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.JALEEL SHAW
Optimism
NOAH BAERMAN, WAYNE ESCOFFERY, AMANDA MONACO, VINNIE SPERRAZZA, HENRY LUGO
Playdate
THE MIKE LONGO TRIO
Float Like a Butterfly
GINGER KWAN
Kwantum Leap
SAXOPHONE SUMMIT-(Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman and Joe Lovano)
SAXOPHONE SUMMIT
HIROMI
Voice
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