Hellfire – Mango Groove

Mango Groove – Mango Groove

In 1968 the Crazy World Of Arthur Brown announced the song ‘Fire’ with the devil-ish intro ‘I am the god of hellfire and I bring you…fire’. Twenty years later, the hellfire was burning bright in South Africa as Mango Groove breathed life into the ashes and got it burning again. However, unlike the dense rock of Arthur Brown’s ‘Fire’, Mango Groove gave us a pop-perfect township jazz/jive hellfire.

For a brief moment when the song starts, you may be forgiven for thinking you had put on a David Kramer track as it starts off with the guitar sound that Kramer uses on his ‘Meisie Sonder Sokkies’ type tracks, but this is only momentarily as after a couple of bars of this, the rich deep voice of Sipho Bhengu invites us to go ‘way back’ to Sophiatown and the marabi sound that came from the townships back in the day. The music is a mix between the 80’s synth pop of the time and the brassy jazzy sounds of a time before.

The track was written by Mickey Vilikazi who was the band’s trombonist and this shows through in the way the brass instruments carry the tune of this highly dance-able track. It is no wonder that the African Jazz Pioneers would perform a version of it when they played at the Montreux Jazz Festival as the tune itself was made for the likes of them. What sets Mango Groove’s version apart from the African Jazz Pioneers version are the lyrics which are delivered perfectly as usual by Claire Johnston. They speak of love across the colour bar, but in a sufficiently oblique way so as not to upset the censors of the time too much.

There was about 20 years between Arthur Brown hellfire and Mango Groove’s and there has since been almost 40 years since Mango Groove lit up the dance floor with theirs, but the song still burns brightly.

Where to find it:
Mango Groove – Mango Groove (1989), Tusk Music, TUCD3

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Special Star – Mango Groove

Mango Groove – Mango Groove

Lasting nearly 6 minutes, this Mango Groove track is a tribute to Spokes Mashiyane. Mashoyane is widely regarded as one of the greatest pennywhistle artists who infused the kwela sound of the 1950’s with joy and life. And this is a fine tribute indeed.

It starts out with a kind of boxer bout announcer telling us that ‘on the left side I have Spokes Mashiyane’. This then slips into a kind of introspective interlude where a soulful pennywhistle paints the backdrop to Spokes’ life, reflecting the difficulties black people faced in apartheid South Africa. Behind the pennywhistle, thunder-drums roll as a storm brews. But then, instead of a massive thunderstorm, the song tumbles into the sunshine of a bouncy kwela sound. Toe-tapping beats jump around while a pennywhistle flutters from colourful flower to colourful flower and a sax brings a playful frog croak to the scene.

Then just when you are getting into your bopping, the track takes an interlude. Claire Johnston’s beautiful voice comes in over a kind of hymn-like sound as she sings her paean to the ‘special star that shines/every evening in your eyes’. It is a bit like the moment in a party where they turn the music down so that you can give a short speech in praise of the person who you are celebrating. But you never want the speeches to go on for too long and you are soon up and partying again as the kwela comes bouncing back into the room. It is a statement saying that you cannot keep the spirit of this special star down.

Kwela is a uniquely South African sound which livened up the townships back in the day and took many outside of their misery for a few gorgeous hours. It was a special star that shone in the dark of many lives. ‘Special Star’ first appeared on Mango Groove’s 1989 eponymously titled debut album which came at a time when apartheid was unravelling and the track celebrates Spokes Mashiyane, who helped many get through to this pivotal moment in our history.

Where to find it:
Dance Sum More – Mange Groove (1997), EMI, CDEMCJ (WR) 5730

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Six String Razor – Mauritz Lotz

Six String Razor – Mauritz Lotz

Lovers of a good old work out on the electric guitar will certainly enjoy this track. With shades of heavy metal groups such as Iron Maiden and Scorpion mixing with the more AOR sounds of groups like Journey, Asia and Foreigner, this instrumental track is prefect for you. It is also a good one for would be air-guitar heroes.
Mauritz Lotz has not really been at the forefront of South African music, but is certainly a ‘back room’ muso of note not only having worked with the likes of Mango Groove, Johannes Kerkorrel and Lesley Rae Dowling locally but has also worked with international stars such as Chris de Burgh, Dave Matthews and Ice Cube. And it’s not too surprising when listening to ‘Six String Razor’, the title track from his 1990 album.
From the outset, you know you are going to ROCK!!!! There is that sort of scratchy, ominous rock intro that continues throughout the song, holding it together and keeping it grounded, allowing Lotz’s guitar to soar, race and yowl at will. And it does so in a way you that has you soaring, racing and yowling along with it.
‘Six String Razor’ is as crisp and clean as any shave that a razor company will tell you you can get. It gets close to your skin, but never irritates and leaves you feeling refreshed. I like it Lotz.
Where to find it:
Six String Razor – Mauritz Lotz (1990), Tusk, TUCD12

