renamed the Amanzimtoti Royal Entertainers and recorded further recordings for Gallo.” (Veit Erlmann)
The remaining tracks on the compilation include Wille Gumede’s Concertina band and an amazing proto-maskanda guitar piece New Look Thanagan by Herman Magwaza and Caleb Chamane. This has to be one of my all time favorite tracks and is the third time I have included it on an EJ post. Check out the earlier posts Maskanda Roots and Herman Magwaza.
The original 78 rpm of Magwaza’s recording shows that it was made by Hugh Tracey’s African Music Research unit and there is a good chance that Tracey may have played a role in getting the Zulu Music and Songs LP issued by Decca and London. His own early 10” ILAM series “Music of Africa” would follow shortly on the very same labels in 1954 (LF 1084 - LF 1255).
Decca, LF 1054 (UK)
London, LPB 431 (USA)
matrix DRL 881/882
(c1951)
01 Evening Birds with Orchestra
Intombi Netfuzwa (1937)
(originally issued as Intombi Nezintsizwa on Singer 78 rpm, Singer, GE 144, matrix 1183)
02 Evening Birds with Orchestra (AKA Solomon Linda’s Original Evening Birds)
Makasane (1938)
(originally issued as Linda’s Original Evening Birds on Singer 78 rpm, GE 800, matrix 1428)
03 The Dundee Wandering Singers (AKA Zulu Champions)
Noma Kumnyama (c1941)
(originally issued on Singer 78 rpm, GE 883, matrix 1741)
Intombi Netfuzwa (1937)
(originally issued as Intombi Nezintsizwa on Singer 78 rpm, Singer, GE 144, matrix 1183)
02 Evening Birds with Orchestra (AKA Solomon Linda’s Original Evening Birds)
Makasane (1938)
(originally issued as Linda’s Original Evening Birds on Singer 78 rpm, GE 800, matrix 1428)
03 The Dundee Wandering Singers (AKA Zulu Champions)
Noma Kumnyama (c1941)
(originally issued on Singer 78 rpm, GE 883, matrix 1741)
04 Zulu Champions (AKA Dundee Wandering Singers)
Zindunduma (c1942)
(originally issued on Singer 78 rpm, GE 946, matrix 2168)
05 The Royal Amanzimtoti Entertainers
Zindunduma (c1942)
(originally issued on Singer 78 rpm, GE 946, matrix 2168)
05 The Royal Amanzimtoti Entertainers
Solata Nje (c1937)
(probably issued on Singer 78 rpm, GE 135 or GE 136)
06 Herman Magwaza & Caleb Chamane
New Look Thanagan (c1949)
(originally issued on Gallotone 78 rpm, GE 1031, ABC 3232, African Music Research)
07 Gumede’s Concertina Band
Ulala Kanjani (c1942)
(originally issued on Gallotone Singer 78 rpm, GE 1000, matrix 2120)
08 Gumede’s Concertina Band
Madala (c1942)
(originally issued as Gumede’s Swing Band on Gallotone Singer 78 rpm, GE 942)
(probably issued on Singer 78 rpm, GE 135 or GE 136)
06 Herman Magwaza & Caleb Chamane
New Look Thanagan (c1949)
(originally issued on Gallotone 78 rpm, GE 1031, ABC 3232, African Music Research)
07 Gumede’s Concertina Band
Ulala Kanjani (c1942)
(originally issued on Gallotone Singer 78 rpm, GE 1000, matrix 2120)
08 Gumede’s Concertina Band
Madala (c1942)
(originally issued as Gumede’s Swing Band on Gallotone Singer 78 rpm, GE 942)
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Sophie Thapedi and Lulama Legola (1975)
1975
Soul Soul
SSL 0107
RS
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Rock Party with the Vikings at the Club Pepsi (1959) b/w Rock 'n Roll (c1962)
The album Rock Party at the Club Pepsi from 1959 is acknowledged to be the first LP by a South African rock and roll group The Vikings (an earlier 10" LP Flying High by Cherry Wainer and Nico Claasens is the first rock and roll album by South African musicians). Whilst at electricjive we have earlier featured rock and roll infused jive, mbaqanga and twist (see The Bogart Brothers , Rock Jive 1, Rock Jive 2 or the earlier compilation African Twist from the old matsuli site) this album represents what white teenagers were listening to in the late fifties and early sixties. Perhaps no surprise that the tunes are mostly a local interpretation of what was happening in the USA and Europe with few nods to local influences. Except perhaps to kwela in the tracks Send Thomas Kwela and Kwaai ("Cool") Kris Kwela.
