ZULU BIDI AND BATSUMI: NEXT STOP SOWETO 3

Zulu Bidi was a member of the South African jazz group Batsumi, who recorded an incredible album in 1974. Here is a piece of a cool BBC documentary about ZB.

BATSUMI (1974)

Dusty Groove's take:

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 echo-ey production. The album does have some occasional vocals, but the main focus is instrumental, which is very jazzy too.

Itumeleng is on the 1974 self-titled LP recently re-issued in a very limited 500 copies worldwide. Massive props to Matsuli for dropping this!!!! It's sold out now.

But you can also find the track on the astonishing "Next Stop Soweto 3" compilation. This volume focuses on jazz and it's massive. Deep spiritual jazz, township grooves, funky fusions, modern modals... It's available on Strut




The video here is edited and shortened by about four minutes, missing the classical inspired intro.

PROMO VIDEO FOR NEXT STOP SOWETO 3

CUMBIA THE SOUNDWAY!

Soundway Records delves deep into the great history Colombian cumbia and porro – beautifully putting together an expansive set that traces the evolution of the sounds throughout 3 decades – and keeping it coming feverishly and furiously well paced the whole way through! They do a terrific job of making this set reverent of the history – it was very well researched by Will "Quantic" Holland – with one half featuring earlier Columbian cumbia and one half of the evolving sounds and instrumentation that came into play over the years. The sound is beautiful, even on the earliest recordings, and it's heated, intensely rhythmic all the way. Holland and Soundway's Miles Cleret here deliver as exciting and informative a set of benchmark cumbia as we could have hoped for – and it includes nice set of notes and photos.

WE WILL HAVE A RELEASE PARTY IN Coupd'état IN JANUARY - STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS....

VOL 1 & 2 ON CD OR VINYL!!!

BUY IT WHERE WE LIFTER IT! DUSTYGROOVE

BLITZ THE AMBASSADOR: REPRESENT(S) AFRICA!

REPRESENT AFRICA! goes harder in January!!!! BLITZ the Ambassador will guest host as well as perform at the monthly talent showcase for rising African artists in Chicago! The Ghana-born, Brooklyn based Hip Hop artist is making big waves with his conscious lyrics and globe-hopping sounds.

Guest performers are backed backed by house band BoSA and can earn a spot opening for a national act at The Shrine!

Artists wishing to perform at a future REPRESENT AFRICA! should send a youtube clip and/or MP3 to: representafrica@gmail.com

REPRESENT AFRICA! Thursday, January 19, 21012. (Doors open 8pm)

CHECK OUT HIS COMPLETE NEW ALBUM BELOW!!!!



NEW VIDEO FROM NATIVE SUN!!!!