BATSUMI Reissue Now Available Worldwide!

For the first time in over 35 years Batsumi's glorious 1974 debut album is finally available once more. The remastered reissue is the second in Matsuli's ongoing programme to restore important but neglected South African afro jazz recordings back into print.

Francis Gooding, who wrote the detailed sleeve notes, had this to say:
"Almost as if it was unexplored territory, the extraordinary landscape of South African jazz is frequently mapped out by reference to a few well known landmarks: the glorious township swing and hot jive of the 1950s; the fame and misfortune of the modern jazz exiles of the 1960s, and their energising presence in Europe; the towering trans-national figures of Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela and Abdullah Ibrahim. For the jazz music and musicians of South Africa that did not by chance or choice fall into one of these categories, the long silence of history has only intermittently been broken, and the legacy of past iniquities has served to consign many names on South Africa’s long roster of jazz giants to an undeserved obscurity. A wealth of music does not yet appear on the map, but when the contours of the jazz scene under apartheid begin to be surveyed in more detail, it is clear that a space must be marked out for the Soweto-based group Batsumi."

Honest Jons says:
"Landmark Afro Jazz from South Africa, 1974 — urgent, spiritual, political; shimmering, propulsive, surging. Reverbed traditional and trap drums, mesmeric bass, soaring flute and tenor sax. Warmly recommended."

Dan Magaziner says:
"The music is stunning...As it builds, it swings, coalescing into a uniquely compelling statement of intent. By the time and sax and flute solo over organ, bass and drums, Batsumi has got you."

Take a quick listen here and make your own mind.


The reissue is available on vinyl in a limited edition of 500 copies, each hand-numbered and provided on heavyweight 180g vinyl with detailed sleeve notes. It is also available as a digital download from online music retailers such as iTunes, Amazon and eMusic. It can even be streamed via Spotify.

To get a copy of this landmark album you can purchase using the following options:

MATSULI DIRECT

DIRECT for buyers in SA

CD on Demand via Amazon

MP3 via Amazon UK

MP3 via iTunes USA

For wholesale orders of more than 10 copies please
contact me