Side A
1-Stamkoko -Izintombi Zesi manje manje (1965) 02:16
2-Udali– Maphela (1960) 02:38
3-Sabela –Maphela (1960) 02:30
4-Usana Lwam’– Mississippi Brothers & Beauty Diloane (1940) 02:36
5-Ukhiye–Susan Gabashane & Her Honeybees (1960) 02:46
6.Ukuhlupheka – Susan Gabashane & Her Honeybees (1960) 02:35
7.Umsakazo E Grahamstown– Alabhama Kids (1960) 02:27
8.Lizzy–Mississippi Brothers (1940) 02:17
9.Asinamali– Alabhama Kids (1960) 02:21
Side B
1.Baboon Shepherd–Black Duke & Peter Makana (1950) 02:35
2.Battle Of The Flutes–Black Duke & Peter Makana (1950) 02:37
3.Shukuma Duke-Black Duke (1950) 02:27
4.Duke Blues-Black Duke (1950) 03:00
5.Black John–Peter Makana (1950) 02:20
6.Blood Mixture-Peter Makana – (1950) 02:15
7.Egoli Zinyozi –Alfred Dlezi & Dlamini (1950) 02:31
A limited amount of ‘Township Jive & Kwela Jazz (1960-1965) volume 3’ in both LP -180 grams vinyl and deluxe CD formats -is now available for readers of this blog exclusively.
20 euro including S&H as Registered Airmail (+track&trace/barcode) Worldwide!
PayPal account required. Volume 1 and 2 also available.
So here it is! Soul Safari is proud to announce the release of our third compilation in collaboration with the International Library of African Music (ILAM), Grahamstown, South Africa.
16 rare gems of Township Jive & Kwela Jazz from South Africa recorded between 1960-1965.
Official date of release; October 31st 2014
180 grams vinyl LP -Catalog nr. UP 2014.006LP
CD -Catalog nr. UP 2014.006CD
Soul Safari started as a blog to showcase the music of Africa with a strong emphasis on South Africa. Now in its 6th year, Soul Safari is proud to present the third volume of the compilation ‘Township Jive & Kwela Jazz’, a collection of rare gems originally released as shellac 78’s in the period 1960-1965 in South Africa.
On this third volume the selection features the gorgeous close harmony vocal groups singing in the tradition of American R & B and doo wop. But always with that typical South African swing and sung in the Zulu or Xhosa languages. DJ Eddy de Clercq who initiated this compilation in close collaboration with ILAM, also selected a few tunes that stand for the transition from early jive to mbanqaga, a most democratic vocal style characterized by the typical ‘groaning’, a form of call and answer between the male leader (groaner) and female singers. Mbanqaga would follow up jive as the popular vocal music from 1965 onwards.
Kwela jazz knew many variations in which the original instrument, the penny whistle was traded in for accordion, violin, even a melodica, an instrument that also became widely popular in Jamaica. Similarities with uptempo ska can be heard in tunes by Kid Ma Wrong Wrong and Bra Sello featured on this compilation. Again an exciting selection of rare recordings from the heyday of South African Jive & Kwela. Truly music treasures from a long gone past.
All recordings were prepared and mastered from the original 78rpm shellac discs from the ILAM archives. The goal was to clear the dust and dirt of ages gone by, while preserving the original dynamics of the recordings and to keep the sound as little altered as possible.
during my record hunting trips, I often encounter the most unusual records which attract my attention. Like last Queensday -today it’s called King’s Day- at the end of April in Amsterdam when the city becomes one huge flea market and people sell their junk, sometimes rare records too…
At first I thought it was a reggae album, because of the colors of the artwork but I found out that the record contains music of a somewhat less light sensible topic. Music of the liberation movements of South Africa ( ANC ) and Namibia ( SWAPO ) and the People’s Republic of Angola.
The ANC is in power since 1994 and has once again won the elections in 2014 so it is 20 years ago that the ANC came into power as the leading party in South Africa’s democracy. Certainly a time for celebration for some but unfortunately not for all. Sometimes it is forgotten -or unknown- how much support the African National Congress received from abroad during their struggle for freedom, especially from a country like the Netherlands. Many exiles received a warm welcome in the small country on the North Sea in the 70’s and found numerous organizations which were committed to help to fight the struggle against apartheid.
