Saturday, March 9, 2024

Black Disco - 1976 - Night Express

Black Disco
1976
Night Express


01. Yasmeen's Blues 04:51
02. Night Express 11:20
03. Super Natural Love 04:28
04. Oh Happy Day 06:54
05. Echo on the Delay 04:49
06. Odds On 07:21

Organ - Pops Mohamed
Tenor Sax & Flute - Basil Coetzee
Bass - Sipho Gumede
Drums - Peter Morake



Pops Mohamed leaned heavily on his Yamaha Electone's "auto rhythm section" to produce the Timmy Thomas-inspired signature drum machine sound that characterised Black Disco's 1975 self-titled debut. Following in 1976, Night Express took the group to new heights with the inclusion of drummer Peter Morake (Abdullah Ibrahim/Roots) on most of the tracks. In addition to Mohamed on organ, founding members Sipho Gumede (bass) and Basil Coetzee (sax/flute) round out the Black Disco sound with memorable original compositions and a smattering of unique takes on unlikely covers. The result is an album more deeply rooted in South African jazz sensibilities with a title track that has become one of the most widely admired artefacts of downbeat 1970s Afro-funk.

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