Nobuhle Ashanti – Bait For Steps Forward
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nobuhle-ashanti-bait-for-steps-forward/
Nobuhle Ashanti is a pianist, composer, and recording artist from Cape Town, South Africa. Her debut album – “Bait for Steps Forward” (released in March 2023) – features a wide variety of Cape Town’s leading poets, instrumentalists and vocalists. […]
Next Stop Soweto
https://amf.didiermary.fr/next-stop-soweto-compilations/
“Next Stop Soweto” is a compilation series, to remember an era of South Africa’s musical history where such genres as Funk and Soul were being played by bands even as apartheid firmly gripped the country’s music culture.
Volume 1 explores the vibrant energy of the township jive sound, whilst Volumes 2 and 3 cover [...]
#60smusic #70smusic #80smusic #AfroFunk #Apartheid #Compilation #Jazz #Mbaqanga #SouthAfrica #AfroJazz
Shakes & Les, Mbuxx - Hhay wena Maan Feat. Scotts Maphuma, Uncool MC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPIJG5ZctEE
Joseph Shabalala, Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Homeless Live
https://amf.didiermary.fr/joseph-shabalala-ladysmith-black-mambazo-homeless-live/
RIP Dr. Bhekizizwe Joseph Shabalala (28 August 1940 – 11 February 2020), the singer behind the creation of the famous choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Oratorio of a Forgotten Youth
https://amf.didiermary.fr/oratorio-of-a-forgotten-youth/
Inspiré par le travail de grands musiciens comme Jonas Gwangwa et son Amandla Cultural Ensemble, qui a accompli un travail politique important pendant la longue lutte pour l’autodétermination qu’a connue l’Afrique du Sud, l’Amandla Freedom Ensemble est un jalon important pour la tradition du jazz sud-africain. [...]
Hugh Masekela – Night In Tunisia
https://amf.didiermary.fr/hugh-masekela-night-in-tunisia/
“Night in Tunisia” est l’un des morceaux extraits d’une compilation dédiée à Hugh Masekela “Township Grooves”, qui reprend des compositions datant des années 1965 à 1974.
C’est bien sûr une reprise de Dizzy Gillespie “A Night in Tunisia”, ici en live en 1981. […]
Siya Makuzeni Sextet – Out of This World
https://amf.didiermary.fr/siya-makuzeni-sextet-out-this-world/
Siya Makuzeni is a professional South African trombone player, vocalist, lyricist and songwriter regularly collaborating with other reknown South African musicians. She’s known for her extensive musical range, vocal dexterity, experimental creativity, and passion for symbiotic cross-genre influences.
Thandi Ntuli – Blk Elijah
https://amf.didiermary.fr/thandi-ntuli-blk-elijah/
“Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë” is the 5th release and 3rd studio album by South African Jazz pianist Thandi Ntuli.
Through her work over a hitherto 13-year career, Thandi has carved space for herself, and others seeking home, to fully exist – thereby firmly situating herself and the contemporary South African generation in […]
Frigid Armadillo – Penga Feat. Njivinator
https://amf.didiermary.fr/frigid-armadillo-penga-feat-njivinator/
The South African duo Frigid Armadillo in 2023 with their EP Penga.
Self-described “pioneers of uncharted house music terrain”, 31-year-old Lebo Lechela and Siyabulela Buhlungu of Frigid Armadillo have been making waves with impressive fusions of tech and mainstream house since meeting at the U. of Johannesburg. A decade of friendship later [...]
The Muffinz rule…
https://amf.didiermary.fr/muffinz-rule-have-you-heard/
“Have You Heard? Have you heard how The Muffinz rule the world?”.
A band from South Africa worth listening to!
The five musicians made a refreshing change from the usual run of the mill rappers and house DJs, who are currently dominating the popular music scene, in that they play real instruments, and they play them […]
Nozinja is a South African producer/DJ and creator of Shangaan Electro.
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nozinja-shangaan-electro-nwa-gezani/
Hugh Masekela – Mace and Grenades / Riot
https://amf.didiermary.fr/mace-grenades-hugh-masekela-riot/
Here’s a 7″ released on Chisa in 1969 “Mace And Grenades / Riot”, directed by Stewart Levine and written by Masekela.
This is the soundtrack of an ongoing revolution.
Yep, Feelin’ it!
#60smusic #Apartheid #HughMasekela #SouthAfrica #Vinyl #AfroJazz
BCUC – Vumani
https://amf.didiermary.fr/bcuc-vumani-2011/
The Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness (BCUC) band, formed in 2003, consists of seven musicians from Soweto, South Africa, mixing tradition with Reggae and Hip Hop.
