Artist: Ntshuks Bonga’s Tshisa!
Title: Urban Ritual
Cat Number: SLAMCD213
Year released: 1995
Format: CD & all digital platforms
Barcode: 5028386021322
Fiery – and at times – rhythm-heavy free jazz session from South African saxophonist Ntshuks Bonga, Brazilian bassist and cellist Marcio Mattos and Scottish drummer Ken Hyder.
Ntshuks Bonga: alto saxophone, clarinet, vocals
Marcio Mattos: bass, cello
Ken Hyder: drums, percussion
“One of the finest albums to come out of the UK this year.” – Chris Blackford, The Wire
“Bonga takes much of the limelight, although Mattos and Hyder are never – could never be – just a rhythm section. The music varies between extremes. At one end, full tilt blowing; Bonga’s playing tends to the upper end of the alto sax’s range, giving it a declamatory, strident tone. The longest piece here, ‘Mzangwa, Mzangwa’, is dedicated to Dudu Pukwana, and Bonga’s playing can radiate some of the same passion and intensity as Pukwana’s. At the other extreme, the three build up and sustain moods over a long period, using quiet, very controlled sounds and reacting sympathetically to each other’s playing.” – Rubberneck