New old Kwela

[doublebucklemonk]

donpiper and C&F gettin some kwela love from electricjive

EDIT: Oops, posted the wrong link.

http://electricjive.blogspot.com/2010/0 ... frica.html

[donpiper]

'Something New in Africa'- 14 kwela tracks from Lemmy Special, the Solven Whistlers, and others can be found here:

http://electricjive.blogspot.com/2010/0 ... istle.html

There is also a pennywhistle blues track on this one:

http://electricjive.blogspot.com/2010/0 ... -jazz.html

cheers
donpiper

[Impempe]

Thought this would be as good a place as any to post this notice form the university (UKZN) notice board...I love this advertising language. Anyone care for a quick visit.

Evening Concert - 1 October 2010 - Umkhumbane Kwela Timers

A round of welcome is deserved by the Umkhumbane Kwela Timers as they grace the stage at the Center for Jazz and Popular Music (UKZN) on Friday, 1 October at 5pm. They will perform Kwela Music with folkloric tunes echoing deeply emotional and jubilant historic tunes of the 50’s expressed through the calm, melodic and spiritually piercing voice of the pennywhistle and blissfully vamped guitar. Harmonies motivate the listener to get up and jive. Fusion of the young and old musicians is aimed at by these ‘gurus’ by featuring Umakhweyana bow, acoustic bass and percussion Older musicians are Themba Dladla on acoustic guitar, Thulani Sithole on pennywhistle, Sipho Sokhela on pennywhistle, and the young are Ubuhle Besiko Cultural Ensemble.

So why not join Umkhumbane Kwela Timers as they interpret this cultural discourse as cultural bearers. The concert is presented by the UKZN School of Music’s African Music and Dance Program as a community development project. Therefore the concert is for fundraising purposes. Tickets cost R50 and R20 for students and pensioners. For more information and booking, contact Lungile Gumbi on 084 4787 380.

[donpiper]

There are 9 whistle tracks (b1-9) from Black Mambazo, Little Kid Lex, Alex Shamber Boys, & others on this
compilation:

http://wrldsrv.blogspot.com/2010/07/sax-flute-jive.html

cheers,
donpiper

[henryz]

Thanks, donpiper!

[donpiper]

My pleasure,

I have not come across any James Armoed apart from a youtube video soundtrack that you appear to be aware of already.
A friend who has an e-bay account manged to get Big Voice Jack's 'Zimanukwenzeka (Things Just Happen)' for me from
Grant Hallam at hallamfamily south african music e-bay store which I am really enjoying at the moment.
If you have an e-bay account or you know someone who does, he might be worth a try, if you can ask him.
He is Alberta based so shipping should be quicker and less expensive for you.

Impempe, did you manage to get to that Umkhumbane Kwela Timers concert? If so, what was the music like?

cheers,
donpiper

[Impempe]

Impempe, did you manage to get to that Umkhumbane Kwela Timers concert? If so, what was the music like?
donpiper

No I didn't unfortunately. I hope to see them some time in the future now that I have made contact with their manager though - they are running some kwela classes and also hope to find out more as it progresses.

Ian

[donpiper]

Hi all,

There are 6 whistle tracks by Black Mambazo & Little Kid Lex on vol.5 here:

http://wrldsrv.blogspot.com/2011/05/mor ... -jive.html

Volumes 3 & 4 have some nice vocal and instrumental jive but no whistle.

best wishes to all
donpiper

[donpiper]

There are 10 whistle tracks by Abia Themba, Kid Zorro, The Exquisites, and others here:

http://electricjive.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... c1962.html

also 2 vocal jive tracks.

cheers,
donpiper

[s1m0n]

Thanks very much for the dedication of the folks who are keeping this thread updated. And à propos to not much beyond my own vanity, every time I see the title of this thread I get a microrush of satisfaction over how succinct and apt it's title was.

[donpiper]

There is one whistle track - #10 telefon by the Baron Kids on this recording:

http://electricjive.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... -1960.html

This is a recording of the music from Alan Paton’s play Mkhumbane. The accompanying article is well worth reading also.

[donpiper]

There are 12 whistle tracks by Barney Rachabane, Leslie Nkosi, The Alexandra Dead End Kids, and others on Kwela (c1958) here:

http://electricjive.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... c1958.html

Most tracks have a kwela feel whilst a couple are more like swing jazz.

And there is whistle on 2 tracks from West Nkosi - Rythm of Healing here:

http://freedomblues.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... preme.html

This is not so much kwela as sax jive that includes whistle as a highlight.

cheers,
donpiper

[donpiper]

There are three whistle tracks by the Alexandra Dead End Kids accompanied by Tony Scott on clarinet on this album:

http://electricjive.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... -1957.html

look in the comments for a link to another Tony Scott album that features 2 tracks with Alex Dead End Kids


donpiper

[Impempe]

Found this link on youtube for a documentary of Big Voice Jacks tour with the Dave Matthews band in 1998 - worth a look if you like BVJ's style and humour. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-lWDDxw ... sponse_rev

[donpiper]

There are 10 pennywistle jive & 2 sax jive tracks from Abia Themba, Jake Lerole and others on this compilation:

http://electricjive.blogspot.com/2011/1 ... kwela.html

some skips on 1 or 2 tracks but generally good performances.

and some footage and sound of early sixties kwela band on this video:

http://electricjive.blogspot.com/2011/1 ... ntext.html

beautifully smooth whistle harmonies.

best wishes,
donpiper.