Jazz: The African Sound - a Classic Album

"The African Sound ... spells out clearly the character and direction of South African jazz towards its own territorial identity - a vigorous, lively, good-humoured swing which you will not find anywhere else on earth, North America included." So wrote the Johannesburg Star's critic Richard McNeill of the original release of this album.

This album of original South African jazz is unique in many ways - it was the first album of South African jazz composed, arranged and played by an all-South African big band. At the time of its release in 1963 it was unique also in that the band members were both white and Black. At the time this was almost unthinkable in South Africa.

The uniqueness also came from the fact that the band which made it had a very circumscribed life - the band was together for a total of three weeks, during which time they rehearsed, did a number of concerts and the recording.

In September of 1963 there was a jazz festival at the Moroka-Jabavu Stadium in Soweto. This festival was underwritten by the brewers of Castle Lager Beer, South African Breweries (now SABMiller). All the best-known names in South African jazz were there and, although the festival itself was not a great success, some great music emerged from it.

Maxine McGregor, widow of Chris McGregor, who was responsible for the arrangements on the album, writes in her book Chris McGregor and the Brotherhood of Breath: