Sophiatown in the 50’s and 60’s – the dark era of apartheid, but also a golden era for music – and jazz. Nightclubs and performance venues were eventually forced to close and the musicians' livelihoods became at stake. Many chose exile - Miriam Makeba,
Hugh Masekela, Abdullah Ibrahim, Jonas Gwangwa to name but a few. Those that remained were forced to struggle for survival. In the sixties most of the musicians were gone - abroad or underground and Nelson Mandela was caught and imprisoned. It was the end of an era, but an era that will never be forgotten.
This compilation serves as a representation and history of some of the key figures and compositions in SA jazz during this time, those that were the pioneers and are the backbone of our South African musical heritage. These include the likes of Chris McGregor, Kippie Moeketsi, Bheki Mseleku, Sipho Hotstix, Manhattan Brothers, Hugh Masekela, Louis Moholo, Mongezi Feza, Dudu Pukwana, sis Dolly Rathebe, and mama Afrika, Miriam Makeba. This is where it all began.