Listen: The Vinyl Factory on Kabasa and their rare funk classic ‘African Sunset’
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The Vinyl Factory tell the story of how Soweto band Kabasa created their township funk classic, African Sunset.
Originally released in on Lyncell Records, African Sunset was the third and final album by shape-shifting outfit Kabasa.
Formed in Soweto by vocalist and bassist Tata “TNT” Sibeko, guitarist Robert “Doc” Mthalane and percussionist Oupa Segwai, the group were joined by percussionist and flautist Mabote “Kelly” Petlane for the session.
Drawing on a range of influences to create a distinctively South African jazz-funk sound pioneered by bands like Harari (with whom Mthalane and Segwai also played), the album heard Kabasa incorporate synthesizers into their music for the first time.
To mark a new reissue by BBE Africa, Sharp-Flat Records’ Callum McNaughton met the album’s co-producer Graham Handley to find out a little more about how the album came together in the studio and where it sits in the context of South Africa’s musical history.
