Batsumi

reverse board sleeve

One of the most compelling albums we've heard from the African scene of the 70s -- a rare set from a Soweto group, and one that's got a heavy dose of spiritual jazz in the mix!

The album almost feels more like the kind of set you'd hear by a Paris group, extrapolating African sounds in the post-colonial era -- or an American group, inspired by roots from the homeland -- and the group sports some especially great work on tenor, played by Themba Koyana, a player we've never heard before! Rhythms are great, with lots of percussion, and some nice funky undercurrents at times -- and other instrumentation includes organ, which often works well with the echoey production. The album does have some occasional vocals, but the main focus is instrumental, which is very jazzy too.

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1. Lishonile
• A2. Emampondweni

• SIDE B
• B1. Mamshanyana
• B2. Itumeleng
• B3. Anishilabi