South African saxophonist, penny whistle master, and composer Morris Goldberg is perhaps best known for his association with Hugh Masekela with whom he worked for some decades, and in 1996 he formed the first version of Ojoyo, a group that features his often-celebratory compositions, folk-like melodies which pay homage to his roots. This release is a 25th anniversary reissue of Ojoyo’s debut which has been remastered. The first seven songs have Goldberg joined by trumpeter Chris Botti, keyboardist Tony Cedras, bassist Bakithi Kumalo, drummer Anton Fig, and percussionist Cyro Baptista with two guest appearances by guitarist Dan Carillo and one from Kofo on the talking drum. The final two performances have Goldberg, Fig and Baptista performing with trumpeter Diego Urcola, tenor-saxophonist Cecilia Tenconi, guitarist John Guth, keyboardist Richard Cummings, and bassist Chulo Gatewood. I know Anton Fig has been around for years in multiple different groups, but for me he will always be the sticksman on Ace Frehley’s debut solo album all those years ago.
The songs are all originals, and the album title says it all in that if one was to describe this without knowing anything about it or seeing the album artwork then one would say this is a jazz album which has obviously been heavily influenced by African music. This instrumental release is often light-hearted, music with a real bounce and soul within it as the lead instruments are taken on a journey by the rhythmic underpinning which has both a lightness and real drive. The percussive interlude in “Forward Motion” tells the listener everything they want to know about this release, as it is so fluid and very different to what one would normally expect from a Western or jazz viewpoint. Yet somehow it fits in seamlessly with the more melodic sections either side of it.
This is jazz which makes the listener smile as there is a real sense of joy and gaiety within, as if it is full of vibrant colours which are made real by the music. When Morris plays the penny whistle it gives a totally different feel and expression, and “Harare” is one of the finest fusion pieces one is ever likely to come across as it really does feel as if a jazz group has been transported and are not in a studio but are in the streets of Zimbabwe with people dancing around. This is a delightful album from beginning to end.
Rating: 8/10