Ace Blues – Spokes Mashiyane

Ace Blues – Spokes Mashiyane

Born Johannes Mashiyane in Mamelodi, Spokes became a name synonymous with the pennywhistle kwela sound that emanated from the townships of South Africa in the 50s, 60s and even into the 70s. His life had simple beginnings, but he went on to be a special star in our culture and he did so by taking the simple pennywhistle and doing something special with it.

‘Ace Blues’ is just one example that showcases his prowess with the tool of his trade. A bouncing somewhat tinny guitar underpins the weaving magic of the pennywhistle with its bright and breezy sound. It takes one on a journey, skipping through the rural beauty of the land. And perhaps this was what gave the music its appeal as it took people out of the daily hardships of township lives and, just for a few brief moments, let them run free.

When it came to the pennywhistle, Mr Mashiyane was the ‘spokes’person (sorry) for the instrument and he let the instrument do the talking. It is small wonder the Mango Groove, years after Spokes’ death in 1972 included the song ‘Special Star’, a dedication to Spokes, on their debut album. Spokes and his pennywhistle is an integral part of South African music history and it there was a South African Hall of Fame, he would undoubtedly have been inducted into it.

Where to find it:
King Kwela – Spokes Mashiyane (1991), Gallo records, CDZAC50

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Move Up – Mango Groove

Move Up – Mango Groove

Way back in 1987 a group called Mango Groove decided to move up the Radio 5 and Capital 604 charts. They peaked at 6 on the former and topped the latter with a catchy tune called, erm, ‘Move Up’.  Not quite as fast paced as some of their other tracks but no less danceable to. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that you could sway rhythmically to the tune on the dance floor than actually show off your more frenetic moves as the song has a gentle lilt to it which takes pleasant to new heights.

And for those of you who have spent time studying the dance moves in the TV and film productions of Jane Austin novels, there is a neat little string quartet interlude to bow and curtsy to your partner to. But on the whole it’s a lekker piece of finger-clicking, foot tapping, laid-back, groovy music. Muted brass gives a warm bed for Claire Johnson to roll her vocals around on and a pennywhistle reminds us where the band is from. There is, also a slightly calypso sound to the song (a little like some of the Goombay Dance Band stuff, but less cheesy).

The video for the song firstly placed the band in a trendy bar with classily dressed Claire Johnson drinking cocktails, then moves on to Zoo Lake in Johanesburg where they go out on a rowing boat, dressed to the nines. Personally, I would have stuck Claire in a grass skirt and had her doing a hula dance under the palm trees on a beach down the South Coast of Natal as the song seems to fit that image. But then that may have been too raunchy for us way back in the 80’s.

Where to find it:
Mango Groove – The Essential Mango Groove (2008), Gallo, CDREDD 694 (AN)

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Is It Any Wonder – Claire Johnston

 Is It Any Wonder – Claire Johnston

Fearless – Claire Johnson

What do you do if you have built up a reputation as the lead singer of one of the most successful bands in the country that gained popularity playing afropop music and you want to do something a little different? Well firstly, to get away from the afropop sound, you need to get away from Africa and this is what the lead singer of Mango Groove, Claire Johnston, did to produce a solo album called ‘Fearless’. She relocated to London, roped in Vic Coppersmith-Heaven (who had worked with The Jam, Cat Stevens and Joe Cocker to name a few) to produce and got some of Peter Gabriel’s musicians to play on the record.

Is it any wonder then that ‘Is It Any Wonder’ is quite a step away from the African sounds of Mango Groove? Hardcore Groovies would probably have baulked at the seriousness of the song compared to the carefree pop she made with Mango Groove. It has a hard edge, a little akin to the sounds that Peter Gabriel makes. But vocally, Johnston is in good voice, at times sounding like another South African great – Lesley Rae Dowling.

There is a darker brooding feel to ‘Is It Any Wonder’ which highlights the versatility of Johnston. The lush production helps make this a strong song that would have won her new fans while perhaps losing her a few old ones.

Where to find it
Fearless – Claire Johnston, Sting Music (2001),  STIFCD021
SA Top 40 Hits of All Time Volume 6 – Various Artists (2001), Sting Music, STIDFCD037

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