The LP Maatla!, the title which translates as ‘power’, features a number of songs that were collected by several staff members of the Medical Komitee Angola during a visit to South Africa in 1976. Released as a private pressing by Medical Komitee Angola in Holland, this LP isa documentofa bygone age. Or am I mistaken?
One the of the songs that is featured on this album is a militant song called ‘Sizoba dubula ngembhayimbhayi’ sung by the Sechaba Choir ANC in Xhosa. The text translates as; the farmers flee; we shall chase them and shoot.
a song in Xhosa, in which Nelson Mandela (the then leader of the ANC who was imprisoned on Robben Island at the time) is requested to support for the problems of his people in these difficult times. The people no longer sleep at home but go into the mountains to fight against the ‘Boers’. Vukani Mawethu-People Awake! Join the African National Congress military.
This is Mandela’s African name. This song is sung in English and adresses the President of the ANC, Nelson ‘Rolihlahla’ Mandela to lead his people to freedom
variation on a traditional song that was sung when cleaning an open place for an important event. It calls the children in South Africa to prepare for the arrival of Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), the military wing of the ANC that will come to fight as one destroys scorpions. (sung in Zulu)
a song in honor of Samora Machel, and Agostino Neto, who fought for their independence of the reactionary forces. It is intended to encourage Oliver Tambo, Sam Nujoma and the Patriotic Front in their fight for freedom. (sung in Xhosa)
Throughout the entire month of May Soul Safari will be listing field recordings, folk, private pressings, township jive & kwela jazz, African jazz, soul & boogie, mbanqaga,and much much more with absolutely no reserves.
Records that have been presented on these pages over the last five years are now on auction. So here is your change to grab some rare African vinyl as I am cleaning out my shelves to make room for new music.
Soul Safari’s ebay auction
Soul Safari’s eBay auction
Some highlights; a collection of ultra rare and seldom heard field recordings from ILAM, recorded by Hugh Tracey. These records were purchased many years ago directly from ILAM in South Africa from what was left of their unsold stock. All records come in their original cover with the labels attached to the back cover and are unplayed, in brand new mint condition.
More Soul Safari favs like great 45’s by jive kings The Soweto Boys, mbanqaga queens The Manzini Girls are now on auction.
yebo! My name is Joyce Matiwane, I am a Xhosa woman living in the Eastern Cape in South Africa. My friend Eddy gave me the cd Township Jive & Kwela Jazz Volume 2 and I want to let you know that I am so happy he did. He asked me which song I like best but I cannot choose since I love the whole collection.
As a young girl I used to dance to this music because my mother had a radio in our house and jive and kwela music were very popular styles of music at the time. I still dance to it whenever I hear it. It brings a smile to my face, it is such happy music.
The launch at Tommy Page in Amsterdam last December was a huge success, the combination of vintage clothing and music worked wonders. What a great crowd, what a warm reception of the album on a wintery Sunday afternoon, downtown Amsterdam.
The Dutch press also picked up the album quite early, Stan Rijven of Trouw being the very first. And Sjeng Stokkink wrote a positive article in jazz magazine Jazzism -TJ&KJ volume 2
And eventually you can listen to the full album on Radio 6 Soul Jazz Luisterpaal. It is on for a limited time only, so don’t sleep.
There is also TV exposure! VPRO Vrije Geluiden has taped a special on the album, with an interview and I will be spinning some tunes from the album as well. The special includes live performances by myself, the Ives Ensemble which plays the rarely performed Chamber music of the American avant-garde composer Charles Ives. Also the group Flip Noorman presented their new album “Bellse Parese” and the amazing Maroccan singer Laïla Amezian gave a titillating performance. What a Voice! The show lasts for 50 minutes and is in the Dutch language but the music speaks for itself.
The broadcast will be on Sunday, January 19, 2014 in Netherlands 1 at 10:30 h. The show will be broadcasted again on Saturday, February 1 (!) In 2014 to 09.00 at channel Netherlands 1.
Cultura repeats this broadcast on Wednesday, January 22 at 23:00 and Thursday, January 23 at 19:00.
