Blog Feed: electric jive

Shis'umbango (1971, Quality, LTJ245)

Published on 2012-05-24 18:01:00

Imagine my surprise when I walked into a favourite record shop in West London and came across this early mbaqanga compilation. Featuring lesser known artists and issued on the short lived Quality label (that also released Dudu and the Spears featured earlier at electricjive). A lovely way to liven up your Friday. Enjoy! Various Artists - Shis'umbango (1971, Quality, LTJ245)1. Masinga - Mandla and the Apollo Queens2. Inhlola Mvula - Mandla and the Apollo Queens3. Amazinyane - Bhekitshe and the St [..] > read more

Bumping, Moving and Grooving into Zone One

Published on 2012-05-20 18:01:00

This one goes out to all you lovers of the jazz fusion and bump sounds of the Movers, the Drive and the Mover's organist Sankie Chounyane. I've posted previously on theses groups at matsuli as well as here at electricjive. Siemon has a detailed discography of the Movers at flatinternational and I've detailed the Drive discography in an earlier post here at electricjive.Various Artists - Zone One (1976, SoulSoul, SSL123)1. Zone One - The Movers 2. Don't Touch - The Movers 3. Zone No 6 (Part [..] > read more

Jump and Jive with West Nkosi (1967)

Published on 2012-05-13 18:14:00

Today we feature the very first “solo” long playing record by the legendary saxophonist, composer, producer and, later, executive for Gallo records — West Nkosi — a major figure in the South African recording industry for more than three decades.As a member of the famed Makhona Tsohle Band in the early 1960s, Nkosi help develop the sound of sax jive and subsequently the style of mbaqanga. As a producer he signed and recorded classic groups like Ladysmith Black Mambazo as well as Mahlathi [..] > read more

A missing piece of the puzzle from Isigqi Sesimanjemanje (1992)

Published on 2012-05-06 18:01:00

(L to r: Jane Dlamini, Joana Thango, Janet Dlamini)Ethnomusicologist Louise Meintjes undertook a fieldwork of sorts when she listened in on the rehearsals, attended the recording sessions and interviewed at length the members of the all-female mbaqanga group Isigqi Sesimanjemanje in the early 1990s. The relationship between those who were hoping to share their talents and reap the rewards from a potential overseas audience and those who had the power to make or break the act is a formidable one, [..] > read more

Hidden Winston Mankunku Ngozi gem found

Published on 2012-05-03 18:01:00

Something unusually special today. This 1965 recording is of a live performance at the Stables in Loop Street, Cape Town. It is previously unpublished and gives a unique and surprising peep into the live Cape Town jazz scene at the time.Recordings of saxophone legend Winston Mankunku Ngozi are few and far between. > read more

Tete Mbambisa: Black Heroes (2012)

Published on 2012-05-02 08:31:00

In celebration of the just released CD “Black Heroes” by legendary South African jazz composer and pianist Tete Mbambisa, Electric Jive is giving one away.Jazz fundi Don Albert says that on “Black Heroes one hears his melodies, underpinned with rich chordal voicings and often a bass line that is pure African. His mix of African and American jazz is subtle. You’ll hear a tune such as “Dembese” and know the melody, now you will now know it was written by Mbambisa.”He is not afraid to [..] > read more

Xoliso: Shangaan Afro Jazz (1974)

Published on 2012-04-29 18:01:00

Shangaan Afro Jazz - I had not thought of the concept until I found this 1974 album produced by the inimitable Cambridge Matiwane. Two excellent tracks of "Shangaan Afro Jazz" and a mixed bag of three songs in English. I do know Doug Schulkind of "Give theDrummer Some" fame at WFMU radio will want the rocking "Something in My Head" for his collection of songs of people singing of their own instabilities - its a great song, in the mould of Paul Ngozi and Zamrock, replete with fuzz guitar solos.To [..] > read more

Awesome Cassette from Africa (1977)

Published on 2012-04-26 20:30:00

ATFA, I hope you don't mind!I couldn't resist making a mid-week post continuing the thread from earlier this week featuring pioneering maskandi performer John Bhengu better known as Phuzushukela. > read more

Phuzushukela - Sehlule Umkhomazi (1982)

Published on 2012-04-22 23:04:00

Today we feature the very last album by maskanda pioneer John Bhengu, better known as Phuzushukela. Bhengu who, with his distinctive guitar finger-picking style, is largely responsible for the popularisation of this Zulu, neo-traditional style in South Africa. For more background check out our earlier post Maskanda Roots here at Electric Jive.According to Rob Allingham’s detailed account in the liner notes of the excellent compilation CD Singing in an Open Space, “John Bhengu was the first S [..] > read more

Disco Soul - 20 grooves from 1970s and 1980s South Africa

Published on 2012-04-15 18:01:00

The influence of America – in particular black America – on the popular music of South Africa can never be underestimated. The marabi sounds of the 1930s shebeens had their roots in ragtime music – the shebeen itself evokes memories of the US prohibition era. The unique African jazz sounds (both instrumental and vocal) that developed afterwards – peaking at its highest during the 1950s – were a home-grown take on that flavoursome mixture played by the likes of Duke and Ella. Stompie Ma [..] > read more

Zulu Vocal Jive (1976)

Published on 2012-04-13 08:35:00

Following up on the Zulu and jive theme, herewith a 1976 compilation of mostly mbaqanga, featuring three bands: John Makhatini and the Phi Queens, Amalanda Amahlope, Abamakoti.Two songs featured by John Makhatini talk to South Africa's biggest derby football rivalry, between that of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. Chiefs fans, even if they have just fired their coach and don't look like winning any trophies this year, > read more

Mine Jive Special (1975)

Published on 2012-04-08 18:01:00

I have recently heard > read more

Thomas Mapfumo - more early singles from the Lion of Zimbabwe

Published on 2012-04-06 08:18:00

A very special treat today. We return to the very popular sounds of pre-(and just post-) independence Zimbabwe to listen to some early and rare singles from the Lion of Zimbabwe, Thomas Mapfumo and his various backing bands during this time. A number of his early singles were compiled onto three highly recommended albums: Hokoyo!, Gwindingwe Rine Shumba (both recently reissued by Water records on CD) and the Chimurenga Singles (now out of print). The five singles being shared today are from this [..] > read more

The Roots of Shangaan Electro

Published on 2012-04-01 18:01:00

If you travel to the sub-tropical town of Tzaneen in Limpopo province and spend time on the shopping strip you will bump into any number of street traders selling the latest music DVDs of local music stars. I was surprised and encouraged by the high proportion of local artists available compared to the likes of Jay Z. Rihanna, Madonna and other imported music celebrities. Music from this region caught the the attention of dance floors around the world through the Honest Jons compilation Shangaan [..] > read more

In Exile - Volume 1/2

Published on 2012-03-26 03:21:00

South Africa outside! For the past ten years I have been exploring through a number of varied projects the idea of a history of South Africa outside itself. The premise of the research involves the idea that individuals (as well as artifacts) leave the country for a range of complex reasons and thereafter exist in an external space. Often these individuals (and the histories they embody) remain unrecognized or forgotten in South Africa. My goal has been to mine and collate the information and to [..] > read more

Classic Mbaqanga Girl Groups – Vol. 2

Published on 2012-03-18 19:01:00

The black South African music scene of the 1960s and ‘70s was dominated by a unique electric jive sound that was later christened mbaqanga. For almost its entire near-twenty year rule over the country, mbaqanga’s most distinctive feature was the all-female close harmony sound, sometimes augmented by the booming bass vocals of a gruff male singer. The girl group of South Africa was partly modelled on the girl group of the USA. The smooth arrangements of The Andrews Sisters, the tight harmonie [..] > read more

Ghana Highlife rarity from Janet Osei

Published on 2012-03-16 08:54:00

Information on Janet Osei is hard to find, except to learn that this album is pretty rare. The fantastic highlife blogspot Osibisaba has the following to say about the few women who were highlife singers: "I am rather fascinated by old-time highlife music featuring female singers, perhaps because these recordings are so difficult to come across. Female highlife singers in Ghana were largely marginalized through the first half of the 20th century due to social taboos and public perceptions of s [..] > read more

