various: soul safari presents township jive & kwela jazz volume 4

The fourth issue in the Township Jive & Kwela Jazz series features 16 early vocal and jazzy tunes from the "Golden Age" of jive and kwela in South Africa. These pearls of musical genius were recorded in the glory years of jive and kwela, 1940 to 1965. On side A, it is not difficult to recognize the similarities to American popular music like R&B and small-combo close-harmony singing. In contrast, that typical South African swing, jive and incredibly smooth form of African jazz is on side B. The rarest and most treasured finds are collected here, some with the original spoken introductions, "sketches" as these were called and characteristic conversations between the musicians - often in a humoristic slang and always extremely funny. Originally released on fragile shellac discs only. Shellac is a very delicate material but the music survived thanks to the archives of ILAM (the International Library of African Music), in Grahamstown, South Africa. A truly great source of South African music is being preserved here for new generations, to inspire young and hopeful musicians and singers from all over the world. Pressed on 180 gram vinyl. Features: Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje, Maphela, Mississippi Brothers, Beauty Diloane, Susan Gabashane & Her Honeybees, Alabhama Kids, Black Duke, Peter Makana and Alfred Dlezi & Dlamini.