“Conference of the Birds†is my weekly radio program on WNUR-FM. It airs on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 am Chicago time (UTC-5). And, of course, when technology cooperates, you can just come here for the archives. You can subscribe to the podcast with this URL (click here to subscribe in iTunes).
Regular listeners know I’m a big fan of jazz from South Africa, and particularly that made by members of the Blue Notes. The Blue Notes were an (illegal) integrated-race band who left the toxic environment of apartheid-era South Afrika for Europe in 1964. I recently obtained the Ogun collection, a five-disc box set of recordings the group made for the Ogun label. I’ve been listening to it a lot and thought it would be fun to feature it on the show. I also mixed in a little bit of early Blue Notes (pre-exile) as well as some recordings made by various members in other configurations.
WNUR’s online stream was down again, so I sequenced the tracks for your listening pleasure, but there’s no commentary. On the other hand, that made it easier to give you the full package — I went an extra half-hour long because there was a change-up in the schedule of the shift after mine, and my normal recording process would have cut off that bonus segment.
Enjoy!
(PS if you were wondering, there was no show last week. The studio was closed as part of building maintenance…)
Listen:
download program (142MB, 2 hrs 51 min)
Artist: “Track†– Album (Label)
The Blue Notes: “Schoolboy†– Township Bop (Proper )
Johnny Dyani Quartet: “Blues for Moyake†– Angolian Cry (Steeplechase)
The Blue Notes: “Now†– Live in South Afrika 1964 (Ogun)
The Blue Notes: “Kudala (Long Ago) -> Funky Boots†– In Concert (Ogun)
The Blue Notes: “Funk Dem Dudu -> To Erico†– For Johnny (Ogun)
Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath: “Nick Tete†– Brotherhood (Fledg’ling)
Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath: “The Bride†– Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath (Fledg’ling)
The Blue Notes: “Third Movement†– For Mongezi (Ogun)
Louis Moholo Octet: “You Ain’t Gonna Know Me ‘Cos You Think You Know Me†– Spirits Rejoice! (Ogun)
Dudu Pukwana & Spear: “Flute Music†– Flute Music (Virgin)
Joseph Jarman/Don Moye/Johnny Dyani: “Mama Marimba†– Black Paladins (Black Saint)
The Blue Notes: “Ithi Gqi > Nkosi Sikilele Afrika†– For Johnny (Ogun)
Johnny Dyani Sextet: “Funk Dem Dudu†– Afrika (Steeplechase)
The Blue Notes: “Vortex Special†– Live in South Afrika 1964 (Ogun)
The Blue Notes: “Iizwi -> Msenge Mabelelo†– In Concert (Ogun)
Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath: “Camel Dance†– Live at Willisau (Ogun)
Khan Jamal/Johnny Dyani/Pierre Dørge: “A Bomb†– Three (Steeplechase)
Johnny Dyani Quartet: “Song for Biko†– Song for Biko (Steeplechase)
Dudu Pukwana & Spear: “Sonia†– In the Townships (Earthworks)
WNUR Conference of the Birds, 2012-09-11 (featuring the Blue Notes) (synthesized) [ 2:50:42 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download