15-679: Diamond Express is an album by South African alto saxophonist and composer Dudu Pukwana . It was recorded during the fall of 1975 at Island Studios in London, and was released on vinyl in 1977 by Arista/Freedom . In 1999, it was reissued on CD by the German Jazz Colours label with the title Ubagile , and with a different track order. On four of the album's five tracks, Pukwana is joined by trumpeter Mongezi Feza , guitarist Lucky Ranko, keyboardist Frank Roberts, double bassist Ernest Mothle , and drummers James Meine and Louis Moholo . On
30-667: A composer Pukwana wrote "Mra," one of the best-loved tunes by the Brotherhood. In February 1967, Pukwana received his first mention in America’s DownBeat magazine: "Tenorist Ronnie Scott’s "Old Place" , having a hard time breaking even, scored a financial success with the Bob Stuckey Trio, featuring the leader’s organ and altoist Dudu Pukwana". The trio later expanded to a quartet when Phil Lee joined on guitar, and this group performed twice on BBC's Jazz Club . As
45-608: A quartet the band also had a regular session at the Witches Cauldron in Belsize Park . The band completed a series of UK dates throughout 1967, including regular appearances at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club . He also went on to form two groups with Feza and Moholo. The first was Assagai , an afro rock band that recorded for the Vertigo label. The second was Spear, with whom he recorded the seminal afro-jazz album In
60-579: Is quite catchy, and perfectly paced. Side two features several wondrously complex jazz exchanges among a well-honed septet." Dudu Pukwana Mthutuzeli Dudu Pukwana (18 July 1938 – 30 June 1990) was a South African saxophonist and composer . Dudu Pukwana was born in Walmer Township , Port Elizabeth , South Africa. He grew up studying piano in his family, but in 1956 he switched to alto saxophone after meeting tenor saxophone player Nikele Moyake . In 1962, Pukwana won first prize at
75-632: The Bracknell Jazz Festival , and Zila (1986), the last with keyboardist Django Bates and Pukwana increasingly using soprano sax. In duo with John Stevens, he recorded the free session Radebe:They Shoot to Kill ( Affinity , 1987), dedicated to Johnny Dyani . On 16 April 1990, Pukwana took part in the Nelson Mandela Tribute held at Wembley Stadium . He died in London of liver failure in June 1990, not long after
90-560: The Johannesburg Jazz Festival with Moyake's Jazz Giants (1962 Gallo/Teal). In his early days he also played with Kippie Moeketsi . Chris McGregor then invited him to join the pioneering Blue Notes sextet, where he played along with Mongezi Feza , Nikele Moyake, Johnny Dyani and Louis Moholo . Although the Blue Notes are often considered McGregor's group, Pukwana was initially the principal composer and all
105-527: The British label Vertigo Records , and are thought to be "the only African or 'Black' band ever signed" by the label. Assagai's self-titled debut album was released in 1971; among the African musicians who played with the group on the recording was Terri Quaye . Assagai was reissued on CD by Repertoire Records in 1994. The band's second and final album, Zimbabwe (with cover artwork by Roger Dean ),
120-792: The Townships in 1973 for Virgin Records at The Manor Studio . Assagai and Spear, which recorded a few albums in the early 1970s, blended kwela rhythms, rocking guitars, and jazz solos. Pukwana played on Matata's Independence album that was released in 1974. Pukwana's playing was heard in many diverse settings including recordings of Mike Heron , Centipede and Toots and the Maytals ( Reggae Got Soul ) as well as improvising with Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink ( Yi Yo Le , ICP 1978). With Mongezi Feza, Elton Dean , Keith Tippett , and Louis Moholo, Pukwana recorded two acoustic tracks on
135-701: The death of his longtime friend and colleague McGregor. Assagai Assagai was an Afro-rock band, active in the early 1970s in London , whose relatively short career produced two albums recorded in 1971. It has been described as "the second best-known African group of the late 60s/early 70s in Britain" after Osibisa . The original band consisted of five members, three from South Africa and two from Nigeria : drummer Louis Moholo , trumpeter/flautist Mongezi Feza , alto saxophonist Dudu Pukwana , tenor saxophonist Bizo Mngqikana, and guitarist/bassist Fred Coker —
150-589: The drummer John Stevens . Several African leaders invited him into their groups, including Hugh Masekela ( Home Is Where the Music Is , 1972) and trombonist Jonas Gwangwa ( African Explosion , Who, Ngubani 1969). In 1978, Pukwana founded Jika Records and formed his own band, Zila, featuring South Africans Lucky Ranku on guitar and powerful vocalist Miss Pinise Saul. Zila recorded Zila Sounds (1981), Live in Bracknell and Willisau (1983), partly recorded at
165-597: The ecstatic extremes of In the Townships , but overall it's a fine date and a good chance to hear what this late, great musician was capable of." He singled out "Tete and Barbs In My Mind" for praise, stating that it "combines spirited free playing with a lovely, dirge-like theme and is representative of the sort of music played at the time when the South African expatriates and British avant-jazzers joined forces." A writer for Billboard commented: "One side features highly rhythmic jazz stripped of all harshness that
SECTION 10
#1732780581980180-451: The group members had pivotal roles. As mixed-race groups were illegal under apartheid , the Blue Notes, increasingly harassed by authorities, emigrated to Europe in 1964, playing in France and Zürich , and eventually settling in London . After The Blue Notes split in the late 1960s, Pukwana joined McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath big band, which again featured his soloing heavily. As
195-515: The latter, according to Rob Fitzpatrick in The Guardian , "helped guide Assagai into position as the only real West African competition to the super-star firepower of Ghana's Osibisa" before Coker left Assagai to replace Spartacus R in Osibisa. Canterbury scene keyboardist Alan Gowen and King Crimson percussionist Jamie Muir were also briefly members (1971-72). The band recorded for
210-486: The mostly electric album Diamond Express ( Freedom 1977). The death of his friend Mongezi Feza in 1975 also inspired the heart-rending Blue Notes for Mongezi ( Ogun Records ), alongside Blue Notes colleagues Johnny Dyani, Chris McGregor and Louis Moholo. He also guested on albums with his former Blue Notes colleague, Johnny Dyani , particularly Witchdoctor's Son (1978, SteepleChase Records ), which features some of his best recorded work, and played extensively with
225-432: The remaining track, he is accompanied by saxophonist Elton Dean , trumpeter Feza, trombonist Nick Evans , guitarist Ranko, pianist Keith Tippett , double bassist Victor Ntoni , and drummer Moholo. The album is dedicated to the memory of Mongezi Feza, who died shortly after the recording session. In a review for AllMusic , Brian Olewnick wrote: " Diamond Express may be something of a mixed bag and may never quite reach
#979020