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.INARA GEORGE WITH VAN DYKE PARKS
An Invitation
DIGITAL PRIMITIVES
Hum, Crackle, and Pop
Stanton Moore
III
NOAH BAERMAN, WAYNE ESCOFFERY, AMANDA MONACO, VINNIE SPERRAZZA, HENRY LUGO
Playdate
JAKE BERGEVIN
Holding Back the Dawn
FO/MO/DEEP
Eclecticism
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