Ndikho Xaba & The Natives - Ndikho Xaba & The Natives [7 Track Edition] (2015)

Few jazz albums are quite as obscure or sought-after as Ndikho Xaba & The Natives self-titled debut album. Recorded in 1969 at the height of South Africa's oppressive apartheid regime, it was initially issued in 1971 and in recent years has become a hugely in-demand album. This first official reissue makes the set available to a wider audience for the first time. For those with an interest in jazz - be it African or not - it should be an essential purchase. While there are traditional and Western influences throughout, Xaba and his collaborators blended these with hints of African dance music, heavy tribal drums and more than a touch of freestyle attitude. The result is a unique set that sounds as fresh and exciting now as it did 44 years ago.