And some interesting details about the band - the bassist with the Vikings is none other than Harry Miller, who later played with Manfred Mann. Harry left South Africa for England to take up contract work playing on cruise ships on the Liverpool-New York passage and then got the jazz bug having heard Coltrane, Taylor and Monk for the first time in NYC. Back in the UK he worked with Mike Westbrook, Mike Osborne and John Surman and by the time the Blue Notes arrived in the UK he was fully established. With his wife Hazel, Harry started the still operating Ogun record label. Chris McGregor chose him for his band The Brotherhood of Breath and he also played with numerous other European free jazz musicians. The vocalist with the Vikings is Al Bentley, at one time named South Africa's rock king who went on to play with The Silhouettes and the Hi-Riders before moving to Perth Australia in the mid-sixties (on a personal note I discovered that Al Bentley was my mothers' cousin about ten years ago). The pianist is Paul Ditchfield who has had a long career in the music industry in South Africa.
Rock Party at the Club Pepsi with the Vikings (RCA 31 323, 1959)
1. Intro-Rock around the Clock- Royal Garden Blues
2. Blue Paul
3. Send Thomas Kwela
4. Now is the Time
5. Lonesome Road
6. Intermission Riff
7. Vivacation
8. Kwaai Kris Kwela
9. Jenny Dog
10. Caravan
11. Kansas City
12. Jumping with Symphony Sid
The second album is undated but appears to have been released around 1962 and features six rock and roll groups popular at the time.
Rock 'n Roll (Renown NLP196, c1962)
1. Guitar Boogie - The Silhouettes
2. Bouncing Halos - The Blue Angels
3. Send Me Some Loving - Al Bentley and the Silhouettes
4. Birks Works - The Cavaliers
5. Baby You Said No - The 5 Teens with Brian Stein
6. Boiler Shop - The Rousers
7. Asteroid - The Silhouettes
8. Rocking Angels - The Blue Angels
9. Money Money - The Rousers with Tony Blight
10. You Break Me Up - The Big Horns
11. Bull Fight - The Cavaliers
12. When the Saints Go Marching In - The Big Horns
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EJ's Awesome Tapes: Senyaka's Ma-Gents (1993)
Given the recent official release of Penny Penny's Shaka Bundu by Awesome Tapes from Africa I couldn't resist posting this tape by Senyaka. The title tune was a massive hit for Senyaka and could be heard all over the airwaves, taxi's and shebeens back in 1993.
Senyaka's 1986 track African Rap was a forerunner of the then nascent genre Kwaito. Sometimes the ideas were better than the execution, however with this release he sealed his position in kwaito folklore with Ma-Gents, a massive "diss" tune - aimed at Brenda Fassie and her drug habit. You can hear Brenda's partial response on this youtube clip
Senyaka went to to collaborate with a number of kwaito artists including Kamazu whose track Korobela also struck big. As the Hunger Boyz, Senyaka and Kamazu had a further hit with the controversial but topical Fong Kong - a commentary on cheap Chinese goods being dumped into the South African market. Fong Kong has now entered the South African lexicon to mean anything fake.
Senyaka - Ma-Gents (BMG L4 BSP Cassette, 1993)
1. Ma-Gents
2. Bayanyoyoba
3. Kumakhaza
4. Groove
5. Bhek'indaba Zakho
6. Mercy
7. Dali'wami
8. Ma-Gents Dub Mix
ENJOY: RS / MF
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National Jazz Festival (1976)
South Africa's illustrious jazz history is sadly made more precious because there is much that should have been recorded and documented that exists only in the memories of transitioning generations. Those recordings that do exist become even more precious and important because there was so much more that was worthy of preserving.
While many stellar performances were offered in public places those smaller audiences were no match for the sometimes unruly crowds that were called to the occasional 'super-gig' at stadiums and amphitheatres. Despite the checquered past of competitive jazz festivals, combined with the management challenges and cost risks, these festivals did continue to occur during the seventies, especially in Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The recording shared today was made at the Jabulani Amphitheatre in Soweto by David Marks, Nino Rivera and Toma Simons. The six bands featured include: The Jazz Ministers, The Soul Jazz Men, Drive (with all three Sithole Brothers), The Jazz Resurrection, The Shange Brothers, and the Jazz Clan.
The production was undertaken for sponsors, the South African Wool Board and Michelangelo (a company that made wool clothing, including mens' suits). The album was released by WEA Records on the Atlantic Label (ATC8001).
An additional fascination for me is that a number of the artists featured here, were recorded and photographed by Ian Bruce Huntley some years before, such as Psych Big T Ntsele (of the Soul Jazz Men), Henry Sithole (The Drive), Nelson Magwaza (drums) and Sandile Shange (Shange Brothers). The Ian Bruce Huntley will soon become fully available via Electric Jive - watch this space.Today's recording features six bands competing in front of an enthusiastic audience, bringing some powerful Xhosa rhythym fusions in Nolali, but also hinting at the early influence of disco and soul via other bands.
