King Kong – All African Jazz Opera

barabara sounds sez:

The last of this series of S.African posts: the seminal jazz opera that launched the international careers – and extended exiles – of both Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela. This is the recording of the 1959 original cast (there was also an album from the London cast), from the CD reissue on Celluloid. It's more of an artifact than a must-listen but there are some fine tracks. And the first – Sad times, bad times – is a classic. It's also wonderful to hear Mama Africa in one of her earliest recordings... Essential!!

wiki sez:

King Kong had an all-black cast. The musical portrayed the life and times of a heavyweight boxer, Ezekiel Dlamini, known as "King Kong". Born in 1921, after a meteoric boxing rise, his life degenerated into drunkenness and gang violence. He knifed his girlfriend, asked for the death sentence during his trial and instead was sentenced to 14 years hard labour. He was found drowned in 1957 and it was believed his death was a suicide. He was 36. This musical was a hit in South Africa in 1959 and played at the Princes Theatre in the West End of London in 1961.

soul safari has a great post with lots more background here...

track list:

Sad times, bad times; Marvellous muscles; King kong; Kwela long; Back of the moon; Petal’s song; Damn him; Strange; Better than new; Mad; Quickly in love; In the queue; It’s a wedding; Death song

band

Joseph Rubushe, Hugh Masekela, Simon Chose (tp); Gwangwa Jonas (aka Jonas Gwangwa), Dougmore Slinga (tb); Mackay Devashe (ts, orchestration, arr, leader); Sylvester Phahlane (ts); Christopher Coka (bass s); Gwigwi Mrwebi (cl); Kiepie Moeketsi (aka Kippie Moeketsi) (as, orchestration, arr); Sol Klaaste (p, orchestration, arr); General Duze (g); Jacob Lepere (b); Ben Maoela (d); Stanley Glasser (musical d, orchestration, arr); Arnold Dover (choreography); Harry Bloom (book).

Township Swing Jazz - Vol.1

barabara sounds sez:

More of those infectious sounds from that golden age of township jazz. This one features plenty of musicians who went on to become some of the best known in/from the country. In case you don't know the background, the innocuous-sounding Father Huddlestone Band — set up by the anti-apartheid priest (and later archbishop) Trevor Huddlestone — was actually the crucible that Hugh Masekela and also Jonas Mosa Gwangwa emerged from. Legend has it Masekela started playing on a trumpet donated by Louis Armstrong (talk about passing on the torch!) — though others say the horn was scrounged from the Salvation Army. Whichever version you care to believe, jive in. And go the bafana bafana!

slipcue.com sez:

A stellar collection of South African pop music from the 1940s and '50s -- probably the best introduction to this style that you can find, and fairly easy to track down. American swing and pop vocal styles are gloriously transmuted into utterly delectable melodic forms -- the perfect thing to put on some day when you're down in the dumps and want to feel really, really warm and fuzzy. This disc features the best artists of the time, the recordings of many of whom are maddeningly impossible to find anywhere else. Especially cool are Miriam Makeba's original vocal ensemble, The Skylarks, and the beautiful pennywhistle music of groups such as the Solven Whistlers. This is a fun, fascinating album, and highly, highly recommended!

Track listing:

1. De Makeba - Mackay Davashe

2. Emaxambeni - Eric Nomvete

3. Pula Kgosi Seretse - Miriam Makeba

4. Daily Bread - Fred Mekoa

5. Daddy Wami - Ntemi Piliso

6. Tlhapi Ke Noga - Sam Maile

7. Ndenzeni Na? (What Have I Done?) - Father Huddleston Band

8. Darlie Kea Lemang - Mary Rabotapi

9. Lalelani - Miriam Makeba

10. Yiyo Le - Eric Nomvete

11. Malayisha - traditional

12. Makambati - Mackay Davashe

13. Good Time Boys - Kippie Moeketsi

14. Zulu Jazz - Christoph Songxaka

15. Ke Ya Kae le Bona - Dolly Rathebe

16. African Jive - Ntemi Piliso

17. Ndixolele - Miriam Makeba

18. Misfhane - Father Huddleston Band

19. Motsoala - Father Huddleston Band

20. Hamba 2 - Dugmore Slinger