NEW HORIZONS 2 by VARIOUS
Tracks
- Thembelihle Dunjana – Pressin’ On
- The SN Project - Afrikanization
- Sisonke Xonti - Sinivile
- Muhammad Dawjee ft. Siphephelo Ndlovu - Otherness
- Tefo Mahola - First Offering
- Ayanda Sikade - Zimkhitha
- Linda Sikhakhane - Inner Freedom
- Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane - Ke Mashiloane
- Marcus Wyatt & The ZAR Jazz Orchestra - Race for Timbuktu
- Spha Mdlalose - Indlela
- Blake Hellaby - Hodge
- Leagan Starchild ft. JustHlo – Fiend
- Ndabo Zulu & Umgidi Ensemble - Nandi’s Suite (interlude II)
- Afrika Mkhize - Be Still
Description
(RH Record of the week review at the bottom of this text)
Following a definitive first volume jam-packed with forward-thinking musical talent working in the South African creative improvised music idiom, New Horizons returns with a fresh iteration of young artists who continue in the same tradition and tone.
The compilation showcases recent recordings from 14 more leading lights in South Africa’s contemporary jazz scene: pianists Thembelihle Dunjana, Afrika Mkhize, Sibusiso ‘Mash’ Mashiloane, Blake Hellaby and Siphephelo Ndlovu’s The SN Project; saxophonists Sisonke Xonti, Muhammad Dawjee and Linda Sikhakhane; singer Spha Mdlalose; drummers Ayanda Sikade, Leagan Starchild and Tefo Mahola; and trumpeters Ndabo Zulu and Marcus Wyatt accompanied respectively by Umgidi Ensemble and The ZAR Jazz Orchestra.
Together they form part of a vibrant, connected community charting new sonic territory that speaks to today’s troubled times while building on the country’s unique and proud jazz history.
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Rush Hour Store Record of the week W48:
Despite all the ongoing Covid-related restrictions 2021 has been a great year for South-African jazz so far when it comes to both new releases and reissues of classic material - fresh talent seems to be emerging all the time while some of the most coveted holy grails of SA jazz were brought to light to be enjoyed by a new generation.
With part two of New Horizons Afrosynth aims to shine a light on the next generation of the thriving South-African jazz communities by selecting fourteen tracks that perfectly reflect the broad palette the current scenes have to offer.
The result is a glimmering treasure chest encompassing mantraic jazz soul (opener ‘Pressin’ On’ by Thembelihle Dunjana and Spha Mdlalose’s ‘Indlela’), deeply introverted spiritual travelling (Linda Sikhakhane’s ‘Inner Freedom’) and pure meditative beauty (Blake Hellaby’s ‘Hodge’ and Ndabo Zulu’s ‘Nandi Suite’), to name just a few of the directions explored here.
Other shop favorites include Sisonke Xonti’s breathtaking ‘Siniville’ (make sure to check out Xonti’s fantastic sophomore album ‘Ugaba the Migration’ on As Shams that’s also available in the store) and Sibusiso ‘Mash’ Mashiloane’s ‘Ke Mashiloane’, but this is the sort of record we play from A1 to D4 here - sometimes twice in a row (Rogier).