Rambling to a different time in Ghana

Published on 2012-03-14 02:13:00

Our Ghana highlife detour week continues with a rich and exotic afro-latin tropical highlife buffet - a unique 1971 offering from the Ramblers Band International. As an added bonus, do come back this weekend to enjoy a rare album from one the few and most successful women singer-songwriters of Ghanaian highlife, backed up by the fine musicianship of Pat Thomas, Papa Yanson, Eddie Donkor and Eric Ageyman.For today: the Ramblers’ “Doin our own thing” is a wonderfully diverse album with twe [..] > read more

Ghana Highlife 78rpm Special

Published on 2012-03-11 19:01:00

In January this year my working life gave me the all-too-brief pleasure of spending an afternoon digging for records in Accra, Ghana. My collecting ‘bug’ was satisfied, and so it is my pleasure this week to share some of these delicious discoveries – starting with early fifties highlife, and then migrating later this week to the more electric 70s.Ghana’s early highlife music is a captivating blend of local tradition embracing the roots of ragtime, swing, afro-cuban, rhumba, and calypso � [..] > read more

Roots (HSH 8000, 1975)

Published on 2012-03-04 18:01:00

Roots were a short-lived band comprising Barney Rachabane (alto), Dennis Mpale (trumpet), Duke Makasi (tenor), Sipho Gumede (bass), Peter Morake (drums) and Jabu Nkosi (organ). Replace Jabu Nkosi with Abdullah Ibrahim, add Basil Coetzee on sax and you have the group that recorded the seminal African Herbs LP under the direction of Abdullah Ibrahim.Roots are often cited as a key strand in the development of an indigenous afro jazz sound that links the Drive, the Pelican Club house band under Dick [..] > read more

The Anchors - Soul Upstairs (1969)

Published on 2012-02-26 18:01:00

Today we have very special treat, the debut album by one of Alexandra's first soul groups — The Anchors. Under the influence of the Memphis Sound of groups like Booker T and the MGs, organ jive swept South Africa in the late 1960s and the Anchors were one of the earliest purveyors of this style of music. Last Time, a single (not on this LP) by the group, is featured on the excellent Next Stop Soweto Vol. 2 (2010) album, one of the best compilations in recent years.Soul Upstairs was produced by [..] > read more

2 Mabone (1973)

Published on 2012-02-19 18:01:00

1970s South Africa developed a taste for everything American. In fact, one could argue that black South Africans have always looked towards the African-American scene for inspiration and influence - but particularly into the 1970s, together with the afros and platform shoes, the Chevy Impala became something of a key image for the urban, modern city dwellers.In 1973, the studio group West Nkosi Nabashokobezi worked up a sensational mbaqanga beat that just had to be recorded. Released on the FGB [..] > read more

The Last Special: The Mallory Hall Band (1974)

Published on 2012-02-15 23:24:00

The second album from the December 1974 three-day studio stint by what had become a versatile big soul-jazz band assimilating and reflecting their South African geographical context. If you have not heard the companion album "Song of Soweto" yet check it out - the link is also at the end of this post. Some of you who did download and listen to "Song of Soweto" earlier this week might have realised by now that I got the links mixed up. The proper links are now restored.The song titles on "The La [..] > read more

Song of Soweto: The Mallory Hall Band (1974)

Published on 2012-02-12 18:01:00

Two more tight and enticing offerings this week from the twelve-piece band of U.S. jazz musicians that backed Lovelace Watkins on his extended stay in southern Africa during 1974. This time guitarist Charles Mallory and trombonist Al Hall jnr come to the fore with excellent compositions that reflect their time on the sub-continent.If you have not had chance to connect with Kirk Lightsey and Rudolph Johnson’s “Habiba”, and Monk Montgomery’s live set in Soweto – do yourself a favour - he [..] > read more

Nzimande All Stars - Breadwinner Part 2 (1980)

Published on 2012-02-05 18:01:00

Seriously grooving studio sounds from the Nzimande All Stars (sometimes backing band for Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje), named after uber-producer Hamilton Nzimande. Nzimande started his musical journey in an early mbaqanga group The Big Four whose single Woza Friday was a big enough hit in South Africa during the sixties to see release "overseas" (listen at Matsuli). Nzimande was instrumental in recording and developing the early careers and musical styles of key seventies artists The Soul Brothe [..] > read more

Spokes Mashiyane - Spokes Hit Parade No. 1 (1962)

Published on 2012-01-30 01:36:00

Next week marks 40 years since the untimely death of Spokes Mashiyane at the age of 39. The South African legend died of cirrhosis of the liver on February 9th, 1972 at Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto. Significantly last week marked the 79th anniversary of his birth. On this occasion it seems fitting to present two very rare issues by the renowned penny whistler and saxophonist — one (pictured above) released 50 years ago and the other perhaps his last recording. An extensive discography for Sp [..] > read more

Mahotella Queens - Pitsa Tse Kgolo (1981)

Published on 2012-01-22 18:01:00

A simple offering today, but one I hope you will enjoy. Pitsa Tse Kgolo, recorded in late 1981 and released in new year 1982, is a Sotho/Pedi language album by the Mahotella Queens, produced by Marks Mankwane and released on Gallo's Hit Special label.Pitsa Tse Kgolo ("the big pot" [idiom: melting pot of music]) was one of a steady stream of LPs released by the then-familiar line-up of the Queens, led by the throaty Emily Zwane. The album contains that classic Mahotella vocal sound combined with [..] > read more

Monk Montgomery live in Soweto (1974)

Published on 2012-01-19 03:14:00

9th November 1974 – Orlando Stadium, SowetoAfter more than ten months backing Lovelace Watkins on his southern Africa tour, this pedigree collection of musicians laid down a top-notch live jazz gig in Orlando, Soweto. The only difference to the line-up from the February 1974 Kirk Lightsey Habiba recording (see here) is that Monk Montgomery replaces Johnny Boshoff on bass, and Marshall Royal comes in as band leader and first saxophonist.No need to dwell on Montgomery’s impressive credentials, [..] > read more

Habiba: Kirk Lightsey in South Africa (1974)

Published on 2012-01-15 18:01:00

This post is the first in a thread of four worthy bop-oriented albums recorded by a common core of eight jazz musicians (all featured on this recording) while they spent much of 1974 touring South and southern Africa. In kicking off chronologically with Kirk Lightsey’s February 1974 recording, a preface on the special role of one Lovelace Watkins is appropriate. Watkins signed Lightsey to accompany him for five years of playing all around the world from 1974 to 1979. Detroit-born Watkins was a [..] > read more

I'd Like to Spend Some Time in Mozambique

Published on 2012-01-08 18:01:00

"Some songs get stuck in the head, while others are stuck in the blood. Mozambique Music Awards. It's our music. It's our culture." (From the 2011 Mozambique Music Awards ad campaign)Music with a Mozambican connection has featured twice at electricjive - Chris posted the historic 1955 Gallotone LP with a range of Mozambican fado recordings and Siemon posted a Banda Six album by Mozambican Mofene David Sitoe. So we're spending some time in Mozambique to re-address the balance. But first a little [..] > read more

Dorothy Masuka - Ingalo (c1981)

Published on 2012-01-02 22:14:00

Welcome back to Electric Jive!Today we open 2012 with quite an uncommon offering — the very first LP by South African legend Dorothy Masuka.Although recording many hits on 78 rpm for the South African Troubadour label in the 1950s, Ingalo was Masuka's first full-length album. Backed by Lovemore Majaivana and Job’s Combination, this Zimbabwe-only pressing was recorded and issued around 1981 on the Starplate label.According to Rob Allingham, Masuka was born to parents of Lozi and Zulu origin i [..] > read more

Thats all for 2011 folks!

Published on 2011-12-29 18:30:00

Firstly a BIG thank you to my fellow electric jivers - Siemon, Chris, Francis and Nick - some incredible shares and input that has taken this blog to the top spot for an archive of out of print South African sounds from the vinyl (and shellac) age. Secondly a big thank you to the readers, researchers and fellow bloggers - we appreciate your encouragement and comments. I don't think that when Chris and I hatched the plan for electricjive we had any idea it would turn into something as good as th [..] > read more

Early Mabuza - Golden Castle Jazzman of the Year 1967

Published on 2011-07-02 03:57:00

Our Winston Mankunku ‘Golden Castle Jazzking 1968’ post (here) set us off on the trail of a different Golden Castle related 45 – the promotional single from the previous year, when the ‘Jazzman of the Year’ award was handed to legendary dru > read more

