Verse 1

by The Jazz Epistles

Verse 1 cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 1960
  • Label: Gallo
  • Country: South Africa
  • Length: 42:36
  • Community rating: 4.04/5 from 4 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Historically monumental, this stands as the first ever jazz LP recorded by Black South African musicians. Featuring future international giants Hugh Masekela and Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim), the ensemble brilliantly localized American hard bop idioms, injecting them with distinct rhythmic textures from the townships before the escalating brutalities of apartheid forced them into exile.

Genres

Descriptors: instrumental, acoustic, improvisation, melodic, rhythmic, ensemble, improvisational, piano

Tracklist

  1. Dollar's Moods (5:28)
  2. Blues for Hughie (5:53)
  3. Uku Jonga Phambili (3:45)
  4. I Remember Billy (6:01)
  5. Vary-Oo-Vum (5:02)
  6. Carol's Drive (5:10)
  7. Gafsa (4:13)
  8. Scullery Department (7:00)

Credits

  • The Jazz Epistles - primary artist
  • Kippie Moeketsi - alto saxophone, written-by
  • Johnny Gertze - bass
  • Makaya Ntshoko - drums
  • Dollar Brand - piano, written-by
  • Jonas Gwangwa - trombone, written-by
  • Hugh Masekela - trumpet, written-by

More from The Jazz Epistles: full discography