This is what Elliot Makhaya, Jazz Critic for The World and Weekend World, had to say:
"The Michelangelo National Jazz Festival was not just another festival. It was the gathering of jazz kings from many parts of the coutnry. They came on that bright and sunny afternoon and seconds after taking the stage they blew our minds - with good jazz vibes. It was a whacking time those jazz ravers had. The bands needed some amount of exporsure and got it - thanks to the Michelangelo and Woolmark.
From the Cape cam the Soul Jazzmen. They gave us a beautiful treat of jazz spiced with Xhosa rhythm. They were powerful and snatched the first prize. From the coast came the Jazz Resurrection and the Shange Brothers. the Drive, Jazz Ministers and the Jazz Clan were among the finalists.Late in the afternoon a cool breeze blew across the Jabulani Amphitheatre where it was all happening. The musicians, as if inspired by the breeze, rendered really breezu stuff. They exploded to life. They were vibrant, tasty and joyful.
The Michelangelo National Jazz Festival proved that South African jazzophites can be brought together for a mammoth jazz occasion. The festival itself has gone down in the annals of our jazz history. Those who were around will readily agree. To those that could not make it, and missed out on seeing the musicians in action, this album is a showcase of what happened there that bright afternoon. The mood is captured in the album. The music is vibrant and you have got it all on one LP - A FESTIVAL WE ALL LOVED!
The winners, the Soul Jazzmen, romped home because of their outstanding originality. they mixed Western influences with Xhosa rhythm. The Jazz Ministers can close with their stunning jazz ditties. To tell you more about that beautiful afternoon would be tantamount to robbing you of the gem that is about to explode - so go right ahead and play this album at top volume!"
Elliot Makhaya
(The World and Weekend World Jazz Critic).
The Soul Jazz Men (Port Elizabeth)
Psych Big T Ntsele - Bass/leader
Victor Miza - Trumpet
Dudley Tito - Tenor Sax
Castor Bassine - Tenor Sax
Bucs Matiwane - Piano
Bucs Sandi - Drums/percussion
Luluama Gonstana - Drums/percussion
Jazz Clan (Johannesburg)
Peter Segona - Trumpet
Sipho Mabaso - Tenor Sax
Connie Kumalo - Baritone
Rubin Radise - Trombone
Dimpie Tshabalala - Electric Piano
David Ramogasi - Drums
Mongezi Velelo - Bass
Drive (Johannesburg)
Henry Sithole - Alto Sax
Danny Sithole - Trumpet
Stanley Sithole - Tenor Sax
Nelson Magwaza - Drums
Tony Soali - Bass
Bunny Luthuli - Guitar
Lucky Mbatha - Vocal
The Jazz Resurrection (Durban)
Band members not listed
Jazz Ministers (Benoni)
Victor Ndlazilwane - Tenor Sax
Nomvula Ndlazilwane - piano
Johnny Mekoa - Trumpet
Shepstone Sothopane - Drums
Boy Ngwenya - Bass
The Shange Brothers (Durban)
Sandile Shange - guitar
Cyril Shange - Tenor Sax
Claude Shange - Piano
Boysi Shange - Drums
Roger Mthimkulu - Bass
RS here
MF here
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The Huntley Archive Goes Live on Electric Jive
Finally - we have arrived at the point where it is possible for Electric Jive to make Ian Bruce Huntley's recordings and photographs available online. To enter the Huntley Archive click on the image of the "Keeping Time" book in the right-hand column of this blog.
We are hoping to continue building and adding to the Huntley Archive on Electric Jive. There are many more of Ian's photos that were not included in the book which, over time, we will digitise and share.
Also, thanks to Rosemary Lombard's eye for detail, Ian has uncovered two more tapes that will be digitised in due course - Tape 42 and Tape 44. For now, you can download just over 56 hours of these historic recordings, you can browse the photos, read reviews of the book, buy the book, and also download a PDF of the book itself. There is place for interaction, comments and contributions from visitors to the site. You can also have archival quality signed copies of the pictures printed and posted to you. Proceeds will go the the Ian Bruce Huntley Trust Fund.
This project has been a collaborative effort of what I like to think of as an ensemble or band of passionate and creative people who together wanted to do something that could not be achieved alone. Ian Huntley as the conductor has always reminded us that none of this would have been possible if it were not for the exceptional dedication and persistence of the musicians themselves. Ian's engagement in this adventure has always been a labour of love, and he is eternally grateful that his musical friends permitted him to photograph and record their music.
