Search - Philip Tabane & Malonbo :: Unh!

South African Free Form Tribal Jazz?

William Giles | Las Cruces New Mexico | 03/12/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I picked up a copy of Philip Tabane's one and only U.S release "Unh" when it first came out 11 years ago and it still sounds as fresh and inovative today as it did then. Malombo represent an anomaly in african music.With one electric arch-top guitar(Tabane)and two drummers playing an assortment of traditional Venda percussion instruments Malombo has produced a type of african free-form jazz that sounds very traditional and at the same time very modern.Philip Tabane's guitar style has an almost minimalist quality about it(very reminiscent of Ernest Ranglin's playing on "In Search Of The Lost Riddim")His vocal's can go from wild "scat" style singing on the more up tempo selections to a smooth almost spiritual quality on the more meditative pieces."Unh" overall has a very contemplative ambiance about it.This is one of those rare recordings that seems to get better each time you listen to it."