Critical reception
Thom Jurek of Allmusic wrote "In sum, there isn't a weak moment on this entire collection. Its appeal is wide and deep and one can only hope this is the first of many volumes of this material to appear. BBE Records has done a stellar job in making this slab available."[3]
Dan Nishimoto of the Prefix Magazine stated "The compilation focuses on Masekela’s original idea of “African American Music.” From the early experiments of the Zulus (a group featuring M’Bulu) in mixing doo-wop, rhythm & blues and South African gospel and the mbaqanga/”Grazing in the Grass”-style work of the generically named Johannesburg Street Band to the clearly Fela-influenced Ojah (Masekela’s band in the mid-’70s, consisting of players from Ghana and Nigeria) and the ready-for-primetime belting of M’Bulu, each track reveals a multi-pronged effort to find and challenge the notion(s) of how African and American cultural forms could interact".
[4]
Track listing
|
1. | "Afro Beat Blues" (Ojah with Hugh Masekela) | 6:47 |
2. | "Mahalela" (Letta Mbulu) | 4:28 |
3. | "Amo Sakesa" (Baranta feat. Miatta Fahbulleh) | 4:10 |
4. | "Joala" (The Zulus) | 2:03 |
5. | "U Se Mcani" (Letta Mbulu) | 3:34 |
6. | "Tepo" (Baranta with Miatta Fahnbulleh) | 4:59 |
7. | "Za Labalaba" (The Zulus) | 3:07 |
8. | "Witch Doctor" (Baranta with Miatta Fahnbulleh) | 6:29 |
9. | "Melodi (Sounds of Home)" (Letta Mbulu) | 4:29 |
10. | "Ahvuomo" (Baranta with Miatta Fahnbulleh) | 6:27 |
11. | "Aredze" (The Zulus) | 3:05 |
12. | "A Cheeka Laka Laka" (Baranta feat. Miatta Fahnbulleh) | 4:35 |
13. | "Awe Mfana" (The Johannesburg Street Band) | 3:14 |
14. | "Macongo" (Letta Mbulu) | 3:15 |
Total length: | 1:00:36 |