We celebrate 150 posts with Gideon Nxumalo's Early Mart

Published on 2011-06-21 08:11:00

A very special and rare treat for electricjive readers today. It represents a holy grail amongst collectors of South African jazz and is spoken of in hushed tones. The problem with these "rare as hen's teeth" records is that not enough people have he > read more

Putting the Soul back into Gospel - Soweto Soul Gospel Singers (1975)

Published on 2011-06-16 18:01:00

Do not confuse "The Soweto Soul Gospel Singers" (1975), with the currently popular Grammy award-wining Soweto Gospel Choir formed in 2002. This here is the funky soul  original testifying to catchy call and response rhythms backed by electric guitar > read more

Soul and funk with Teaspoon Ndelu (1981)

Published on 2011-06-11 18:00:00

Today we're delving into a tasty mix of soul, funk and mbaqanga with the late saxophone legend Teaspoon Ndelu and his second solo album, Ke Kopa Madulo, produced by Marks Mankwane and released on the Hit Special label in 1981.Ndelu was a veteran of t > read more

Bona Bantu (c1962)

Published on 2011-06-05 20:02:00

Am currently traveling and so this very short post comes to you from a hotel room somewhere on the road near a lagoon.Bona Bantu, as the cover so wonderfully reveals, consists of a compilation of tracks previously released as 78 rpms on Tru > read more

The Drive - Zone 6 (1976)

Published on 2011-05-29 17:13:00

The Drive ‘Zone 6’ (RCA, RCL1214, 1976) Produced by the ubiquitous township soul impresario and infamously sharp operator David Thekwane, Zone 6 is a further piece of The Drive’s expanding discographic puzzle. Unlike 1975’s Can You Feel It, > read more

Davey Swingsters honour Msiza's Village (1975)

Published on 2011-05-19 18:01:00

Three sixties saxophone stalwarts lead a cool collision of mellow mbaqanga and marabi jazz, echoing a phrasing and mood of what might be called the 'Manenburg from North of Pretoria'. Albert Ralulimi and Chris Songxaka were key members of the Elite S > read more

Dancing Time with the Raiders

Published on 2011-05-15 05:36:00

Over a relative short period of time The Raiders recorded five albums - The Raiders go Latin, Get Ready with the Raiders, Encore, Dance 69 and Fuzz Face - for the independent Durban label RAJ Records. The music is primarily guitar-led instrumental po > read more

Jive Smodern Jive! - classic instrumental jive from the '60s and '70s

Published on 2011-05-08 09:54:00

JIVE SMODERN JIVE!30 instrumental grooves from the Mavuthela Music Companycompiled from 78 and 45 rpm records from the 1960s and 1970sThe ball started rolling with Mavuthela – The Sound of the Sixties, shared at Matsuli in September 2009. This was > read more

Mkhumbane (1960)

Published on 2011-05-03 03:25:00

Alan Paton’s play Mkhumbane with music by Todd Matshikiza opened in Durban on March 29th, 1960. It was a turbulent period in South African history and the play’s opening was framed by major events in what was a time of great political change.On M > read more

Gideon Nxumalo - Jazz Fantasia

Published on 2011-04-27 16:39:00

Gideon Nxumalo – Jazz Fantasia (1962, Renown NLP 223) True to its name in both form and spirit, Gideon Nxumalo’s 1962 Jazz Fantasia is a key document of modernist South African jazz. Vital, ambitious, consummate in conception and execution, it i > read more

The Morris Goldberg Quartet (1975)

Published on 2011-04-22 08:07:00

This rare and unheralded recording showcases the jazz song-writing of Cape Town’s David Bravo and Morris Goldberg. As in much of his future work as a bandleader, Goldberg infuses an African, Cape Town and sometimes mbaqanga idiom into a l > read more

Record Store Day winners

Published on 2011-04-21 02:32:00

We have ten winners nicely spread across Africa, South America, Europe and the U.S.A. - please let us have your mailing addresses so that we can post you the promised packages. Thank you to all who took the trouble to write in. The ove > read more

Record Store Day Jive Bonanza - A three way giveaway!

