The image on the cover really gets at the feel of the set – as the instrumentation here features simply percussion, electric guitar, and flute – all used in really inventive, highly rhythmic ways! There's a lilting groove to the set that recalls earlier rhythms from the South African scene – but the use of guitar and phrasing of the flute are also showing a stronger influence from jazz – maybe not the modern modes of a group like The Blue Notes, yet still a key cultural shift that really makes the album a legendary one from the scene at the time! Titles include "Soul Of Africa", "Jolly Journey", "Malombi Walk", "Sibathathu", "Abbey's Body", "Umkhosi", "Ngivulele", and "Emoubane". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful blend of 70s electric modes and the spiritual currents of the Gallo label on the South African scene – and a record that really stands as a testament to the talents and timing of keyboard player Lionel Pillay! The set just features two long tracks – building with a groove as Pillay uses either electric piano or organ alongside the bass of Charles Johnstone and drums and percussion of Rod Clark – stretching things out, and never forcing the groove too much – so that the record builds in a really nice way. Basil Manneberg Coetzee provides a wonderful tenor solo on the 25 minute track "Cherry" – almost evoking Stanley Turrentine with his tone – and the 19 minute "Plum" is just a keyboard showcase for Pillay in the trio! (Jazz, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet 80s groover from the South African scene – a set that makes great use of drum machine rhythms and keyboards, but at a level that's nicely warmed up by the group's vocals! There's plenty of elements here that link up with that moment when electric African material was getting wider circulation in the Northern Hemisphere, thanks to work by labels like Celluloid or Jive – and although this set never got hat sort of larger exposure, it's right up there with some of the best South African soul of the time! Titles include "Mind Games", "Right On Time", "Fire Passion Ecstasy", "Where Did We Go Wrong", and "Say Say No". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer cuts from two different studio groups led by the legendary Fruko – work that bristles with all the best raw energy from the more underground side of the Discos Fuentes label in the 70s – plenty of percussion, really rootsy basslines, and a fair bit of electric guitar and keyboards snaking through the mix! Wganda Kenya serve up cuts that are every bit as great as the material on their other records – while Kammpala Grupo work in plenty of cool moogy keyboards, almost creating some sort of sound library blend with more earthy Colombian rhythms! Titles include "El Nativo", "Chao Amor", "La Riphyta", "La Trompeta Loco", "El Gallo Africano", "La Yuca Raya", "King Kong", and "Caimito". (Latin, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

(78 RPM, Global Grooves) 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A really early experiment in mixing South African styles with jazz – a set that's maybe more strongly on some of Township modes of the years before than a few of the other key modern projects of the time! Instrumentation often has pennywhistle in the lead on solos, used in a way a funky flute might on an American jazz set – and the rhythms often have raw hand percussion, mixed with warmer riffing currents on electric guitar – creating this sense of balance that gives the whole record a hell of a lot of charm! The sound is nice and lean, in a really great way – and titles include "Abbey's Mood", "Lousy Fever", "A Tribute To Birds", "Blues After Lunch", "Grab This For Me", "Root Of Africa", "Vuma Mbari", and "Jikeleza". LP, Vinyl record album