Simon "Mahlathini" Nkabinde, known as the "Lion Of Soweto", was not allowed to leave South Africa until the mid-1980s, when he was invited to perform at a pioneering festival of music in Angouleme, France, along with the three Mahotella Queens, the musical engine the Makgone Tsohle Band, and producer and saxophonist West Nkosi.
The band whipped up a storm at the festival with their foot-stomping mbaqanga, or Township Jive, music from Soweto. At the same time, a compilation of 1960s and 1970s mbaqanga produced by Trevor Herman for the Earthworks label, The Indestructible Beat Of Soweto, which featured these fine musicians was released to international acclaim. They also recorded the album Paris-Soweto while they were in France.
The concert performance in France led to invitations to perform across the globe, and so it was I met the band in Tokyo on a chilly morning in December 1989 for an interview. Usually, I was not given the first interview with a visiting musician as that went to Japanese magazines, but on this occasion, I was given the first interview. Mahlathini was up first and as he sat to talk with me, he was given some green tea. "Where's my milk and sugar?" I explained that it wasn't taken with milk (though it is now, such an idea then was close to food heresy) and we all cracked up. He laughed as he explained that he had only recently been allowed to visit other countries, so he had a lot to catch up with.
Mahlathini, the Queens and the Makgone Tshole Band whipped up a tsunami of music while on their Japanese tour, and though they had begun in 1964 on Soweto (sometimes playing gigs at train stations and sprinting away when the apartheid authorities came to catch them), they were still right on top of their game. Locals loved their infectious music, dubbing their brand of mbaqanga as mgqashiyo, or "indestructible beat". With the release of Music Inferno: The Indestructible Beat Tour 1988-89 on Umsakazo, music fans can savour the wonderful music of this important band in full flow on their UK tour in 1988-1989.
The compilation showcases the deep groaning basso profundo singing style of Mahlathini (only Screaming Jay Hawkins, Howling Wolf and maybe Sleep Labeef come a close second to his deep growl), the sweet harmonies of the Queens and the relentless, and driving rhythms of the band, complete with West Nkosi's honking sax, Joseph Makwela's funky basslines and lead guitarist Marks Mankwane's trademark riffs.
The opening track is a greeting by the Queens, Awuthule Kancane, which segues into Mahlathini's Re Ya Dumedisa, or We Greet You All. And from then on as the set flies through outstanding tracks like Jive Makgona, Stokfel Jive, Melodi Ya Lla, Thokozile and the finale, Kazet, the dancing never stops. Even when the Queens take front stage with songs like Melodi Ya Lla, Mahlathini was always prowling in the background whistling, clapping and delivering head-high foot stomps. The tracks I've heard from this album really do give you a sense of the exciting and very danceable music and live atmosphere these wonderful musicians created.
Whenever I DJ here in Bangkok, I spin a few mbaqanga hits from Mahlathini and his crew, or from his earlier groups like the Dark City Sisters and the Flying Jazz Queens, and I'm always asked where the music comes from. My answer is to tell them it's from South African townships and it is indestructible.
Interested readers might also like to check out a few other internationally available releases from this creative group of artists, such as Thokozile (Gallo, 1987), King Of The Groaners (Earthworks/Stern's, 1993) and The Lion Roars (Shanachie, 1993).
In other news, congratulations to Malian diva Oumou Sangare, who won the Best Artist Award at the Songlines Music Awards 2023 for her album Timbuktu (World Circuit), which is riding high on various World Music charts. The Best Band Award went to Bosnians Divanhana (CPL-Music), who are part of the Bosnian sevdah revival (also sometimes called Balkan Blues). Kora player Sono Jobarteh, one of the few female masters of the West African harp, garnered the Africa & Middle East Award with her album Badinyaa Kumoo (African Guild Records), while Indian tabla player Sarathy Korwar won the Asia & Pacific Award for his eclectic blend of Indian folk, jazz, electronic and dance beats. Readers can access the full list of Songlines award winners on Spotify.
John Clewley can be contacted at clewley.john@gmail.com.