Published on 2011-04-15 18:01:00

Electricjive, flatinternational and Matsuli Music have joined forces for a Record Store Day giveaway.So we don't have a retail store made from bricks and mortar. But that doesn't stop us from spreading our love of records. And better still no money c > read more

Join the Party Pt 2

Published on 2011-04-09 18:10:00

This is part two of a series of posts themed around political propaganda. In many ways its an update to an earlier post at Matsuli where Matt detailed the origins and recordings made by the ANC's Amandla Cultural Group. Its worth repeating what was q > read more

Classic mbaqanga: Marena (1971)

Published on 2011-04-05 11:33:00

A return to jive for this post - and if this LP we are sharing today does not fall under the category of "classic mbaqanga", I don't know what does.This rarity is Marena, one of the many compilation LPs released on the Motella label in 1971 that repr > read more

Almon Memela - Funky Africa (1975)

Published on 2011-03-31 12:36:00

Today we pick up the A.M Stragglers thread (sewn by fortherecord in February) with Almon Memela’s super rare Funky Africa. Information on Memela, like his records, is hard to come by and much of what I have gleaned below has been sourced from vario > read more

Golden City Jive (1969)

Published on 2011-03-25 11:35:00

Whatever imagination they lacked in the cover-design department in this their first ‘African’ issue LP in South Africa, Trutone made up for it with a strong selection of 60s mbaqanga instrumental songs. Not much more needs to be said he > read more

Jazz royalty, swinging bittersweet

Published on 2011-03-19 17:54:00

When the prohibition on the sale of ‘European liquor’ – beer, wine and spirits – to Africans was lifted in 1962, the South African alcohol industry was quick to capitalise on the existing mythologies and realities that had already indelibly a > read more

Sadness and Joy with Dixie Kwankwa

Published on 2011-03-12 18:01:00

This is the first LP in South Africa on the Troubadour label and is presented as "Sadness and Joy - Dixie Kwankwa in an Evening of African Cabaret". Dixie had a hit in London and Southern African with the song My Nyasaland Love which was issued in th > read more

Banda Six - Mbilwini Yamina (1982)

Published on 2011-03-07 18:10:00

Honest Jon’s fascinating compilation Shangaan Electro has had remarkable worldwide exposure since its release last year. This blend of traditional Shangaan music with super fast electronic beats coupled with some insane dance moves makes for some g > read more

Township Super Soul - Bump Jive Number Six

Published on 2011-03-02 18:01:00

More great news: ElectricJive has convinced Francis Gooding - professional archivist, vinyl collector and compiler and researcher of Strut's fantastic 2010 "Next Stop Soweto" series - to join our blog team. Welcome > read more

Can You Feel It?

Published on 2011-02-24 18:07:00

So often mentioned as South Africa's greatest soul jazz band The Drive have never had a proper re-issue or taken their proper place in the ongoing unfolding and retelling of South Africa's musical past and future. Maybe our efforts here at Electric J > read more

The Shoe Laces - Isitha Somuntu (1981)

Published on 2011-02-19 14:01:00

In this post we’ll be taking a look at some cool, chilled mbaqanga from the early 1980s. Today’s share is Isitha Somuntu by the shortlived group The Shoe Laces, produced by the legendary West Nkosi and released on the Black Hi-Lights label in 198 > read more

Kwela (c1958)

Published on 2011-02-14 00:17:00

This fantastic compilation of South African kwela tracks (pressed in Argentina on the RCA Vik label) was probably issued around 1958. Half the album’s tracks feature the Alexandra Dead End Kids who also performed with American clarinetist Tony Scot > read more

Soul Bandit: Almon Memela’s Stragglers (1969)

Published on 2011-02-09 06:23:00

As promised, here is the entire 1969 album from South African guitarist and trendsetter, Almon Sandisa Memela. Born in Donnybrook in 1936 Memela was a musician’s musician playing, arranging and composing a diversity of great music from the 1950s th > read more

Hokoyo! (Watch Out!) - Harare Hits Rewound

Published on 2011-02-04 12:00:00

Due to overwhelming reader demand the Harare Hits compilations are back. Like mbaqanga the electric urban sounds of Zimbabwe between the late seventies and mid-eighties hold a special place in many people's hearts. As I've stated before these were di > read more

Good Luck Motella! (1968)

Published on 2011-01-29 12:45:00

It is extremely honouring to become a part of the fantastic team here at ElectricJive, bringing forgotten gems to the fore again: flatint’s wonderful share highlighting The Movers last week certainly gives you an idea of the treats in store for you > read more

