Almon's Jazz Eight - Uthini Nzimande / Isicelo Sami
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LINER NOTES

 

ALMON'S JAZZ EIGHT SELECT DISCOGRAPHY
Compiled by Siemon Allen

JP 978 – His Master's Voice (HMV) – 78 rpm
0AS 2450  Please, Don’t Shout, (Almon Memela), c1965
0AS 2451  Please, Go Back, (Almon Memela), c1965

JP 981 – His Master's Voice (HMV) – 78 rpm
0AS 2454  Durban Train, (Almon Memela), c1965
0AS 2455  Take It, (Almon Memela), c1965

JP 1001 – His Master's Voice (HMV) – 78 rpm
0AS 2486  Uthini Nzimande, c1966
0AS 2487  Isicelo Sami, c1966

JP 1043 – His Master's Voice (HMV) – 78 rpm
0AS 2608  Ngixolele Sithandwa, (Almon Memela), 1966
0AS 2609  Kwangwane, (Almon Memela), 1966

JP 1256 – His Master's Voice (HMV) – 45 rpm
45L 20 A  While My Guitar Cries, (Almon Memela), 1971
45L 20 B  unknown, 1971

JP 1283 – Almon's Jazz Eight and the Sweethearts – HMV – 45 rpm
7XAS 3140  Love Is Strange, (Baker; Smith), 1972
7XAS 3141  My Sweet Baby, (Almon Memela), 1972

JP 1309 – Almon's Jazz Eight and the Sweethearts – HMV – 45 rpm
7XAS 3194  Lord Release Me, 1972
7XAS 3195  unknown, 1972

HSB 701 – Johnny Kelly and Almon's Jazz 8 – Highway Soul – 45 rpm
HSB 701 A  I'm in Love with You, (Almon Memela), 1975
HSB 701 B  The Bumper, (Almon Memela), 1975

HSB 707 – Almon Jazz 8 and the Sweethearts – Highway Soul – 45 rpm
HSB 707 A  The Best lover, (Almon Memela), 1975
HSB 707 B  There You Are, (Almon Memela), 1975

HSB 720 – Almon Jazz 8 - Highway Soul – 45 rpm
HSB 720 A  Sikiza Jive '76 - Part I, (Almon Memela), 1976
HSB 720 B  Sikiza Jive '76 - Part II, (Almon Memela), 1976

HSB 726 – Almon's Jazz 8 and the Sweethearts - Highway Soul – 45 rpm
HSB 726 A  Lobobusuko (December '63), (Gaudio, Parker, Memela), 1976
HSB 726 B  Iphupho, (Almon Memela), 1976

HSB 735 – Almon's Jazz 8 - Highway Soul – 45 rpm
HSB 735 A  Fast Sikiza, (Almon Memela), 1976
HSB 735 B  New Year Sikiza '77, (Almon Memela), 1976
 

ALMON'S JAZZ EIGHT
UTHINI NZIMANDE / ISICELO SAMI


recorded 1966c
issued 1966c
His Master's Voice
EMI
made in South Africa
published by Ardmore and Beechwood, SA
JP 1001
matrix 0AS 2486
matrix 0AS 2487
78 rpm
first issue
source: Ballantine Collection, UKZN

TRACK LISTING

 

1.1Uthini Nzimande

(Almon Memela)

2.2Isicelo Sami

(Almon Memela)

ARTISTS

 

ALMON'S JAZZ EIGHT
ALMON MEMELA - guitar
HENRY SITHOLE - possible sax
STANLEY SITHOLE - possible sax

NOTES

 

Many thanks to Christopher Ballantine at the School of Music, University of KwaZulu-Natal for graciously allowing me to photograph his collection. Search and listen to the Ballantine Collection at SAMAP.

Composer, guitarist and later producer for WEA Records in South Africa, Almon Sandisa Memela was born in Donnybrook, KwaZulu Natal in 1936. His first guitar was homemade, but according to Yvonne Huskisson, his parents were not supportive of his musical endeavors and so he taught himself to play on borrowed instruments. After briefly working at the United Tobacco Company in Durban, Memela moved to Johannesburg in 1956 to work on the mines. While there he sought to take guitar lessons at the legendary Dorkay House in 1958. (Huskisson) The three-storey education and performance centre was purchased by Union Artists (with proceeds from the 1954 farewell concert for anti-apartheid activist Father Trevor Huddleston) and became a fulcrum for artists to meet and share ideas. As it turned out, Memela, rather than becoming a student was asked to teach the guitar lessons!

Memela made his first recordings in 1959 and his early career included band work with the United Artists’ productions of King Kong, In Township Tonight and Mhobelo as well as background music for the Jamie Uys film Dingaka. His first recording as composer was the track “Nozizwe” with the female vocal group The Travelling Singers in 1960 (though could have been 1962).

In 1963 Memela's work began shifting toward instrumentals exclusively—interestingly, the same year that he formed his group, Almon’s Jazz Eight. (Huskisson) Many of their 78 rpm recordings were compiled in a self tilted LP, and issued on EMI's Umsakazo label in 1968.

The Jazz Eight recorded and performed throughout the 60s and 70s and the line-up included amongst others, future Drive members, Henry Sithole and Stanley Sithole (who joined the group around 1966) and Bunny Luthuli (in 1968). In 1969 the Sithole Brothers formed the Heshoo Beshoo Group before they and Luthuli established the Drive in 1971. In the meantime Memela and his group The A.M Stragglers recorded Soul Bandit (Little Giant, G2, 1969).

Memela is remarkably versatile and his style shifts from soul jazz with the Stragglers to bump jive with Abafana Bamaswazi (on Highway Soul and the Swaziland Likwindela Festival, both 1977); from straight mbaqanga on some 45s to the rich afro funk textures featured on Funky Africa.

For a limited discography of Almon Melmela visit Flatint.