Next Stop… Soweto 3 with the catchy sub-title “Giants, Minsters & Makers: Jazz I n South Africa 1963-1984” brings this three part series by Strut’s to a close as it follow Next Stop Vol. 1 (see review HERE) and Vol 2 (see review HERE).

Opening up with the Malombo Jazz Makers’ ‘Sibathathu’, this is the arguably the most “African” of the set as from then on the jazzmen take over. Some tracks are more obviously from the roots of what became acid jazz/breaks being “Soul, Funk & Organ Grooves” but all are tremendously ‘now’ and (pardon my phrase), hip.

Allen Kwela Octet’s ‘Question Mark’ is a fine example as its cool, groovy and a bit free-style all at the same time with a cookin’ drum solo (it has it all, but strangely not played at the last Jazz Chronicles session which is a error I will correct in a couple of weeks - see links below).

And another one you can put down as super groovy is Spirits Rejoice’s ‘Joy’ that covers the jazz with big funk elements (sort of rough Average White Band) and there’s a slow groove modal of Batsumi’s ‘Itumeleng’ (with classic flute lead).

Now, back at the last Jazz Chronicles, there was quite a lot of jazzy flute biz going on with the slow blues walk-dub of ‘Itumeleng’ seemed particularly popular (even if you didn’t take into account Herbert Laws’ efforts on Empire Jazz; I tell you, only at Jazz Chronicles is it this deep) but I also had to play Chris Schilder Quartet’s ‘Spring’ - although I could have played the whole album as it’s so good. And really, ‘Dedication (To Daddy Trane & Brother Shorter) by Mankunku Quartet is all that it says in the title!

Dennis Mpale goes a bit ska-calypso on ‘Orlando’ and then on CD2, it kicks off with the Early Mabuza Quartet’s ‘Little Old Man’ that sounds strangely 60s Jazz Britannia (Soho Coffee Bar section) as does ‘Pinese’s Dance’. And in the same area, although more Grateful Dead jammin’ with Hubert Laws in San Francisco man, try Malombo’s ‘Sangoma’. Whilst Heshoo Beshoo Group’s ‘Emakhaya’ could have been recorded at any time in the last 50 years but it will always be a bit of a big tune.

In addition to the modal rejuvenation of ‘Spring’, pianist Chris Schilder gets a second track, this time with The Castle Lager Big Band (now that’s proper Jazz sponsorship in my book) with ‘Switch’ and s for the a la Killer Joe Big Band modal swing fans.

It’s easy to forget that these artists were recording mostly during the times of the apartheid regime when higher profile artists (in the West anyway) as Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba were forced to live abroad in exile making these compilations even more remarkable.

So you might not have recognised any of the artists on this album before (or the other CDs for that matter) but saxophonist Dudu Pukwana was big on the London jazz circuit in the 70s and 80s (including the short lived but legendary group Centipede led by Keith Tippett!) represented on this CD with ‘Joe’s Jika’) and the set ends on one of the top South African musicians of all time (and I’m not talking Johnny Clegg), Dollar Brand (who found fame after his name change to Abdullah Ibrahim), ends the set with the previously unreleased title track, ‘Next Stop Soweto’ (found lurking in the metaphorical bowels of the South African Broadcasting Corporation).

I can’t stop playing this album as it is so good. Compilation of the year for me and what with the World Cup so delicately poised (well for some anyway) its the sound track to the whole festival of football; like Pink Floyd was in Italy 90 (well it was to a certain type of crew 20 years ago).

We love Strut so much and their dedication to bringing us only the best is second to none (at least very few) and if there are any ‘Best Of’ prize being awarded for 2010 compilation, the Next Stop… Soweto trio are top of my list; it’s enough to take you mind off the footie - Take Me To Brazil!

Reviewed: Various Artists - Next Stop… Soweto 3: Giants, Ministers & Makers: Jazz I n South Africa 1963-1984 (Strut) STRUT063 CD/LP Release date: 21st June 2010
Tracklisting:
CD1
1. Malombo Jazz Makes - Sibathathu
2. Allen Kwela Octe - Question Mark
3. Spirits Rejoice - Joy
4. The Minister - Ngena Mntan’am
5. Tete Mbambisa - Stay Cool
6. Batsumi - Itumeleng
7. The Soul Jazzman - Inhlupeko
8. Mankunku Quartet - Dedication (To Daddy Trane and Brother Shorther)
9. Dennis Mpale - Orlando
10. Themba - Ou Kaas
CD 2
1. Early Mabuza Quartet - Little Old Man (Maxjegwama)
2. Malombo - Sangoma
3. Chris Schilder Quartet feat. Mankunku - Spring
4. Jazz Giants - Pinese’s Dance
5. Dudu Pukwana - Joe’s Jika
6. Heshoo Beshoo Group - Emakhaya
7. The Drive - Howl
8. Chris McGregor & The Castle Lager Big Band - Switch
9. Jazz Ministers - Take Me To Brazil
10. Dollar Brand - Next Stop, Soweto (previously unreleased)

Links:
www.nextstopsoweto.com
www.strut-records.com
www.soundsoftheuniverse.com
11 Feb 2010 Nelson Mandela released from prison 20 years ago www.newsahead.com
Jazz Chronicles with DJs Simon S, Martin Gordon (Brownswood) and Gerry Hectic (FLY Global Music) Saturday 2 July 2010 Sixty Million Postcards, 19-21 Exeter Road, Bournemouth www.sixtymillionpostcards.com
—Gerry Hectic
Monday 21 June 2010