South African jazz pianist Tete Mbambisa's "lost" African Day 2LP due April 5th

South African pianist Tete Mbambisa's "lost" recordings from 1976 are being released as African Day by As-Shams/The Sun.

 

Here's the scoop from As-Shams/The Sun Records...

Awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Cape Town in 2023, pianist Tete Mbambisa (84) is a legendary figure in South African jazz. Supported by the cream of the local scene, his albums from the 1970s are among the most cherished vinyl artifacts from this golden era. A monumental archival undertaking, African Day compiles unreleased recordings from 1976 to resurrect a "lost" Tete Mbambisa double album that falls between his seminal works Tete's Big Sound (1975) and Did You Tell Your Mother (1979).

Overseen by producer Rashid Vally as well as Tete Mbambisa himself, African Day is one of the most highly anticipated and deeply meaningful projects undertaken by As-Shams Archive to date. A portrait of Mbambisa by artist Zulu Bidi, the cover artwork was commissioned for the release at the time of the recording. Among a host of unique Mbambisa originals, the set features a 1976 rendering of the classic “Umsenge” (first recorded a decade earlier with the Four Yanks).

2LP vinyl with photo gatefold in a first edition of 500 copies. Album drops on 5 April 2024. We’ll be announcing a Cape Town launch with special guest Bra Tete shortly.