Dabbler's Guide to South African Music?

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okay, if you had to put together a list of 20 or so albums of South African music (and this is not connected to that South African Rock thread) that would constitute an essential intro to the genre(s), what would they be?

Indestructible Beat of Soweto
Kings and Queens of Township Jive
The Heartbeat of Soweto
A History of Township Music
Township Jazz n Jive
Soweto Never Sleeps

what else?

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 3 March 2004 22:04 (twenty-one years ago)

the Rough Guide to South African Music has its moments; Rough Guide to South African Jazz less so.

Dark City Sisters and Flying Jazz Queens is an absolute must here. Kwaito: South African Hip Hop is too. and the five subsequent vols of Indestructible Beat are really good--though for whatever reason I've never gotten into A Taste of the Indestructible Beat of Soweto the way I wanted to.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Wednesday, 3 March 2004 22:15 (twenty-one years ago)

what's the most essential Ladysmith Black Mambazo record?

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 3 March 2004 22:17 (twenty-one years ago)

probably Classic Tracks

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Wednesday, 3 March 2004 22:19 (twenty-one years ago)

how about Resistence is Defense by M. Mbuli?

anybody heard that?

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 3 March 2004 22:20 (twenty-one years ago)

btw -- thanks Matos

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 3 March 2004 22:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I've heard it and found it pretty meh. Xgau loved it for the politics more than anything, methinks

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Wednesday, 3 March 2004 22:21 (twenty-one years ago)

There's some kind of villager acoustic drum and bass music that I used to see mentioned cryptically on a jungle listserv 8 years ago; cryptically because it was a top secret source for breaks. Any clues to what it is?

― Ian Christe (Ian Christe), Wednesday, 3 March 2004 22:45 (twenty-one years ago)

there's a record by Abdullah Ibrahim (AKA Dollar Brand) and Johnny Dyani, that i think is called "Echos from Africa" (it's at home i forget right now) that is so beautiful. it's just the two of them, piano, stand up bass and singing. super mellow, modal stuff not unlike a stripped down Pharoah Sanders or Alice Coltrane

There's also a great disc with Abdullah Ibrahim and Gato Barbieri called Confluence. It's a little out, but also very fucking beautiful. It was recently released by Charly/BYG under a different name (sux because i almost bought both of em)

― JaXoN (JasonD), Wednesday, 3 March 2004 22:54 (twenty-one years ago)

While Matos is right that the album is largely meh, Mbuli's "Tshipfinga (Chipinga)" is really worth everyone's time...I always choke up by time he hits the line "lest we forget."

I also must put in another recommendation for Let Their Voices Be Heard, which was a late 80's Rounder travelogue which is all over the place but all good: spirited choral music, folks singing during lunch, mbube, two grand versions of "Nkosi Sikelel'i Africa" and so on. It's long out of print (and I only have it on vinyl), so don't get your hopes up.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 7 March 2004 03:23 (twenty-one years ago)

five years pass...

Anyone got any more recommends? Inspired by Paul Simon graceland. I grew up listening to Dudu Pukwana, Hugh Massakela, the African Jazz Pioneers and the like. (Dudu Pukwana-In the townships has to be one of my all time favourite albums)

― Prince of Persia (Ed), Monday, 11 May 2009 18:36 (sixteen years ago)

fourteen years pass...

https://www.iol.co.za/entertainment/celebrity-news/local/sipho-hotstix-mabuse-pays-tribute-to-late-musical-genius-tony-cedras-02063ffd-3818-4150-855e-70ded6501707

Tony Cedras, who played accordion, keyboards and more with Hugh Masekela , and was part of Paul Simon’s band for years, had died at age 72

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 30 January 2024 22:48 (one year ago)

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