Also on the website http://www.vpro.nl/vrijegeluiden, and other platforms of the Public Broadcasting as Uitzending gemist and VPRO YouTube channel.
a few kwela tunes on ‘Township Jive & Kwela Jazz Volume 2’ start with some jive talking in an unknown language. At first I thought it sounded quite like Afrikaans, with a pinch of Zulu or Xhosa in da mix maybe? After all, South Africa claims 11 official languages and in a city like Cape Town that’s home to an eclectic mix of cultures it is easy to hear this sort of street jive. In the 1950’s, the neighbourhood District Six near Cape Town was the birthplace of an extremely lively and eclectic brew of a patois spoken mainly amongst the Cape Coloreds and certain groups of blacks, hottentots, Cape Malay and the Khoi San.
The Apartheid regime brought an extremely uncertain time for black and colored people so a slang as a sort of protection shield was born. At the time black music did not get much national radio coverage at all, although some black radio stations broadcasted for local communities. The music was either played live in the streets -the birthplace of kwela- or experienced in theatres and public halls. Left wings white South Africans, politically open minded people also found their way to these local get-togethers to hear some of the finest black and colored musicians on the scene.
The spoken intro’s of some of the kwela songs are characteristic conversations between the musicians, often in a humoristic slang, always extremely funny. Here are 3 examples culled from ‘Township Jive & Kwela Jazz Volume 2’ and translated into English as accurate as possible.
Track nr. 7 ‘Ek Se Cherry ‘by Lemmy Special and The Mofolo Kids; a conversation between a man and a woman who argue about the man’s infidelity to his wife. The woman tells the man that people in the township are talking about his behaviour,that he is seeing a ‘cherry’ ( a loose woman). The man denies but the woman teases him and tells the man firmly –Ek sê Cherry – ‘I say that you are seeing a loose woman’.
Ek sê, Eksê (Eh-k-s-eh): Afrikaans for, ‘I say’. Used either at the beginning or end of a statement. “Ek sê my bru, let’s braai tomorrow.” “This party is duidelik, ek sê!”
Track nr. 5 ‘Skanda Mayeza’ by The Benoni Flute Quintet translates as such; “Yes folks, the man heard from you so nice as Two Kop Pak. All must raise the roof. Where is it going with you and old Two Kop Pak. Carly from the Kasbahs. There were the day never was a grass. The life was nice like the cabin in the sky. Go Totsi.”
Track nr 8 ‘Broadway’ by Alexander Sweet Flutes translates as such; ” Hey men, have you heard of the Bell -telephone call-? How Edward, how Space and how Azaren can really really mean what the Tow Can dobbo”.
Thanks to Susie Mullins and Kevin for the research and the translation.
See also Your Guide to Cape Town Slang
Awê, get the low-down on the Mother City’s colourful colloquialisms and sayings, ek sê…
Ag (ah-ch): An expression of irritation or resignation. “Ag no man!” “Ag, these things happen”
Awê (ah-weh): A greeting. “Awê, brother!”
Babbelas (bah-bah-luss): Derived from the isiZulu word, ‘i-babalazi’, meaning drunk; adopted into the Afrikaans language as a term for ‘hangover’. “I have a serious babbelas!”
Bakkie (bah-kee): 1. A bowl. “Put those leftovers in a bakkie.” 2. A pick-up truck. “We all jumped on the back of my dad’s bakkie and went to the beach.”
Befok (buh-fawk): 1. Really good, amazing, cool. “The Symphonic Rocks concert is going to be befok!” 2. Crazy, mad, insane. “You tried to put your cat in the braai? Are you befok?”
Bergie (bear-ghee): Derived from berg, Afrikaans for ‘mountain’. Originally used to refer to vagrants living in the forests of Table Mountain, the word is now a mainstream term used to describe vagrants in Cape Town.
Bra (brah), bru (brew): Derived from broer, Afrikaans for ‘brother’; a term of affection for male friends; equivalent to dude. “Howzit my bru!”“Jislaaik bra, it’s been ages since I last saw you!”
Braai (br-eye): Barbeque (noun and verb). “Let’s throw a tjop on the braai.” “We’re going to braai at a friend’s house.”
Duidelik (day-duh-lik): Cool, awesome, amazing. “That bra’s car looks duidelik!”
Eish (ay-sh): isiZulu interjection; an exclamation meaning ‘oh my’, ‘wow’, ‘oh dear’, ‘good heavens’. A: “Did you hear? My brother got into a fight with a bergie!” B: “Eish! Is he hurt!”
