Township Jazz N Jive [Import]

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 1, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Mci
• ASIN: B00000B7Q8
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #733,561 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Ubuhlungu

2. Clarinet Kwela

3. Banana Ba Rustenburg

4. De Makeba

5. Omnyakane

6. Something New in Africa

7. Holilili

8. Ndenzeni Na? (What Have I Done?)

9. Baby Are Yeng

10. Dudu Wam

11. Tihapi Ke Noga

12. Loafers Corner

13. Ishumelosheleni

14. Kwela Blues

15. Ngi Hamba Ngedwa

16. Thaba Tseu

17. Mbube

18. Midnight Ska

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Collection of Vintage South African Jazz, July 17, 2006

By 

The Delite Rancher (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Township Jazz N Jive (Audio CD)

"Township Jazz 'N' Jive" is nothing less than one of my all-time favorite CDs. On an initial listen, I was flabbergasted by what my ears heard: vintage R&B and Jazz performed through an African filter. This isn't World Music or Afropop; this is straight Jazz and R&B performed with a South African twist. Qualities include strong improvisation, vocals, melodies and song writing. The instrumentals are especially stirring. The sound quality is stellar, especially considering the time period and economic environment. Just as Blues and Jazz flourished in America (despite or because of segregation), Swing flowered in South Africa (despite or because of apartheid) in the 1950's. This music will delight those who appreciate American roots music like Blues, Ragtime, Jazz, etc. The liner notes are very informative in explaining the history of Marabi music. The art work is beyond hip. Since this recording, I've been through a dozen discs seeking additional music in this obscure genre. Some of the discs just repeat these songs but mostly I've found diamonds in the rough. Thus, this is the ultimate compilation of Marabi music. It's tragic that this gem is out-of-print; if you can afford the marketplace sellers' extravagant prices, "Township Jazz 'N' Jive" is worth it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can I tell you how much I love this record...?, October 26, 2001

By 

DJ Joe Sixpack (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Township Jazz N Jive (Audio CD)

A stellar collection of South African pop music from the 1940s and '50s -- probably the best introduction to the "jive" style that you can find, and fairly easy to track down. American swing and pop vocal styles are gloriously transmuted into delectable melodic forms -- the perfect thing to put on some day when you're down in the dumps and want to feel really, really warm and fuzzy. This disc features the best artists of the time, the recordings of many of whom are maddeningly impossible to find anywhere else. Especially cool are Miriam Makeba's original vocal ensemble, The Skylarks, and the beautiful pennywhistle music of groups such as the Solven Whistlers. This is a fun, fascinating album, and highly, highly recommended!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A classic selection, up there with Buena Vista Club, October 29, 1999

By 

A Brooklyn Reader (Brooklyn, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Township Jazz N Jive (Audio CD)

The songs on this CD deserve to be in every juke box in the country -- NOW! Besides being an infectious and unforgettable array of South African classics, you'll hear songs that reflect American Jazz influence and inspiration for American Do-Wop music of the fifties (listen to the Manhattan Brothers "ooh maw maw" chorus). Check out Solomon Linda's Original Evening Birds doing a soulful version of the "Weemaway song." This is a timeless CD that deserves its place in every college dorm, every party, and every dancehall in the country.