Something very different. I have a fairly large record collection, and sometimes I forget stuff I have filed away. After taking up playing the whistle, I played some Irish stuff I have, but forgot this record.
It is sooooo different. I am guessing it is from the 60’s give or take 10 years , but the record is in good shape. He plays whistle with drums bass and guitar (or maybe ukelele) backing, in a jazzy bluesy style.
The cover notes are interesting - for example " by placing the mouthpiece vertically against the inside of his left cheek and by introducing an entirely new fingering system, he was able to produce a roundness of tone hitherto unknown with this limited musical instrument"
He’s from Northern Transvaal. They claim he “is appearing on the world’s hit parades”. So anyone heard of Spokes Mashiyane aka King Kwela?
Yeah, he’s pretty well known around here. Not much kwela has been reissued but we’d love to see more if and when the companies get around to it. A lot of saxophone jive from the 60s that replaced kwela is available so, who knows?
As Wombat says, some of this stuff is now available on CD, but precious little. I managed to get a couple of CDs a couple of years back, that’s about it.
Have you heard of “The Positively Testcard” ? They are a UK band playing in this style, maybe the only current practitioners of pennywhistle jive. They do a couple of free concerts every year in London’s South Bank, not much use to you, but I get to go!
I’ll second that Positively Testcard recommendation. Rush right out and buy their CD-- it’ll have you grinning from ear to ear and will give you a whole new outlook on what is possible with a whistle.
Martin-- stop gloating about being able to go to their concerts!
When Charlene and I finally decide to take a visit to London, we definitely plan to schedule it around a Testcard concert. Seriously.
, but the record is in good shape. He plays whistle with drums bass and guitar (or maybe ukelele) backing, in a jazzy bluesy style.