AFS045
One of South Africa’s biggest independent labels for decades, the Music Team catalogue spanned all genres and markets in the country’s rich and varied industry. When it came to the disco sound popular in the late 80s and early 90s, artists in the stable had access to top studios, musicians and producers with an ear on the latest trends, as well as distribution via a number of Music Team imprints - CTV, Red Label, Spinna, Mambo Music, Solid and others. Run by Maurice Horwitz, Music Team gave talented working musicians a shot at stardom. Those who tasted success would typically release a few albums over as many years before moving on either to other labels or falling off the radar as times changed.
Compiled here then are six tracks from the Music Team catalogue, originally released in South Africa between 1986 and 1992. Three are by popular male crooners — Isaac ‘Cool Cat’ Mofokeng (‘Candy’), Linda Olifant (‘I Won’t Let You Go’) and Jappie Lebona (‘My Love is Yours) — and are typical of the label’s take on the ‘bubblegum’ sound of the day, along with a slower groove by female singer Thandi Zulu (aka TZ Junior), ‘Instant Love (Eyami Lendoda)’. Two instrumentals — Mr. Ace’s ‘Ace 1’ and ‘Axe Chop’ by The Hard Workers, a popular studio project by Music Team’s in-house producer Tom Mkhize — meanwhile hint at the imminent rise of house and kwaito. All were forged in the fire of a cruel and volatile political system that was quickly unravelling — but instead of addressing the political realities of the day sought to provide listeners with an escape to a world where love and music were all that mattered.
Compiled with DJs and dancefloors in mind, Afrosynth Records’ Music Team Sampler dusts off some rare and long-forgotten gems and makes them available for a new audience.
SIDE A
A1: Isaac ‘Cool Cat’ Mofokeng - 'Candy'
Isaac Mofokeng started his recording career in the 1970s on Mavuthela’s Soul Jazz Pop imprint, backed by The Ribbons. Switching from Sesotho to English to reach a wider audience, he signed to Atlantic and in 1979 released two albums with The Sakie Special Band: Cool Cat, the album and single that would later become his stage name, and Take Me Back. As the 80s dawned he stepped out as a solo performer, releasing a third album on Atlantic, I’m In Love With You (1981). In 1985 he released a single, ’Midnight Groove’, as Isaac ‘Madala’ Mofokeng on Kaya Records, then as ‘Cool Cat’ released the album Let Your Love Shine on Music Team’s Spinna imprint in 1987, produced by Tom Mkhize. It included the track ‘Candy’, a five-and-a-half minute disco workout which kicks off the upcoming Afrosynth Records release.
A2: Mr. Ace - 'Ace 1'
Keyboardist Andry Mbuyisa, better known as ‘Ace’ or ‘Mambu’, had a long career in South Africa’s music industry starting in the 1970s with popular soul outfit The Additions. In the 1980s he made his mark with bubblegum group Freeway, part of the Dephon/Roy B. stable, releasing albums like Majita (1984), Keep On Trying and Stand up for your Rights. Graduating to production he was behind the desk for Linda ‘Babe’ Majika’s 1988 debut solo album, Don’t Treat Me So Bad (reissued by Be With in 2020), credited as A. Mambu, as well as It’s So Hard the following year. In 1991 he co-produced The Q-Force album Daddy Come Back on Krunch Records, also joining the Music Team stable to compose tracks for Ayobayo Band’s album Hey Ta Da. In 1992 he went into engineer Fred Woods’ studio to record a solo instrumental album, ‘Ace 1’, layering synths over uptempo drum machines to create a fresh proto-house sound with a distinctly South African flavour. ‘Ace 1’ is the second track on Afrosynth Records’ upcoming Music Team Sampler compilation.
