African Jazz n' Jive

Various Artists (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 19, 2001)
• Original Release Date: August 4, 2000
• Label: Gallo Records
• ASIN: B00005Y8T3
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #907,325 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. U.S.A. Special

2. Daddy Wami

3. Holilili - Skylarks

4. Beer Club

5. Dinokza - Elite Swingsters

6. Banana Ba Rustenburg - Spokes Mashiyane

7. Emsengeni

8. Ubuhlungu - Four Yanks

9. Clarinet Kwela - Kippie Moeketsi & The Marabi Kings

10. De Makeba - Jazz Dazzlers

11. Something New in Africa - Solven Whistlers

12. Ndenzeni Na?

13. Baby Are Yeng - Nancy Jacobs & Her Sisters

14. Mbube - Solomon Linda

15. Omnyakane - Royal Players

16. Tlhapi Ke Noga - Dolly Rathebe

17. Loafers Corner

18. Vuka Vuka - The Manhattan Brothers

19. Ngi Hamba Ngedwa - Dorothy Masuka

20. Midnight Ska - Reggie Msomi's Hollywood Jazz Band

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Full title: African Jazz 'N' Jive-An Authentic Selection Of South African Township Swing Classics From The '50s & '60s. Shuffling drumbeats, serene horn lines, and sweet vocal melodies all come together in the vintage sounds of township jive and South African Jazz. From traditional Kwela flute music and improvisatory Marabi, to bass-heavy Mbaqanga and very influential American Jazz recordings, both township jive and South African Jazz were born. 24 cuts from prominent South African artists who contributed to the scene are presented. A self-described "mix of Mbaqanga, Marabi, and North American swing music," the CD includes cuts by alto sax player Kippie Moeketsi, tenor sax player Mackay Devashe, Hugh Masekela, and Jonas Gwangwa. Celebrated vocalists the Manhattan Brothers, Dolly Rathebe, and the Skylarks (including a young Miriam Makeba) punctuate the cuts on the CD. Check out the Swing-Ska number by Reggie Msomi's Hollywood Jazz Band and a choral recording by Solomon Linda's Original Evening Birds (from 1939). As stated in the CD's liner notes, "If you don't tap your feet to this music, you're probably dead." Gallo. 2007. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bliss -- 4.5 stars, March 23, 2008

By	Barrett (Washington, D.C. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: African Jazz n' Jive (Audio CD)

Flourishing in the townships of apartheid-infected South Africa in the 1950s, small-combo jazz was an anomalous shot of joy. It's a joy that swings just as loud and clear today, on the 24 cuts of this outstanding compilation. Maybe it's their defiance of the government's insistence on their inequality as citizens -- as people -- that gives these musicians the sass driving every number here into your hips and heart. Or maybe they were just responding to each others' delight in making music so straightforward yet so intense.

Played on brass or acoustic guitar, or sung in a fetching blend of jazz and folk inflections, the result has the unshakable bounce of Count Basie's band plus the instant accessibility of pop. And as if that weren't enough, we also get "Mbube," the chanted roundelay that went on to conquer the world as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." This isn't simply some of the best South African music ever made; it's also the most sweet-souled protest music you'll ever hear.

4.0 out of 5 stars traditional African Jazz, January 19, 2008

By	D. Karen James "jadaka" (River Forest, Il USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: African Jazz n' Jive (Audio CD)

This is a compilation of African Jazz, primarily Sout African artists. I was looking for exactly what I received; good African beats and music that contained non-American talented jazz artists.