The Movers - Bump Jive (1975)

Published on 2011-01-23 21:48:00

Thanks to the folks at Electric Jive for inviting me to participate in this fantastic forum. For my first post, I would like to revisit a thread started here in December last year. In the liner notes of the CD reissue of Ntemi Piliso’s 70s rec > read more

Electric Jive expands its roots

Published on 2011-01-22 08:16:00

JH Pierneef: The Baobab Tree - sold in 2009 for R11,8 million. As it is more than fifty years old, copyright on sharing images of this painting has lapsed.A heads up to electric jive visitors – expect an expanded menu of special sounds in the > read more

Sea Water: minimal mbaqanga (1972)

Published on 2011-01-18 05:01:41

Alfred Mthabane Ndima's track "Sea Water" appears on Nick Lotay's classic Mavuthela compilation shared on Matsuli during 2009. This album features Ndima with a session band playing "Sea Water" and eleven other tracks written by > read more

Seventies Sax and Accordion Jive Hits

Published on 2011-01-18 05:00:57

Some strong mbaqanga and jive by label-loyal Johannesburg based seventies bands. The Jive Boys, The Highway Boys and The Naledi Boys all released multiple seven singles on the Soweto label over this period. This 1976 compilation also featur > read more

Spirits Rejoice do disco funky with City Soul

Published on 2011-01-18 05:00:24

Its true, Duke Makasi, Robbie Janssen and Mervin Afrika of Spirits Rejoice cut a disco album with Julian Laxton and some others in the same year (1977) they produced their cult-status Afro-Jazz Fusion "African Spaces". A pretty funky effort at what t > read more

Jika Sikiza Jiving with the Indoda Band

Published on 2011-01-18 04:59:19

Seven-piece instrumental jazz 'n jive (1976) produced by Roxy Buthelezi provides a pleasant surprise. The horns, keyboard and guitar arrangements give a sense of relationship to better known recordings such as Sikiza Matshi > read more

Zimbabwe’s Talking Drum – Red Sun (1989)

Published on 2011-01-17 23:50:00

An early (1989) Zimbabwe jazz oriented album in which mellow guitar wizard Louis Mhlanga was centrally involved. Earlier, we shared a record from another Zimbabwe band, “Ilanga” – for whom Louis Mhlanga also played.Now based in South > read more

Join the Party Pt 1

Published on 2011-01-12 17:13:00

Welcome to part one of a series of political propaganda and related recordings and ephemera. Todays item is a very rare flexi-disc that was produced by the ANC in 1970. The item was most likely manufactured in the UK and then sent by post and smuggle > read more

Change through 'African Jazz and Variety'

Published on 2011-01-05 20:39:00

‘African Jazz and Variety’ has been described as a programme somewhere between concert, dance and burlesque – with a touch of sensation and stereotyping. While it is certainly a mixed bag, this landmark 1952 ten-inch 33rpm recording presented b > read more

Hhola Hhola 2011

Published on 2011-01-01 04:25:00

A rare African jazz gem to wish all visitors to Electric Jive a fantastic 2011. This 1976 album by "The Zola Kids" presents a smoking horn section which almost certainly includes Dennis Mpale on trumpet and Ntemi Piliso on saxophone - five of th > read more

Holiday Special

Published on 2010-12-23 01:40:00

As 2010 draws to a close its time for a special treat - a rarely seen Barney Rachabane outing with instrumental soul band the Sound Proofs. Just five tracks with the title stretched over the first side. This one pre-dates our earlier Sweet Matara off > read more

Electric Jive Office Party Mix 2010

Published on 2010-12-15 15:57:00

An upbeat mix of South African (from 1950s, 60s and 70s) mbaqanga, funk, ska and jazz in celebration of the annual ‘office party’ here in Durban. Slipped into this hour-long continuous assortment is a number of tracks from 78rpm records recently > read more

Keep on Moving

Published on 2010-12-12 04:13:00

A very special treat today of what was know as Soweto Soul, inspired by the likes of Brooker T & the MGs, Richard Groove Holmes and Jimmy Smith amongst others. In a career that lasted over ten years the Movers were incredible prolific and managed to > read more