South African Jazz Albums: Genes and Spirits by Moses Molelekwa

We all have albums that transport us back to a special time in our lives when we play them. For me, Genes and Spirits is the soundtrack to a period when I was discovering South African and African jazz and cultural music. Goema, Mbaqanga, Kwela, Marabi, etc were all indigenous music from South Africa that I had heard growing up, but never felt pulled toward to carry on the knowledge and tradition of these. I was in my early 20s in Cape Town, surrounded by friends from diverse South African backgrounds and discovering South African music with fresh ears. 

But one album stood above them all. It had elements of traditional South African music, modern jazz, Afro-Fusion, drum’n’bass, and reggae. It was a reflection of complex, evolving contemporary South Africa with strong roots in tradition. 

The album featured many of South Africa’s jazz luminaries like Khaya Mhlangu on saxophone, Fana Zulu on bass, and Tlale Makane on percussion. Recorded and produced by the now-defunct M.E.L.T. 2000 label, it was a groundbreaking album for South African jazz, which was creating a new identity during this era. 

My favorite compositions on the album are: Genes and Spirits, Kwaze Kwangcono, Rapela, Dance to Africa, and Itumeleng. I have a special fondness for them because they are, with the exception of Rapela, strongly South African. I felt a connection to the music, even if it wasn’t culturally or ethnically mine. When the bass line on Genes and Spirits kicks in, the unmistakable influence of Maskanda hits instantly. The introduction of Kwaze Kwangcono pulls directly from the great Moses Ngwenya of the Soul Brothers, the group credited with popularizing the Hammond B3 organ in Mbhagqanga music. 

What I love most about Dance to Africa, even more than the bass line, is how the drums have a snare on beat one. Typically, most popular music has the snare on beat 2 and 4 of a four-beat bar; this is what gives western/American music its particular groove. This song has the snare landing solidly on beat one, and still grooves. The next part that gets me smiling from ear to ear happens at 3:34, coming out of the trumpet solo into the guitar solo. The way the band effortlessly transitions into another variation of the Mbhaqanga groove is stuff that belongs in textbooks. 

Itumeleng is a melancholic ballad, heavy with sentimentality for me. It was long before the friends who introduced me to this wonderful music moved back to Johannesburg, but this album will always remind me of those times with Mongz, Tsepho, Matt and Themba. I hope you guys are still killing those chord changes!

Genes and Spirits Track Listing and Album Information

1. Tsala with Faith Kekana, John Hassan, Frances Reardon, Geoff Gasgoyne and Andrew Missingham
2. Spirits of Tembisa with John Hassan, & Andrew Missingham
3. Down Rockey Street with Fana Zulu, Vusi Khumalo, Jose Miguel Melendez, Khaya Mahlangu, Lawrence Matshiza, Denis Rollins and Rowland Sutherland
4. Itumeleng with Bassie Mahlasela, Frances Reardon, Geoff Gasgoyne
5. Sogra with Flora Purim, Fana Zulu, Vusi Khumalo, Jose Miguel Mendez, Khaya Mahlangu & Lawrence Matshiza
6. Genes & Spirits with Jantshi Mayo, Kwazi Shange & Tlale Makhene.
7. Kwaze Kwangcono with Marc Anthoni, Lungiswa Plaatjies, Faith Kekana, Julie, Kwazi Shange, Jantshi Mayo, John Hassan & Lawrence Matshiza
8. Rapela with Brice Wassy & Hilaire Penda
9. Dance to Africa with Brice Wassy, Byron Wallen, Jose Neto, Zim Ngqawana, Airto Moreira, Valerie Naranjo
10. Ntatemoholo with Chucho Valdes and Taiwa

Genes and Spirits was recorded at Rhino Studios, Downtown Studios, The Garden in London, Real World in Bath, Brownhill farm Studios in West Sussex and Livingstone Studios London. The album was engineerd by Richard Edwards, Richard Mitchell, Jasper, Pete Hoffmann, Mark Braithwaite, Russell Kearney, Chris Lewis and Peter Thwaites (Dance to Africa).