2010-06-14
Strut Records concludes a three-CD set of early South African music by highlighting that country's jazz musicians of the '60s, '70s and '80s. While many prominent artists fled South Africa for the safer and richer shores of the U.S. and Europe, these musicians stayed and kept jazz alive. Some interesting stuff here -- you can hear the roots of what Hugh Masekela wound up doing with "Grazin' in the Grass" in 1968. The Malombo cuts are the ones that fuse jazz and African rhythms the most extensively. That these artists could play so skillfully during a time of great repression is amazing. Such is the power of music. 06/10 Michael J.CARMEN LUNDY
Come Home
Babatunde Lea
Level of Intent
Bob James & Nathan East
The New Cool
THE CHARLES MINGUS SEXTET
Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy - Cornell 1964
Tunnels
Natural Selection
HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN
Four Dead Batteries - Original Soundtrack
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