South African Music Week: A CDreview special African Jazz Pioneers: Afrika Vukani (Gallo) The Pioneers haul out their old-style South African jazz stuff one more time, but it really is all wearing a bit thin now. Leader Ntemi Piliso, probably the last remaining member of the original Pioneers, groans his way through a song or two, and the rest of it is left to younger talents to recycle, with a certain movement taking place in the direction of newer mbaqanga/soul sounds. The CD’s title presumably urges Africa to wake up, but by the sixth track we are more likely to be dozing off to sleep. – Shaun de Waal Ashaan:Mamelani!(Ghetto Ruff) Ashaan aim to be the new kingpins of their stable, Ghetto Ruff, following the departure of Skeem to Mdu Masilela’s Wolla Records. The experience acquired as backing vocalists to R&B star E’smile is put to good use on this album. The trio continues to define themselves as an R&B group, specialising in a genre that is struggling to assert itself. The album is good, driven by well-mastered Ghetto Ruff beats. All of which leaves one to wonder why South African R&B doesn’t sell. Ashaan would do themselves a great favour if they were to tap into their personal experience such as their harsh introduction to Johannesburg for creative inspiration. With this project, they are well on their way to achieving the acclaim enjoyed by E’Smile. – Thebe Mabanga Lize Beekman:Cake (JNS) Sit back, light a fire, pour a glass of red wine and relax with Beekman. Cake is a nicely mellow and rich album, written and composed by Beekman (except for BreytenBreytenbach’s Rooiborsduif):there’s the perky and playful title track, the beautiful ballad Iemand Het Ges^ and the theme song fromTV’s Soutmansland. Her vocal talents are obvious on tracks like Coming Home, and the lyrics are soulful and touching. – Riaan Wolmarans Ian F and Sasha Martinengo: Keep the Passion (Primedia) These two 5fm jocks have been dabbling in dance quite successfully in the past year or so, even winning an award along the way. This single, Keep the Passion, is not their best work. It’s a pretty standard housey tune, mixed with samples of Formula 1 race-car noises – which has been done before, and better, too. There are five mixes on the CD, with the best being the energetic Sasha’s Extreme Mix and the almost trancey Boxman Instrumental Mix. – RW Sipho Gumede: New Ear (Sheer Sound) As you slide in Sipho Gumede’s third solo album you’re filled with reminiscence of the jazz that came from Sophiatown. Peacocks Today, Feather Dusters Tomorrow, says one of his titles. His second album gave Sheer Sound their first gold record and this new release may just be as worthy. – Valentine Cascarino Paul Hanmer: Playola (Sheer Sound) With this, Hanmer proves himself the king of South African easy jazz. So easy that the whole endeavour makes you want to turn into butter and melt. One wonders whether Hanmer’s absolute smoothness isn’t also his ultimate failing. Those who like their jazz difficult and noisy won’t find much joy here. Those who like soundtracks to romantic French films will revel to a point of no return. Perfect orchestration includes the ususal suspects: McCoy Mrubata, Ian Herman, Pete Sklair and Louis Mhlanga. – Matthew Krouse Andre Hattingh: Journey of Love (Gallo) It begins with the title track, a killer weepie about a girl who’s loved and lost and loved. This wonderful bit of Nashville displays the perfect voice of the singer who’s no newcomer to the entertainment industry. Subsequent tracks place too much emphasis on the pennywhistle, making the whole thing into something of a pastel-shaded Telkom advert. Forays into reggae and easy rock show an artist with versatility, and in complete control. – MK Tim Hoare:Cape Mystique (Gallo) Tim Hoare has been involved in local music since the Seventies, as a session musician, playing electronic organs and keyboards, and also playing for bands like Juluka. Recently he’s been working on his own music, the result being this, his first solo project. It’s a good instrumental album, with a very relaxed air, perfect to play while watching the sunset and sipping cocktails. There are mellow tunes as well as songs with a jazzier, upbeat edge, such as Island Groove. Barry Snyman gives a praiseworthy guest performance playing the sax, while Hoare mans the keyboards, even using instruments from the Seventies like the Hammond B3. As a whole the album is not terribly exciting or original, but it remains very listenable. – RW Ladysmith Black Mambazo: Lihl’ Ixhiba Likagogo (Gallo) The title means “My Grandmother’s Kitchen”, and this is one of Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s more traditional releases. No duets with Dolly Parton or remixes by Art of Noise here. The first track praises South Africa’s mostly peaceful transition (“Good boy, carry on”), and the last song warns about politicians who still have to learn how to run things – a “new man called democracy … came to our country and he has to go to school to learn to respect our traditions”. In between, there are other pleas on behalf of tradition, requests for less violence and a tribute to Paul Simon’s New York. Joseph Shabalala leads with quivering voice, the band’s choral unison is as warm as a thick blanket, and it all moves at the pace of a relaxed stroll. – SdW Mfaz’omnyama:Ngisebenze Mama (Gallo) Listen to maskanda,
