An album dedicated to drummer Early Mabuza (Castle Lager Big Band, Mankunku Quartet), who died in 1969. Embedded journalist Leslie Sehume reports that a 14-piece band assembled for the legendary February 1970 session, eager to contribute to honouring an esteemed musical compatriot. Yet the recording also turned out to be Nxumalo’s swansong, released just months before his own passing in December 1970.
Issued on Soultown Records, Early-Mart was producer Rashid Vally’s first foray into modern South African jazz. It opened the door to a friendship and association with Abdullah Ibrahim, which in turn gave rise to the emergence of As-Shams/The Sun in 1974. In the wake of reissues of Jazz Fantasia (1962) from Mad About Records and Gideon Plays (1968) from Matsuli Music, we’re honoured to offer a 50th anniversary edition of the final piece of the Gideon Nxumalo Trilogy for South African jazz enthusiasts of the 21st century. With it’s long-form narrative centrepiece, Early-Mart pairs well with our contemporary companion release uGaba the Migration by Sisonke Xonti.
The ensemble that recorded Early-Mart was uncredited. We have no authoritative list of participants and the composition of the brass section is subject to differing accounts. We combine credible anecdotal sources to offer the following:
