Sometime in the mid-80s and after being checked out by London-based SA expats Ernest Mothle & Chris McGregor, we signed a deal with Robert Sithole. Memory tells me he had been brought over to London from Cape Town by a journalist called Glenys. 

After one day in the studio it ended in tears as his landlord had convinced him that he could get him a deal with Tamla Motown ... yes, it was that crazy ... and we were left with a bunch of demos. This is one of them. 

It sounds like it could be Lucky Ranku on guitar, but I don't think it is. I think it could be a demo funded by Glenys that Robert recorded in SA before leaving for London. 

After various kerfuffles, Robert returned to Cape Town where sadly he died in 2006.      

Robert Sithole with unidentified guitarist

From 1989, just vocal and kraar (Ethiopian lyre), and the first time - even after a long and successful career - that she recorded this classic Ethiopian 'blues'. I can remember the takes. There were a few, but we ended up using just one. This one. It was a good day.

Aster Aweke - Tizita

Instrumental mix that we used as a coda on the original 'Tanzania Yetu' vinyl in 1985, and then reappeared on the CD of 'Mateso' in 1987.

Mateso (Reprise) - Hukwe Zawose & The Master Musicians

Lead track from the album 'Sahel' which we released in 1988, and itself compiled from two albums originally released on Syliphone in 1983: Sona Diabaté des Amazones 'Sons de la savane' (SLP77) & M’Mah Sylla 'Le rossignol de Guinée'. 

As our liner noters said, this track is "dedicated to the Hafia Football Club - three times winners of the Champions Cup of Africa in '72, '75 & '77". As far as football songs go, they don't get much better than this.

Hafia - Sona Diabate

Fuji: intense urban percussion music from Lagos, Nigeria. 
Fuji Dr. Ewon: a Fuji master (Adewale Ayuba) recorded in Brooklyn, USA & mixed in Brixton, UK.

Fuji Dub - Fuji Dr. Ewon

By MOUTH MUSIC ... piece of 'puirt a bail' (mouth music) from Scotland worked and re-worked into a very special mix.

Mouth Music - Crathadh 't 'Aodaich (Here And Blown Away)

By MOUTH MUSIC ... wistful, contemplative but above all honest & beautiful. From a time when they knew they were no longer going to comfortable being tagged as 'world' (... though I have anyway). 

Mouth Music - Waiting

By ROLAND PERRIN & EVIDENCE - but Roland wouldn't have done it had he not been able to sit at the piano for Dudu Pukwana. South African township jive with a quirk.  

Roland Perrin & Evidence - Later (edit)

by NAJMA AKHTAR - with Naushad Sheikh on tablas, Lazar Der Gregorian on bass, Navazish Ali Khan on violin & Ray Carless on sax, plus a few others hanging around and clapping their hands. These sessions were fun.

Najma - Zikar Hai Apna Mehfil Mehfil

Here's a salute to all the artists who drive record companies crazy, to all the record companies who are crazy enough to work with the artists who drive the record companies crazy (as if they weren't crazy enough already) and to all the beautiful music that comes out of it.


iaintlscott

Popular tracks