Next and Final Stop Soweto

Strut conclude their essential three part excursion into the archives of South African music with the third and final volume of the Next Stop Soweto series with a look at jazz in South Africa from 1963-1978. As with the previous two volumes of the series, the folks at Strut have researched, dug around, search high and low and unearthed some of the rarest, deepest, and best music that no one outside of the continent of Africa has ever heard. Spread out over two discs, this Next Stop Soweto, volume is an all encompassing tribute to an era in South African jazz often dubbed the silent period. But after listening to this massive catalogue of tunes, it's almost impossible to say that this fifteen year period was silent. The quality of tunes and arrangements on this set prove that there were some amazing musicians who overcame amazing obstacles to record some stunningly good songs.

While jazz is often thought of as an American phenomenon, it's appeal truly is global and whether it's Oscar Peterson in Paris or Batsumi in a South African township the music and influence of the American masters is inescapable. From vocal jazz to broad post-bop brush strokes of instrumentation, Next Stop Soweto covers it all in a hot sweaty series of improvisations, arrangements, and songs that sound as if they featured Miles Davis. Next Stop Soweto is excellent stuff and quite honestly, if someone handed this to you without telling you where it came from you'd have no idea. It's affection and ability is truly to be admired and the songs really do speak for themselves.

In hindsight, it seems only fitting that Strut wind up the Next Stop Soweto series with this double disc set. Having previously covered soul and funk with care and devotion, they may very well have outdone themselves here with this extensive collection. With top musicianship coming from artists like Early Mabuza Quartet, Themba, The Jazz Ministers, and Malombo Jazz Makers it's awesome to know that the musicians featured perservered the hardships of their country and overcame them with flying colors and some amazing music. Next Stop Soweto is an essential collection and whether it's the first, second, or third volumes in the series they are all important and awesome collections that any true music fan needs to own. If you love jazz from the 60's and 70's you'll treasure the gold mine of material that makes up this the final volume of Next Stop Soweto. Essential stuff, really.