A3: Linda - 'I Won’t Let You Go' 5:19
The son of jazz trumpeter (and later kwaito pioneer) Dennis Mpale, Linda ‘Slim’ Olifant emerged in the 80s as part of Reborn, later known as Afubi (short for Afro Funk & Blues Investigation) alongside Sizwe Zako, releasing a string of popular 12” singles in 1983-85. In 1984 Olifant also added guest vocals to Duke Makasi’s Rise And Shine produced by Sipho Gumede. With Zako destined for bigger things (with Pure Magic and producing Rebecca Malope), Afubi parted ways, leaving Olifant to embark on a solo career at Music Team, starting with a four-track EP ‘Sweet Mbaqanga’ in 1985. It was followed in 1986 by I Won’t Let You Go, the title track co-written with Solly Letwaba (bassist for The Black Five and Savuka, among others) and producer Tom Mkhize. Another sleeper hit from the bubblegum archive, ‘I Won’t Let You Go’ is the third track on Afrosynth Records’ upcoming Music Team Sampler (AFS045).
SIDE B
B1: Jappie Lebona - 'My Love Is Yours'
Brother of influential producer Koloi Lebona, the late Jappie Lebona (aka Japie or JP) was active in the 80s, primarily as a guitarist and producer for artists such as female duo Ecstasy, Special Cane Mahlelebe, Eric D, Lindie Fassie and Cokes. As a solo artist Jappie released at least two albums on Music Team’s Spinna imprint – 1984’s You’ve Got Me Running was recorded at RPM Studios in downtown Johannesburg using a full band of session musicians, but for 1986’s four-track EP Party Life he adopted a stripped-down approach in the studio, relying only on drum programming from engineer Phil Audoire and synths by Vusi ‘Buick’ Thwala (Step Ahead). Written and produced by Koloi, the standout track on the EP, ’My Love Is Yours’, is a moody chugger built on an earworm bass groove and a barrage of punchy synths, punctuated by Jappie’s unhurried vocals delivering memorable lines like: "I’ll treat you good and do the best I can. When I’m in the mood, I’m a loving man…" The track opens side B of Afrosynth Records’ upcoming Music Team Sampler.
B2: The Hard Workers - 'Axe Chop'
A popular South African studio project helmed by Tom Mkhize, the Hard Workers put out four albums on Music Team’s Red Label imprint between 1988 and 1990. Mkhize composed the songs (credited as Mphix), produced and arranged, typically alongside engineer David Moloele on drum programming and Sam Ndlovu on keyboards, with a revolving door of guest contributors. The Hard Workers’ sound evolved over time but stuck to a formula that worked: uptempo, largely instrumental dance music incorporating Shangaan disco and proto-house ‘pantsula’ influences, adding piercing synth hooks and occasional vocal or whistling samples, foreshadowing the imminent rise of kwaito. Taken from the 1988 album Ayoba-Yo, ’Axe Chop’ is a prime example of this pioneering sound that opened the door to the 90s and beyond — and is the fifth track on Afrosynth Record’s upcoming Music Team Sampler.
B3: Thandi - 'Instant Love (Eyami Lendoda)'
Like several other prominent female South African singers of the era, Thandi Zulu had her first break in the cast of a Gibson Kente musical: 1977’s Heartbreaker. In the mid-80s she released a string of singles, starting in 1984 with ‘Love Games’ on the Heads label (as Thandi Zulu & The Young Five). Moving with producer Peter Moticoe to the bigger Dephon/Roy B stable that was also home to Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Margino, she released ‘Move Me/Doctor Feelgood’ (as Thandi Zulu), then as TZ Junior she had a hit with ’Sugar My Love’ (reissued by Jamwax in 2018). Around this time she also recorded a single at Emcee Studio for the short-lived Racey Records, ‘Instant Love (Eyami Lendoda)’ – ultimately released in 1986 on Music Team’s Spinna imprint, this time simply as Thandi. A smouldering, synth-heavy showcase of her inimitable vocals, ‘Instant Love’ is the sixth and final track on Afrosynth Records’ Music Team Sampler (AFS045).
Order AFS045 now via Rush Hour.