the sound that has fascinated Europe, the United States and Asia with its alien roots and fierce tempo, from one of its best exponents, Mfaz’omnyama. With this album, he is set to retain his stranglehold in this market, partly because the offering is quite decent, but also because it still relies heavily on acoustic guitar and concertina-based percussion. – TM McCoy Mrubata: Hoelykit (Sheer Sound) Lost in contemplation, with jazz big cheese McCoy Mrubata’s new release Hoelykit vibrating in the background, I ask myself why the reedman decided to deviate from the path that brought him to prominence? On the 10-track acoustic project Hoelykit, my favourite groove goes like this: Romeo and Alex Will Never Rhyme. It’s the only track with lyrics on the album – supplied by the unmistakable Gloria Bosman. Well-known collaborators include Paul Hanmer and Feya Faku. – VC Not My Dog:Dogumentary (Intervention) Now these boys know how to rock hard – their killer gig at Oppikoppi this year proved this once and for all. They have a loud and in-your- face style, … la Rage against the Machine. After a very odd vocal intro, their first full-length album crashes into headbanging, hard-rock bliss with Miss Leading. If the whole album continued like this, then it would not have impressed so much, but Not My Dog show a remarkable talent for diversity. There is chilled-out rap on Altered, and hip-hop comes into play with a spirited appearance by the gang from Brasse vannie Kaap on the boisterous Dogument, with Ready D doing some serious scratching – he also guest-stars on Overhand Right. Then there’s the loungy hip-hop, underscored with a rock sound, of the last track, Mind the Gap. The hard-rock tracks, like the powerfulWait, makes Not My Dog a contender for the loudest group in the country, while the rest show them to be creative and fresh as well. -RW Ashton Nyte:The Slender Nudes (Intervention) Awakening frontman AshtonNyte has put aside his Gothic persona for now and has produced his first solo album. It’s a very professional-sounding and -looking release, with the hopelessly talented Nyte composing, arranging and performing all the music. It’s an interesting ride, from the glam-rocky Glam Vamp Baby, with Nyte’s deep, dark voice gliding effortlessly over the guitar riffs, to Need for Air, which must be one of the most beautiful ballads ever released in this country. He explores various themes, playing with androgyny on Girlie Boy and Electric Man, and also taking on appearances (Fashion Forgot) and labelling (Obscene). There’s a good balance between the sleek, laid-back tracks and those one can move to, all with Nyte’s powerful voice – and as a bonus there’s the video of Glam Vamp Baby, too. Definitely one of the most interesting releases of the year. -RW
Various:Showcase 2:The 5fmSASingles Collection (Sony) This is an exciting collection of mostly dance/white-rock songs that have made it big on 5fm. The tracks are of high quality, and can deservedly be called a showcase of local talent. The usual suspects are there:Sugardrive with their smooth Disco Lazarus, Springbok Nude Girls, Boo!, Wonderboom, Karma, Fetish. Highlights are Saron Gas getting heavy on 69 Tea, a nice mix of Tananas’s chart-topping dance hit Seven and the Rasta Rebels with their very enjoyable number-one party hit I Love to Truck. The 5fm crew seem to have no shame in appearing en masse on their own release: F and Martinengo, Pure Bliss and the Gillmaniacs are all here. If you had any doubts about the capabilities of local musicians, this CDought to prove you wrong. -RW Various:South Africa Freedom Songs: Inspiration for Liberation (Mayibuye/Making Music) Here is a double-CD compilation that should be given out as a gift to delegates attending the upcoming conference on racism. It documents an important chapter in the country’s history. The first part documents the struggle from the African National Congress’s perspective. It contains interviews with Pallo Jordan, Ronnie Kasrils and Desmond Tutu, among others. The second and more interesting part features struggle songs. The digitally remastered sound re-enacts the blurry footage of early Eighties township riots. If you lost a close relative to the struggle, do not listen to this alone. – TM Wonderboom:Never Ever Ever Ever (David Gresham) On this six- track EP, Cito and the boys deliver some of their best work since their funky debut a few years ago. Let your hair down and boogie to the hip-swinging rhythm of the title track, or enjoy the soaring pop-rock chorus of BigBash. Also included is the catchy Something Wrong, which charted very well, and an awesome moment is the funky dance mix of the title track, Ziggy’s #6 Mix (Never Ever!). – RW Marcus Wyatt: Gathering (Sheer Sound) In this, his debut album, Wyatt consolidates his position as one of the country’s foremost horn players. The album owes its brillance to the tens of jazz pros Wyatt has played with. The 10-track jazz bonanza includes a schoolroom full of great local talents: drummer Lulu Gontsana, bassists Herbie Tsoaeli, Carlo Mombelli and guitarist Johnnie Fourie. Lullaby for an African Princess will polish your body language. – VC Philemon Zulu and the Jeremy Franklin Band: Abafana Bakwa Zulu (P&C 2000) A curiosity piece by the cultural crossover band that’s kicking dust in Gauteng with a traditional maskande sound. Slightly madcap, but wholly traditional, Philemon Zulu’s trademark openings get a bit monotonous, but the songs are lively with a Zulu-country-music fusion number by Franklin that’s a welcome relief from that other Zulu blanc, Johnny Clegg. Nice gift for buddies who’ve emigrated. – MK