Two songs today. They have nothing in common.

First, I don’t know what made me think of Letta Mbulu this morning. Maybe it’s the below-zero morning temperatures that make me long for warm climates, or the blue skies outside, or the transport union strife in France. Who knows. Point is, Kube is what I need this morning.

Second, those of you who keep up with the Africanambiance forum may already have it, or you might have heard them on Soul Sides or Matsuli, but Wganda Kenya is also what I need this morning.

Ah, the mid-week playlist.

Letta Mbulu – Kube
Wganda Kenya – El Evangelio Calypso

A really quick post before I have to run into work.

Today’s track is once again from an Original Music release, Siya Hamba! 1950s South African Country And Small Town Sounds, a compilation of popular music in South Africa at the time.

I agree with the liner notes when they refer to the 1950s as the glory days of South African music. Upbeat rhythms with wonderful female lead vocals were just a couple of the highlights of the era.

I should say at least that the title of today’s track appropriately translates into the title of today’s post. I’d go on but I can’t be late today! I’m sure that, as always, Benn loxo listeners will fill in the gaps where needed in the comments.

So enjoy this smalltown jump as I fly out the door…

The Jury Mpelho Band feat. Irene Buyiswa Ndumo – Puma Endlini Yam

A random morning shuffle of not-yet-listened-to albums brings us Lungiswa’s cover of Marvin Gaye’s classic, Inner City Blues, sung in the Xhosa language.

Lungiswa is a young South African female vocalist from Cape Town. You may know her already from her work with Amampondo.

I thought I’d have a dig around for other versions of the song in my collection.

Have a listen to the original, plus a live version from Gaye’s Last Concert tour (that wasn’t really the last). Marc Moulin’s rendition is easily my favourite, and the New Orleans’ Dirty Dozen Brass Band whips up a version that for whatever reason reminds me of a Jean-Pierre Jeunet film.

If any of you have any good covers of Inner City Blues to share, send them to me and I’ll include them in this post.

ps- sorry, I just realized that podcasts have been broken for a while. They’re fixed now. Podcast link is http://bennloxo.com/?feed=rss2, or iptc://bennloxo.com/?feed=rss2 to open in iTunes directly.

Lungiswa – Inner City Blues (Xhosa version)
Marvin Gaye – Inner City Blues
Marvin Gaye – Inner City Blues (Live)
Marc Moulin – Inner City Blues
Dirty Dozen Brass Band – Inner City Blues
Brian Auger – Inner City Blues Thanks, Francois

If you’ve been reading Benn loxo for a while you’ll know that I can’t stick to a style. Benn loxo is all over the place. Some days I wake-up wanting 45rpm crackle and on others I miss the clean beep of crispy electronic.

That said, I’ve secretly been loving a drum n bass throw-back these last few days thanks to a mix in the mail from Fabric. I haven’t two-stepped in a long time but this Irish kid, Calibre, has got me rockin a breakbeat on my Velib’. I also have a particular fondness for the Irish…

So how do you work rnb-infused, London scene, Irish drum n bass into an African music web site? You dig out a kwaito mix that someone just passed you, that’s how.

Happy Wednesday.

Calibre feat. DRS – Hustlin’
Revolution feat. P. Tabane – Vhavenda (Revolution remix)

Another Benn loxo reader, Rob, came through huge this week with no less than six Original Music releases that I don’t already have. That puts my mini-collection at twelve. Nothing compared to this guy, but one day I’ll have all 39. If that ever happens maybe I’ll see what I can do about getting them re-released. I wonder who now holds the rights..

Africa Dances is an Original Music compilation from way back in 1973. It features music from 13 African countries, from Mozambique to Ethiopia to Sierra Leone. I already own about half of the music featured on the album, but there were still a few gems in there that I’d never heard.

Easily my favourite on the compilation is Miss Smodern by a South African group named, surprisingly, Smodern. This great track is begging for a clean-up and a remake. And I’ve never posted any music from Zambia on Benn loxo so we’ll hear some interesting sounds by John Lushi.

There’s a good interview with Original Music’s founder, John Storm Roberts, here. I also just found an aging blog of his on Blogger. Does anyone know him? From what I can tell he’s 71 and lives in NY.. I think I’ll try to get in touch.

ps- just realized that I already posted some Broadway Dance Band off Africa Dances way back in November 2004. Apparently I lost the album in the Dakar-Paris move.. glad it’s back in the collection!

Smodern – Miss Smodern
John Lushi – Bamgufya Ba Kwoti