Eina (Ay-nah): An exclamation used when pain is experienced, ‘ouch!’. “Eina! Don’t pinch me.”
Entjie (eh-n-chee): A cigarette. “Come smoke an entjie with me.”
Guardjie, gaatjie (gah-chee): The guard who calls for passengers and takes in the money on a minibus taxi.
hhayi-bo (isiZulu), hayibo (isiXhosa) (haai-boh): An interjection meaning ‘hey’; ‘no way’.“Hayibo wena, you can’t park there!”
Howzit (how-zit): A greeting meaning ‘hi’; shortened form of ‘how’s it going?’
Is it?: Used as acknowledgement of a statement, but not to ask a question – as one might assume. Most closely related to the English word ‘really’. A: “This guy mugged me and said I must take off my takkies!” B: “Is it?”
Ja (yaah): Afrikaans for ‘yes’. A: “Do you want to go to a dance club tonight?” B: “Ja, why not?”
Ja-nee (yah-near): Afrikaans for yes-no. Meaning ‘Sure!’ or ‘That’s a fact!’ Usually used in agreement with a statement. A: “These petrol price hikes are going to be the death of me.” B: “Ja-nee, I think I need to invest in a bicycle.”
Jol (jaw-l): (noun and verb) 1. A party or dance club. “We’re going to the jol.” “That party was an absolute jol!” 2. Used to describe the act of cheating. “I heard he was jolling with another girl.”
Jislaaik (yiss-like): An expression of astonishment. “Jislaaik, did you see that car go?”
Kak (kuh-k): 1. Afrikaans for ‘shit’. Rubbish, nonsense, inferior, crap or useless. “What a kak phone.” “Your driving is kak.” 2. Extremely, very. “That girl is kak hot!”
Kwaai (kw-eye): Derived from the Afrikaans word for ‘angry’, ‘vicious’, ‘bad-tempered’. Cool, awesome, great. “Those shoes are kwaai.”
Lekker (leh-kah): 1. Nice, delicious. “Local is lekker!” 2. Extremely, very. “South Africans are lekker sexy!”
Mielie (mee-lee): Afrikaans term for corn, corn-on-the-cob.
Nee (nee-ah): Afrikaans for ‘no’.
Naartjie (naah-chee): Afrikaans term for citrus unshiu, a seedless, easy peeling species of citrus also known as a ‘satsuma mandarin’.
Potjie, potjiekos (poi-kee-kaws): Afrikaans term for pot food/stew comprised of meat, chicken, vegetables or seafood slow-cooked over low coals in a three-legged cast iron pot.
Shame: A term of endearment and sympathy (not condescending). “Ag shame, sorry to hear about your cat.” “Oh shame! Look how cute your baby is!”
Shisa Nyama (shee-seen-yah-mah): isiZulu origin – while shisa means ‘burn’ or to be hot and nyama means ‘meat’, used together the term means ‘braai’ or ‘barbeque’. “Come on, let’s go to Mzoli’s for a lekker shisa nyama!”
Sisi (see-see): Derived from both isiXhosa and isiZulu words for sister, usisi and osisi (plural). “Hayibo sisi, you must stop smoking so many entjies!”
Sosatie (soo-saah-tees): Kebabs, skewered meat. “Let’s throw a few sosaties on the braai.”
Takkies (tack-kees): Trainers, sneakers, running shoes. “I want to start running, again but I need a new pair of takkies.”
Tjommie, chommie (choh-mee): Afrikaans slang for ‘friend’. “Hey tjommie, when are we going to the beach again?”
Vrot (frawt): Rotten; most often used to describe food that’s gone off or a state of being sick. “Those tomatoes are vrot.” “Champagne makes me feel vrot!”
Voetsek (foot-sek): Afrikaans for ‘get lost’, much like the British expression, ‘bog off’. “Hey voetsek man!”
Wena (weh-nah): isiXhosa and isiZulu for ‘you’. “Hey wena, where’s the R20 you owe me?”
Wys (vay-ss): Show, tell, describe. “Don’t wys me, I know where I’m going.”
So, whether you’re asking for directions, engaging with the locals or just eavesdropping in a taxi, let’s hope this guide will give you some insight into what’s being said. And keep in mind, if anyone says “Joe Mah Sah…” just know, it’s not a compliment.
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