NIGHT FORCE & THE TOM CATS – Dance

Afrosynth Records, AFS037 

Rare South African disco from 1981, re-issued for the first time on Afrosynth Records. 

The title track ‘Dance’ was originally released in 1980, a hit throughout Europe written by Belgian composers Frank Degrijse and Alain Denisse, released as Night Force and produced by ill-fated Dutchman Bart van der Laar.

In Johannesburg, where a promo was sent to the offices of the local independent label Music Team, it was decided that the song would be released to the South African market at a slower tempo, the original 45rpm slowed down to 33rpm.

Originally released in South African in 1981, the slowed-down version of Dance was the brainchild of Enoch Ndlela during his days at Music Team, run by Maurice Horwitz.

Ndlela recalls: “Before I left [Music Team], I found ‘Dance’, a maxi single from Italy – Night Force and Tom Cats. It was a maxi single and the tempo was high. Because the tempo is Italy, it’s white people. I told Maurice, ‘This is a hit, but you have to slow it down’. He refused, but I had to persuade him into slowing it down.

“Now the story is that it was a mistake that I played in on 33. It was not a mistake. I did it! I am a musician, I’m a producer. The master was sent and we asked permission to slow it down to suit the market… You can hear it differs if you know the original.“

The move dropped the beats per minute from a frantic 135 down to 113, transforming the original into a slow-burner for the earliest days of the South African disco market, which would soon explode into what became known as bubblegum.

The trend in South Africa of pitching down imported dance records continued and in the following decade gave rise to the first kwaito releases.

Added to the Night Force tracks are four songs by The Tom Cats, Music Team’s in-house production team. Most recognisable are dub reworkings of recent Afrosynth releases ‘Burnin Beat (It’sHot)’ and ‘Searchin’ - originally released two years earlier, in 1979 - here re-titled ‘Hot Stuff’ and ‘Search For Love’ respectively.

Synth-heavy oddities ‘You Are My Fire’ and ‘Shake Shake’ make up the rest of the tracklist, credited to Jannie Smit, who a few years later would work on V.O.’s Mashisa, another recent South African re-issue.

Night Force & The Tom Cats Dance (AFS037) will be available in late 2018. Order from Rush Hour here.

KORI MORABA - Le Rato Howena (1981)

RPM, RPM7057

Producer: Jimmy Mojapelo

Engineer: Hennie Hartmann

Recorded at: RPM Studios

Kori Moraba was a popular figure on the Sotho soul scene alongside contemporaries like the Black Five, Babsy Mlangeni and Mpharanyana. In 1977 he released one of the earliest examples of homegrown reggae, entitled Sotho Reggae, years before the likes of the Dread Warriors, Lucky Dube and Steve Kekana. In 1978 he led The Minerals line-up that released 'Maditaba' in Europe. 1981's Le Rato Howena captures him in his prime. Moraba continued to have hits during the 80s, many written by Jimmy Mojapelo, and in 1992 released Victims of the System (1992).

JOY - High Life (1981)

RPM, PVBL9002

Producers: Patric van Blerk, Fransua Roos & Greg Cutler

Engineer: Greg Cutler

Recorded at: RPM Studios

Made up of the late Anneline Malebo, Felicia Marion and Thoka Ndlozi, Joy pre-empted the bubblegum era with their commercially appealing sound and image, crafted by producer Patric van Blerk (Victory, Margaret Singana), one of the first to forge a multiracial crossover sound influenced by American soul and R&B. As South Africa's answer to the Supremes, Joy supported touring acts like Lamont Dozier, Clarence Carter, Dobie Gray and Leo Sayer. They were undoubtedly best known for the massive crossover hit 'Paradise Road' in 1980, which helped them earn two Saries Awards for Best Vocal Group and Best English LP of the Year in 1980 (a landmark moment in the ethnically divided industry) and even led to a tour of the UK. High Life followed in 1981, but lacked a hit to take the trio further. They broke up in 1983, the year that Brenda Fassie, who had once filled in for Malebo in the Joy line-up, ushered in the bubblegum era with 'Weekend Special'. Although their sound was less fresh and funky that the bubblegum acts that followed in the footsteps, Joy's contribution to the local industry should never be forgotten.

SHOE LACES - Mama ka Vusi (1981)

Mavuthela/Gallo, BL323   

Producer: West Nkosi       

Engineer: Owen Wolf                

Soulful mbaqanga with the signature West Nkosi touch, full of organ sounds and bass-heavy grooves. Purists will dismiss Shoe Laces as Nkosi’s attempts to push mbaqanga into the modern era after its popularity began to wane in the 1980s – at least before the boom in interest internationally for acts like Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens. In doing so Nkosi drew on the soul sounds he honed producing the likes of Mpharanyana and the Cannibals, employing musicians from his Mavuthela stable, including members of another influential mbaqanga act, Amaswazi Emvelo.

MOSES MCHUNU - Babulala Umuzi ka Baba (1981)

Ezomdabu/Mavuthela/Gallo, BL320 

Producer: West Nkosi       

Engineer: Owen Wolf                

Maskandi star Moses Mchunu was born in 1948 in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, also the home of president Jacob Zuma. He moved to Joburg in 1966, getting a job at a hotel before meeting master producer West Nkosi and signing to Gallo in the 70s. Although his traditional Zulu grooves are nothing unique, Nkosi's production, coupled with his smooth vocals and million-dollar smile, set Mchunu above the rest.

