Ngo Ma takeaways include incredible bluesy guitar soloing on 'Mgung u Ndlovu' and the electronic type production glean on the title track is energy laden and gritty with blissful horns coming though over the hill. Sprawling in places there is plenty of joy too and it's an introduction in places to a style called ''sgubhu,'' which is like house music. But who are IzangoMa?
They are a fifteen-piece from Pretoria in South Africa formed of players from Mozambique and South Africa that has singer and keyboardist Sibusile Xaba and drummer & synths player Ashley Kgabo core. The tribute to Johnny Dyani is an overt and grounding reminder of how much South African jazz still can be meaningful not only to South Africa but to fans far away in the UK particularly via the enduring discography of the Blue Notes. Out on 26 May. 'City Lights,' 'Ngo Ma,' 'Out Of The World' and 'Tribute to Johnny Dyani' are streaming ahead of release
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