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LINER NOTESALMON'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
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TRACK LISTING
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ARTISTS
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NOTESMany 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. |
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