"We draw inspiration from Indigenous music that is not exposed in the mainstream. We sing ritual songs, shebeen songs and church songs infused with raps and a rock and roll attitude. […]
Urban Village – Ubaba
https://amf.didiermary.fr/urban-village-ubaba/
Feet in the tradition, head in the future, Urban Village is the new indie voice of Soweto. Since their Ubaba EP (2021), the four musicians get their inspiration from the rich musical heritage of South African soil. A totally original synthesis of Zulu guitars, indie-folk, maskandi, South African choirs and jazz, all carried along by […]
Hugh Masekela – Grazing in the Grass (live)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/hugh-masekela-grazing-grass/
Grazing in the Grass for the Fifa Worldcup closing ceremony in 2010. For those who like a lot of cowbells in their music…
The song is found on Masekela‘s 8th studio album: “The Promise of a Future” in 1968. […]
Thandiswa Mazwai – Zabalaza
https://amf.didiermary.fr/thandiswa-mazwai-zabalaza/
“Lah’lumlenze” off the album “Zabalaza” by Thandiswa Mazwai, once the lead singer of genre bending South African band Bongo Maffin.
After five albums with Bongo Maffin, Thandiswa ventured onto a solo career. Her first project, Zabalaza (2004), reached double-platinum status and won numerous awards, including a Kora award for Best African Female and four South […]
Punk in Africa (documentary)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/documentary-punk-africa-2012/
Punk in Africa is a 2012 multilingual African historical punk music film. “Three chords, three countries, one revolution… The documentary is the story of the multiracial punk movement within the recent political and social upheavals experienced in three Southern African countries: South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.”
In these societies, [...]
#Documentary #Mozambique #Punk #Ska #SouthAfrica #Zimbabwe #Global
Shangaan goes global…
https://amf.didiermary.fr/shangaan-goes-global/
South Africa has been for many years at the forefront of tradi-modern music, mixing ancient music styles and electro, House music mainly (e.g. Kwaito).
From traditional Shangaan music was born Shangaan Electro with producers like Nozinja, seen in this short documentary…
A dance movement and musical style born from [...]
“Zulu Skywalker” by Muzi comes from his album Afrovision in 2018.
https://amf.didiermary.fr/muzi-zulu-skywalker/
This is the story of Ziphozethu, a 4yo black girl who takes off into space. “There is a substory that flows throughout ‘Afrovision’ about African space travel. The scientific/technologic meets spiritual way. […]
The Jazz Epistles – Verse 1
https://amf.didiermary.fr/the-jazz-epistles-vary-oo-vum/
Verse 1 by the Jazz Epistles in 1960 is “a genuine hard bop session, swinging and persuasive, coming out of South Africa in an era when black musicians weren’t making any recordings, let alone forward-looking modern jazz albums.”
[They] were South Africa’s first important (albeit short-lived) bebop band, inspired by Art Blakey [...]
#60smusic #AbdullahIbrahim #HughMasekela #Jazz #SouthAfrica #AfroJazz
Group Theory Black Music
https://amf.didiermary.fr/tumi-mogorosi-group-theory-black-music/
“The Group Theory Black Music” documentary follows the creative process, and intentions between drummer Tumi Mogorosi and the many collaborators on the album.
Since his international debut on Jazzman Records in 2014 with Project ELO, Mogorosi has been in the vanguard of the South African creative music scene’s burgeoning outernational dimension, [...]
#Documentary #LiveMusic #SouthAfrica #AfroJazz #AvantGarde #Opera #Jazz
Batsumi (1974)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/batsumi-apartheid/
Many years after the fall of Apartheid, Batsumi remains sublime… and transformative, and its resonance hasn’t faded at all over the years.
During the brutal era in South African history known as Apartheid, the minority-white ruling party forcibly moved millions of black South Africans from their homes to segregated areas, stripping them of their citizenship […]
#70smusic #Apartheid #FullAlbum #SouthAfrica #AfroJazz #Jazz
Harari – Musikana
https://amf.didiermary.fr/harari-musikana/
2 classic albums from psychedelic South African afro-rock were re-released in 2021: Rufaro, which contains the song Musikana, and Beaters / Harari.
The Beaters – Harari was released in 1975. After changing their name, Harari went into the studio late in 1976 to record their follow-up, Rufaro / Happiness. In 1976 they were voted [...]
#70smusic #altRock #Psychedelic #SoulJazz #SouthAfrica #OldAfricanMusic
Harari – Party
https://amf.didiermary.fr/harari-party/
This single by Harari, “Party” (the 7″ release), entered the US Disco Top 100 in 1982.
Professor Rhythm 3 (1991)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/professor-rhythm-1991/
The 1991 record “Professor 3” by Professor Rhythm is a vivid reflection of urban South Africa as apartheid was ending. Thami Mdluli’s production project had young and old dancing to a sound that sought to unite Blacks within Southern Africa. The late 1970’s and 80’s had been trying times for people of color. […]
