Batsumi - 1974 - Batsumi

Batsumi

1974

Batsumi

01. Lishonile

02. Emampondweni

03. Mamshanyana

04. Itumeleng

05. Anishilabi

Double Bass, Design, Artwork – Zulu Bidi

Drums – Lekgabe Maleka

Drums, Flute, Jew's Harp, Liner Notes – Thabang Masemola

Organ – Sello Mothopeng

Tenor Saxophone – Themba Koyana

Vocals, Bongos – Buta Buta Zwane

Vocals, Guitar – Maswaswe Mothopeng

Recorded in 1974 in Soweto, this is an intriguing, rousing reminder of the inventive styles that flourished in apartheid-era South Africa, but never came to the notice of the outside world. Batsumi were an Afro-jazz outfit led by a blind guitarist, Johnny Mothopeng, along with his keyboard-playing brother Lancelot and bassist Zulu Bidi. They worked in the sprawling Johannesburg township in the early 70s, and their debut album has been unobtainable for decades. Remastered from the original tapes, and best played very loud, it's a vibrant, energetic workout in which slinky, repeated riffs are matched against wailing, sometimes psychedelic effects, with saxophone and flute solos added. There are five lengthy tracks here, and they range from the opening Lishonile, in which hypnotic, repeated phrases and solos give way after nine minutes to equally furious chanting, and the cool Anishilabi, in which a classy keyboard workout and bass solo ease into a cool, loping riff. An obscure African recording, maybe, but this is still great dance music.

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