Johnny Dyani, Mongezi Feza, Okay Temiz - 1988 - Rejoice

Johnny Dyani, Mongezi Feza, Okay Temiz 

1988

Rejoice

01. Mad High 11:03

02. Makaya Makaya 11:07

03. Pukwana 9:02

04. Imbomgolo 12:07

Bass, Vocals – Johnny Dyani

Drums [Turkish], Percussion – Okay Temiz

Trumpet, Vocals – Mongezi Feza

Recorded at the Filial of the Museum of Modern Art, Stockholm, Sweden, October 21st 1972

The life of Johnny “Mbizo” Dyani (1945-1986), bassist with the legendary South African jazz troupe the Blue Notes, is celebrated by the reissue of two recordings dating from his period living in Sweden. “Rejoice”, culled from a live concert with trumpeter Mongezi Feza and drummer Okay Temiz, and the studio recording “Together” featuring Dyani’s group Witchdoctor’s Son, were issued posthumously, the latter in 1987, “Rejoice”a year later; both are treasured collectors’ pieces in their original vinyl formats.

REJOICE is a trio album with Dyani's compatriot Mongezi Feza and Turkish percussionist Okay Temiz, recorded at the Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm in October 1972, during a Swedish tour. Sadly by the time the album was actually released in 1988 only one member of the group remained, Feza having died in 1975 aged 30 and Dyani in 1986 aged 39. Both musicians had left South Africa as members of the Blue Notes group, settling in London never to return to their apartheid homeland. TOGETHER was also recorded in Stockholm, where Dyani was by then living, in Dec 1979 / Jan 1980. The group was put together specially with Dyani's old cohort Dudu Pukwana invited over from London to play. 'The music is very special. Transcending the boundaries of nations and cultures, Mbizo s enthusiasm spread and inspired the sessions with his intense passion. A passion which revelled in a nostalgia for the myths and melodies of Marabi and Kwela. Mbizo s life was music, he gave his life for music. These sessions are Mbizo's own testimony to the spirit of hope for the future, for a better world. It is a statement so filled with vitality and with the joy of rediscovered roots that it will stand as a signpost to the whole of his life and work.'

Dyani, Temiz, Feza - 1980 - Music For Xaba Volume Two

Dyani, Temiz, Feza

1980

Music For Xaba Volume Two

01. Mad High 13:00

02. Mighty Blues 8:10

03. Dear Africa 6:50

04. Makaya Makaya Makaya 9:05

05. Witchdoctor's Son 4:55

Bass, Piano, Vocals – Johnny Dyani

Drums, Percussion – Okay Temiz

Trumpet, Percussion – Mongezi Feza

Recorded at Theater Nine, Stockholm, Sweden on November 2nd, 1972.

Mongezi Feza began playing the trumpet very early, and by his teens was already playing professionally in groups, taking part in the very popular jazz competitions. Chris McGregor spotted him there and invited him to join the Blue Notes; with them he fled the country in 1964, playing first at the Antibes Jazz Festival and then in Zurich, London, and Copenhagen. Feza was a member of the ensembles McGregor led and played with Dudu Pukwana in his groups Assagai and Spear in the early '70s. In Flute Music (Caroline 1975), he plays flute and percussion on four original compositions, including the beautiful "Sondela." He was heard on Keith Tippett's huge Centipede (Septober Energy, RCA 1971); with avant-rock's Robert Wyatt (Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard, Virgin 1975), and in Henry Cow with Fred Frith (Desperate Straights and In Praise of Learning, Virgin 1974). In 1972, Johnny Dyani invited Feza to join the trio Xaba, with Turkish percussionist Okay Temiz. Feza recorded one of his last sessions (Diamond Express, Freedom 1977) with Dudu Pukwana. He passed away in 1975, from a combination of nervous disorder and untreated pneumonia; his friends and colleagues believed that his complaints were not taken seriously enough at the London hospital. Explosive yet lyrical, Feza was enamored of the style of Clifford Brown and Booker Little. His free improvisations, infused with the influence of kwela rhythms and African melodies, are a marvel of invention. With his premature death, the European jazz scene lost one of its most original voices and a person loved by audiences and colleagues alike.

