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.GINGER KWAN
Kwantum Leap
JOHN ELLIS AND DOUBLE-WIDE
Puppet Mischief
Ted Nash & Odeon
La Espada de La Noche
SAXOPHONE SUMMIT-(Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman and Joe Lovano)
SAXOPHONE SUMMIT
Brian Marsella's Imaginarium
The Clocks Have Gone Mad
MICROSCOPIC SEPTET
Surrealistic Swing
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