A New World Record

 

Mankunku Quartet - Yakhal' Inkomo [MRBLP220SP UK 2022 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC]

Recorded at the Johannesburg Studios of Manley Van Niekerk in 1968, and released on the World Record Co. label that same year, Yakhal' Inkomo by Mankunku Quartet has become one of the most sought after releases ever to come out of the SA jazz scene. This four piece was lead by the saxophone of Winston Monwabisi Ngozi who also wrote the two tracks which adorn side one. Side two features covers of standards by Horace Silver and John Coltrane.

This hard bop jazz crate diggers dream of a record has been out-of-print for almost fifty years, until the British Jazzman Records label acquired the initial rights to a repress in 2017. Last year, Miles Showell at Abbey Road cut a new half-speed master for Mr Bongo Records. My copy is from that release on black vinyl, pressed at Optimal Media in Germany - there is also a smokey-grey vinyl edition for Vinyl Me Please which was pressed from the same cut at GZ Media in the Czech Republic.

A1 Yakhal' Inkomo

A2 Dedication (To Daddy Trane And Brother Shorter)

B1 Doodlin'

B2 Bessie's Blues