Dyani, Temiz, Feza - 1973 - Music for Xaba

Dyani, Temiz, Feza

1973 

Music for Xaba

01. Idyongwana 9:30

02. Feelings 12:45

03. Traditional South African Songs 9:10

04. Görans Söder 11:30

Bass, Piano, Vocals – Johnny Dyani

Drums, Percussion – Okay Temiz

Trumpet, Percussion – Mongezi Feza

Recorded at Theatre Nine, Stockholm, Sweden, November 2nd, 1972.

A small contribution to the south African thread running through these pages, and by way of a response to a request, here's Music for xaba a great fusion of free jazz , tribal psychedelia and those unforgettable township melodies.

All these players had strong associations with Don Cherry.. and these sessions have a marked resemblance to many of his projects...(long may he be remembered).

To those who are familiar with Cherry and the many classics in the free ethno tribal trance out sub genre, but don't know this..its well worth checking out.

Assagai - 1971 - Zimbabwe

Assagai

1971

Zimbabwe

01. Barazinbar

02. Wanga

03. La La

04. Dalani

05. Bayeza

06. Sanga

07. Come Along

08. Kinzambi

Backing Band – Jade Warrior

Congas – Terri Quaye

Congas, Percussion – Smiley De Jonnes

Drums – Louis Moholo

Tenor Saxophone – Bizo Mngqikana

Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Fred Fredericks

Trumpet – Mongezi Feza

Vocals – Martha Mdenge

Alto Saxophone, Piano – Dudu Pukwana

From the back cover: “In recording this second album its been a pleasure once again with such rated musicians as Louis Moholo (drums) Dudu Pukwana (Alto/Piano) Mongezi Feza (Trumpet) Terri Quaye (Congas) and Bizo Mngikana (tenor). New members to the band are Smiley de Jonnes (congas/percussion) and Fred Fredericks (tenor/baritone) and Martha Mdenge who writes and sings some nice African folk songs. Thanks to fellow Vertigo artists Jade Warrior for strumming, picking, banging and blowing along, not to mention writing and arranging a few steamers. Recorded at Nova Sound Studios and Engineered by Richard Dodds. Produced by Dave Watson for Normal Associates. Sleeve Designed and drawn by Roger Dean."

Assagai was an Afro-rock band from South Africa, active in the early 1970s in London. It consisted of five members: drummer Louis Moholo, trumpeter/flautist Mongezi Feza, tenor saxophonist Bizo Muggikana, guitarist Fred Cocker, and alto saxophonist Dudu Pukwana. They recorded for the British label Vertigo Records. Assagai's self-titled debut album was released in 1971. It was reissued on CD by Repertoire Records in 1994. Their second and final album, Zimbabwe, was released later in 1971. The album was re-released as LP by Music for Pleasure label, but under a different title, AfroRock. Both their albums featured songs written by members of Jade Warrior and also included guest appearances from them as well. In the 1960s, Pukwana, Feza and Moholo were also members of the jazz band The Blue Notes alongside Chris McGregor.

Although Assagai's Zimbabwe is so unnervingly eclectic that some might find it a somewhat uneven listening experience, it's a very interesting fusion of funk, rock, and African influences that's quite forward-looking for the early '70s, with just a bit of psychedelia thrown in. When they're playing in a relatively straightforward Afro-funk vein, they're pretty hot, mixing grinding, groovy riffs with some African beats, wailing melancholy horns, and obviously James Brown-influenced rhythm guitar. That blend is prevalent on the opening six-minute instrumental "Barazinbar," and vocals get thrown into a similar approach on "Bayeza." But others cuts vary the arrangements enough to steer the album well clear of formulas. "Kinzambi," another instrumental, gets into some intense interplay between jazzy brass and hand-held percussion, and the beats and brass on "Sanga" might slightly remind some listeners of Manu Dibango's work. "Wanga" and "Come Along" have a bubbly lilt more identified with the sweeter aspects of the Afro-Pop popularized around the world from the '80s onward, though "Come Along" has the kind of romantically shivering vocal associated with some pre-1970 African popular music. "Dalani" is another highlight, kicked off by a compelling, tinkling keyboard riff and gliding into a first-class jubilant funk instrumental. Making the group harder to pigeonhole, however, are "La La," which sounds almost like a dreamy psychedelic singer/songwriter ballad (albeit not sung in the English language) with piano and entrancingly folky guitar. Not well-known even among collectors looking for early fusions of African music and funk, Zimbabwe's an interesting, energizing record whose innovations and creativity are worthy of more recognition.