Melodi (Sounds of Home)
Letta Mbulu
The Chisa Years: 1965-1975 (Rare and Unreleased), 2006
Hugh Masekela was an exile from apartheid South Africa who went on to be an internationally successful trumpet player in the musical gray areas between the African music he grew up playing, Jazz, Pop and Disco. He also created the Chisa record label in California in 1965. Chisa was home to many including the Crusaders and this stellar album I posted last fall.
This collection of lesser and unknown material from that label came out about two months ago on the British label BBE which is more known for its quality hip hop output. Unlike many “from the vaults!”-style compilations, this one didn’t leave me thinking, “there was a (good) reason these songs weren’t released the first time.” This whole album is solid although I have only heard the other songs on it once as I immediately fixated on this one.
It doesn’t take any effort to get into the emotionality of this song. I’ve been trying to place what mood or image it conjers for me and this morning I realized that it sounds like a funeral that might feel much more cathartic than any that I’ve been to. The song lumbers forward repeating one basic bar with all manner of adlibs on top of it like a large group marching to bury the body of a loved one. Letta serves as the minister, leading the group chant with everyone riffing off of her melody, adding their 2 cents as they think about their personal relationship with the dead person. Cries from the back of the group break out at 2:33 and 2:49 as they approach the burial ground. Or maybe my imagination is getting carried away…
Be sure to listen to this on headphones or somewhere that allows you to hear all the call and response between the instruments seperated into the left and right channels.
>> songs are available for two weeks [6.1 MB]