Two years ago a non-profit public-good archiving agreement was signed with Ian, undertaking to process and document his archive, to make it accessible on the blog, and to produce a book. The agreement describes our purpose as being “to honour the musicians and their music, to promote the recognition that they are due, and to stimulate wider public interest in and appreciation of this heritage. We do not seek profit or commercial gain in making these recordings available.”
The production of "Keeping Time" and the Huntley Archive on Electric Jive would not have been possible if it were not for the many hours and dedicated contributions of the following good friends - thank you all!Siemon Allen - wizard of visual conception, design, layout, image colour correction and final cropping, chief whip of verification, index and detail;
Jonathan Eato - author, South African Jazz aficionado, networker supreme, additional identifier of musicians photographed, indexer, namer of unidentified tracks, chief producer of enthusiasm;
Cedric Nunn - photo editor, long hours at the computer restoring digital scans of aged, scratched and mouldy images to their former glory;
Matt Temple - always available with insightful design and production suggestions, proof-reading and feed-back;
Rosemary Lombard - foundation design and technical set-up of the Huntley Archive pages. In photographing Ian's tapes and notes, it was Rose that said, "hang-on - there seems to be a tape that has not yet been digitised."
Ilan Lax - musician, lawyer and friend who drafted the agreement with Ian and did the paperwork in establishing the Ian Bruce Huntley Trust Fund.
Thank you to Matt, Jonathan and Siemon for doubling up as post and packaging workers in distributing the books from London and in the USA.
Thank you also to Andrew Arbuckle for his photographs of Ian's Tandberg Tape Recorder - and also for being Ian's Pietermaritzburg friend who shows Ian the website and lets him see what is happening on it.
Please engage, enjoy and celebrate this heritage.
Chris Albertyn March 2014
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Nelcy Sedibe - Sengaliwe (1984)
Today we present a great LP from the Electric Jive archives. Sengaliwe, solo artist Nelcy Sedibe’s first album, was released in 1984 on the Soul Jazz Pop label.
From the liner notes on the back cover:
Nelcy Sedibe was born in 1957 at Barberton in the Eastern Transvaal. She did her primary schooling at Mganduzweni, from there to Masoyi Higher Primary to do Standard 5 and eventually went on to complete Form 2 at Mshadza High in 1977.
Nelcy started her singing career at the age of eight, singing for Sunday School. She also participated in school choirs. When she left school she went to work as a beautician. During those years she kept up her interest in music and joined a band called KAKAI. In 1980 Nelcy decided to go to Johannesburg to pursue her career in music. She had a strong belief in herself and was positive that she could break into the music world and become the best female vocalist in South Africa.
In Johannesburg she met Mr Mojapelo, Kori Moraba’s manager. He put her into Kori’s group as a vocalist. Together with Kori she toured the country gaining valuable experience performing in live shows, but she still wanted to be a solo singer and felt that this was not what she was looking for. Nelcy eventually met with producer West Nkosi who signed her to his record company. Co-incidentally, the group that backed Nelcy on her first recordings was KAKAI – and from here it was smooth sailing.
Back in her home town of Barberton, Nelcy rehearsed for almost a year before recording. During this time West Nkosi sent her a cassette to guide her in the style of music that she should be singing and recording. Nelcy began to feel that all her dreams were coming true. In April 1983, Nelcy received the news that she was to go to Johannesburg to record – she was delighted. She recorded a Maxi seven single which was aimed specifically at the Zulu Nation. She wrote her own music and lyrics for “KIKIZELANI” and West gave her some tunes like “SENGIZULA NEZWE”.
For Nelcy things have only just begun – and the sky is the limit.
Nelcy's song "Holotelani", the original Swazi-language version of "Kikizelani", was included on the groundbreaking 1985 compilation The Indestructible Beat of Soweto. The great singer has since passed on but her magical voice can still be heard through the numerous recordings she made - and this album is a real gem. Enjoy!
NELCY SEDIBE
SENGALIWE
produced by West Nkosi
Soul Jazz Pop BL 470
1984
Zulu Vocal
RS / MF
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Modern Sax Stars (1967)
Abafana Bentuthuko led by Hansford Mthembu were the backing band on a number of LPs for Bra Sello Mmutung. So for today's post I thought to focus on this earlier LP featuring the group, and cover their later 1970s material in future postings. You may be familiar with some of the tracks included here, 12-0-12 and Vala Nzimande were big hits for Bra Sello and Hansford Mthembu respectively, and are also featured on Nick Lotay's earlier post: Sax Jive Special. Bra Sello can also be heard here at EJ on Butterfly, and on the compilations DiscoSoulJive, and Pull Up! Sixties Jazz 78s.
Bra Sello and his Band
Hansford Mthembu (Abafana Bentuthuko)
Modern Sax Stars
CBS
LAB 4002
1967
RS
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