Johnny Mbizo Dyani African Bass, Solo Concert

Sing a song fighter have never been more proud and happy than to finally announce and release this unissued and unheard fantastic recording

South African in exile Johnny Dyani was one of the greatest bass players. Played with Don Cherry, Chris McGregor, Archie Sheep, Dollar Brand / Abdullah Ibrahim etc etc. He also made many great albums as a bandleader. And a few rare minimal albums where it was mostly him and his upright bass. He died way too early, in 1986. Karl Jonas Winqvist (Sing A Song Fighter) ranks some of Dyani's works ("African Bass", “Witchdoctor's Son" with Okay Temiz and "Good News From Africa”, with Dollar Brand) as "the most natural, creative musical force there is”. KJW investigated for years if there was more recorded Dyani material waiting to be heard. And where? After e-mailing endlessly with the National Radio Museum in Switzerland he finally found what he was looking for.

In 1978 graphic designer Niklaus Troxler arranged the great Willisau Jazz Festival in Switzerland. A lot of legendary artists like Max Roach, Jan Garbarek, Elvin Jones and Don Cherry were performing, and Johnny Dyani was one of them. He did this rare solo concert with some of the material that two years later would end up on his great album "African Bass". This LP contains the concert from beginning to end, showing Dyani at his very best on piano, gong, bass and vocals. Spiritual, adventurous and truly free,beautiful music.

Gatefold cover, with extensive liner notes from Francis Gooding and Niklaus Troxler