KARIBA - Sensation (1981)

RPM,  RPM1160   
Producer: Kevin Kruger   
Engineer: John Lindemann       
Recorded at: RPM Studios, Jhb

Although one of the earliest reggae albums recorded by South African musicians, this was certainly not one of the best. Side A is a medley of 11 Bob Marley hits. Side B has three more covers, done in a disco-reggae style. Producer/drummer Kevin Kruger's only original compositions, 'Shy Girl' and 'Good Night Out', stand out from the rest and give the album some credibility. 'Shy Girl' he originally recorded with his band in the late 60s, The Kynd. The band also featured singers Star Mabaso and Kim Kallie, with Mike Makhalemele on sax.

HOTLINE - Burnout (1981)

MFM (distributed by Gallo), ML456
Producers: Ron "Bones" Brettell & Greg Cutler 

'You're So Good To Me' was an SA #8 in February 1982. Not to be confused with Sipho 'Hotstix' Mabuse's smash hit a few years later, the title track for 'Burnout' actually only appeared on Hotline's second album Help in 1982.

Tracks:

1. Runaway Child (Van Dyk) [3.38]
2. You're So Good To Me (Powers) [3.57]
3. Nobody's Fool (Van Dyk) [3.13]
4. Don't Leave Me Now (Powers) [2.50]
5. Mystery (Powers) [3.51]
6. Like You (Powers) [3.22]
7. One More Night (Powers) [4.22]
8. So Cold (Powers) [3.17]
9. Bad Girl (Powers) [3.00]
10. Freedom (Powers) [3.27]

Musicians:

• PJ Powers: Vocals
• Alistair Coakley: Lead guitar
• George van Dyk: Bass
• Patrick van Rensburg: Drums
• Geoff Sedgwick: Keyboards

Thanks SA Rock Encyclopedia

JULUKA – African Litany (1981)

Music Incorporated/EMI, MINC (L) 1020

Producer: Hilton Rosenthal (and Richard Mitchell At RPM)
Engineer: Greg Cutler

Recorded At: Satbel Studios

Great early album from Mchunu and Clegg, featuring lasting hits like "Impi", "African Sky Blue", and "Gijim'beke".
 

HARARI - Flying Out (1981)

Gallo (Africa), ML 4537.

Producers: S. Mabuse / A. Khaoli / G. Cutler

Following 1980's Heatwave, Flying Out was a far poorer effort, and by then, Harari’s funk had fallen flat. They disbanded at the end of '82, although new lineups continued to release albums under Sipho Mabuse’s stewardship.

THE CANNIBALS - Put Your Dancing Shoes On (1981)

Teal / Music Machine / Mavuthela. MHL 6003

Producer: Marks Mankwane.

Engineer: Richard Mitchell

Founded in ‘72 and led by Ray Phiri on guitar, the initially instrumental Cannibals in 1975 paired up with Jacob 'Mpharanyana' Radebe, arguably the greatest male singer of the pre-disco soul era. As Radebe’s backing band, they recorded a string of hits over the next four years before Radebe died at the peak of his fame. As with Harari, his death forced the remaining members to regroup and change direction. Released in 1981, Put Your Dancing Shoes On is an eight-track stomper of synthesizer-infused disco-funk, their second album since Radebe’s death. In the words of Elliot Makhaya, then showbiz editor for The Sowetan who wrote the original sleeve notes, “The title tune is a mover. Unless you have iron-socks on, this item will get ya strutting across the dance-floor.” It followed by the equally infectious “We Got them Dancing” and “Hey Tonight”. My favourite is the end of side A, “Get off my Way,” for its funky as hell call and response vocals.

Behind Phiri was Ephraim Hlophe on keyboards, Richard Shongwe’s bass guitar and drummer Isaac Mtshali. Guest string and synthesizer arranger is Mac Mathunjwa, the uncle of Joe Nina. Special vocal efffects on 'Genesis' by Lionel Peterson. “It’s like a feast of cannibals.” Makhaya’s notes continue. “But not the feasting on their own kind. It’s just a musical feast, dad!  The Cannibals burn brightly and have proved inexhaustible. They deliver a soul-brew to warm ya aching soul.” The album was produced by the late Marks Mankwane of Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens. 

Struggling without their popular frontman, The Cannibals released one more album Total Rejection that year before merging with members of The Movers to become the mighty Stimela (after a short stint as Kumasi), a few years later featuring on Paul Simon’s Graceland. 

STEVE KEKANA - Raising My Family (1981)

CCP/EMI. 1A 064-83242
Producers: Malcolm Watson & Tom Vuma, 

Engineers: Philip Nel & Owen Woolf
Recorded at: EMI Brigadiers Studios

Legendary vocalist Steve Kekana was one of the giants of the SA industry in the 80s. After cutting his teeth on traditional mbaqanga vibes (under producer Tom Vuma), he then ventured into more synthesizer-heavy, disco sounds, singing in English and appealing to a wider audience.  Raising my Family, the follow-up to the 1980's Umenziwa Akakhohlwa, blends brainmelting proto-bubblegum supersynths with early Lucky Dube-esque reggae/mbaqanga hybrid sounds, telling tales of pan-africanism, black consciousness and general good vibes. No wonder this is the album that established SK as an international star - it  a huge hit in Europe, particularly in Scandinavia. 

1981 was also the year he sang the powerful duet "Feel so Strong" with PJ Powers from Hotline - a daring black-white collaboration that was initially banned by apartheid censors for containing lyrics  promoting racial harmony. Kekana later provided guest vocals on Hotline's 1983 album Music for Africa. Together they embarked on a groundbreaking European tour in the early 80s. Kekana also went on to guest on Sipho 'Hotstix' Mabuse's smash hit 'Burnout' in 1984.

Highlights on this album are "Colour Me Black',  the title track and "Living Underground". All feature wicked programming courtesy of Malcolm Watson, who worked with Brenda & the Big Dudes and a host of other major bubblegum acts of the era. I found this in a fleamarket at Am Hof on the streets of Vienna, filed under reggae.

1981