The Rough Guide to South African Jazz

The title might suggest another nostalgic ‘golden era’ compilation of township jive, kwela and marabi, built around the old favourites of Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba et al – but in the space of just 13 tracks, this compilation actually offers something more. It opens familiarly enough with the gentle swing-and-sway of the African Jazz Pioneers and there's a fine live rendition of ‘Soweto’ by Abdullah Ibrahim, plus tracks from Kippie Moeketsi and Dolly Rathabé.

But then the scope broadens considerably. Thandiswa represents a modern generation of pop-jazz singers who emerged from the kwaito scene and the 28-year-old pianist Bokani Dyer, whose ‘Vuvuzela’ is a brilliant, surging tour de force, represents a new eclectic breed of South African jazzers, whose musical interests cross over into electronic music. There's considerable virtuosity on display too, particularly from the guitar maestro Errol Dyers and the terrific teaming of pianist Wessel van Rensburg and saxophonist McCoy Mrubata, who conjure up an evocative, almost mystical rendition of the old Manhattan Brothers classic ‘Jikela Emaweni’. But the real find of the compilation is the little-known 1974 track ‘Emampondweni’ by Batsumi, on which the spirit of Roland Kirk is thrillingly reinvented under African skies.