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3rd Ear Music's Hidden Years Archive Project is a unique collection of alternative South African music - Live Recordings from Festivals, Concerts & Clubs & independent Studios - 1964 to 1994 - SAfrican music legends & forgotten heroes - from Township Jazz to City Folk, from Zulu Maskandi to Political Rock 'n Roll. It's a living Archive & income is generated from the sale of our CD re-issues, 3rd Ear Music events & Donations.
The Arts Funding Crisis hits 3rd Ear Music & The Hidden Years Project
(See also The Darryl Accone Artslink.co.za funding paper)
We regret to announce that MMINO / NAC will no longer be assisting the HYMA Project for 2002. We would like to thank MMINO & the NAC for their support of the project these past 2 years. Without them this site would not have become a reality. The re-issue of our historic archive CD-R's was also made possible through their contribution & interest. If there are any corporate or art & music funders out there who would like to contribute to the Hidden Years Project, talk to us! It seems that MMINO will continue to distribute their (limited) funds to other needy community art projects through the National Arts Council. We thank them for supporting SAfrican arts in general & our HYMA Project in particular.
All the usual archive / back copy material & photos for your information & interest are still available. If you need specific information or archive recording copies - provided all the copyright & licensing is in order - speak to us!
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New Releases
Brian Finch - Hero of Hero's
Brian Finch recorded his 10th Album at Alan Judd & Terry Rosenberg's Leopard Moon Studio in Gillits, kZN last month. Hero of Hero's, which has been financed by Brian's Biker friends, has turned out to be by far the best recordings he has ever done. 11 songs - 9 new Finch crafted classics that continue to attract crowds of all ages & musical persuasions, wherever he performs - and he's been a major club & concert attraction since 1965.
...read more >>
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BRIAN FINCH & THE INVESTORS. Brian with his Capetown Biker friends who invested in the CD - a collection of songs that these gentlemen believe will turn South African Music on it's head & heals. And you better believe them!
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 > The Jazzanians
An Historic LIMITED EDITION re-issue CD from the original 1988 studio live recordings with a bonus track - TUGELA RAIL recorded in 1984 by Darius Brubeck - Founder & Director of the Centre for Jazz & Popular Music at the University of Natal. The JAZZANIANS were a unique Band - The first students to graduate from the CJPM - the first ever-Jazz graduate course at an African University - each musician from this band has gone on to shape an illustrious career in music.
The Jazzanians CD was Digitally Re-mastered from the original 1988 & 1984 analogue recordings & is now available through 3rd Ear Music & the CJPM.
...read more >>
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 > The Hidden Years - A Special
Music Archive Project Feature & Focus on Songwriters Roy Clarke & Alison Lowry
Censorship through association & trains of thought - 1970 to 1985
Unedited notes from the HY archives & extracts from The Hidden Years Story - part 2; ....it was not only the (so-called) protest singer songwriters who were banned or avoided...but a good song lives forever...no matter what!
...read more >>
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 > 3 Dear Music Friends have passed away recently
Radio Presenter & Rock Music guru, ALLAN PIERCE (on September 8); Guitarist, composer & Bandleader DAVE POLLECUTT & Singer songwriter MIKE SMITH.
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 > Doctor Malombo at the Rainbow
Click image to enlarge
October 2001 - 3rd Ear & the HYMA Project are negotiating to have our early Malombo recordings re-issued in 2002 / 2003.
Don't know how many people know, but the very first (so called) commercial LP ever recorded by 3rd Ear Music (after Ben Segal's late 60's SAFMA recordings) was MALOMBO - MUSIC of THE SPIRIT (TEE 001) in 1971. Phillip Tabane had split from percussionist Julian Bahula & was in the USA with percussionist Mabi Tobejane at the time, with his Malombo Jazz Men. It was this Malombo - Music of The Spirit album & 3rd Ear's work with percussionist Julian Bahula, Lanky Ranku (who took Phillips place on guitar) & Abe Cindi (flute) that precipitated a whole new SAfrican Rock & Roll sound; those legendary Freedom's Children / Tribal Blues Rehearsals in the Valley of a 1000 Hills back in 1971. Other bands were soon to follow - HAWK & WILDEBEEST were two among many. But the recordings that Dr. Phillip Tabane & the HYMAProject want to re-issue are the famed Wits Great Hall Concerts of May 1976 -a set of remarkable live tracks with Phillip in total control & Mabi in full flight.
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 > News Forum:
ZIMBABWE
Harare
A lighting engineer has been charged with inciting hostility against Robert Mugabe after shining a spotlight on portraits of the Zimbabwean president during a live performance of a popular song about old age, state media reported on Tuesday.
Phillip Schadendor was charged with violating Zimbabwe's Law and Order Maintenance Act for his actions at a recent music show, National news agency Ziana said.
www.freemuse.org/
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 > This guy used to try & impersonate Roger Lucey in the early 80's - even sang some of his songs. Known to his comrades as Tighthead Fourie he is seen here secretly boarding the old SAR from De Aar headed for Gatmanshoop to meet up with his band of revolting renegades, The Loose Forwards. But the picture never lies. Hiding behind the Green, Gold & Black of a hidden history patriot, Tighthead Fourie & The Loose Forwards were about to unleash another devastating music attack on the clean hearts & lean minds of the Country.
Roger Lucey was nominated for 2 Arts & Culture Trust Awards 2001 & he won it for eTV News
...read more >>
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 > Capetown Jazz Book
This is another great book on SAfrican Music - Capetown Jazz 1959 - 1963. The Photographs of Hardy Stockmann (a German); Edited by Lars Rasmussen (a Dane). The 3rd Book on South African Music & Musicians in as many years from The Booktrader in Denmark ( email ) ...written, published, presented & marketed in Europe. In the 35 years that 3rd Ear Music have been involved with SAfrican music, local music journalists have managed to carve out 2 books that deal with SAfrican music & musicians. That's because there's nothing of note to write about, the cynical would wax! Hardly a month has gone by since the 60's, where a music / arts journalist somewhere in the USA, Europe or Australia will not write a book or major article / a review if you will / of some or other music issue, event, character, artist or (so called) music product. South Africa has had 2 Books in 35 years...and for all the talent & technology that we claim (and are known to have) we wonder why nobody in the world is listening...?
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 > 3rd Ear Music's Greatest Misses
We note that most on-line magazines are going for glamour Internet covers. Well, we refuse to be outdone; here's a glamour shot from one of our forthcoming in-house CD re-issues:
3rd Ear Music's Greatest Misses
The photo features our current greatest miss: 6year old Cheyenne Donnelly posing in 3rd Ear Music's office. The album is a collection of classics by: Colin Shamley, John Oakley-Smith, Tony Bird, Sipho Mchunu, Brian Finch, Clem Tholet, Spirits Rejoice, Madala Kunene & others.
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 > Sweet Chariot - Night Fishing
(3eZ 8005) Consider this timeless acoustic album a subliminal soundtrack to Rick Andrew's acclaimed book Buried in the Sky (Penguin). This is the band Sweet Chariot's one & lonely debut album Night Fishing - recorded live in 1992 at Selby's Sound Crew Studios, kZN & digitally re-mastered for the HYMAProject in 2001. These Sweet spiritual sounds - like many Hidden Years Music Projects - was way ahead of its time - precisely because their spiritual sound & music remain timeless.
...read more >>
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Where are they now?
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 > TheQuiz
The first 3 eMails that can tell us who these two music aunties are will win one each of our new re-issues (you say which CD you'd prefer): Jazzanians, Sweet Chariot or Roger Lucey (double CD) 21 Years Down the Road.
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 > Ms. Migdale's Banjo Band
Somewhere in the 30's Johannesburg -That's Margaret Migdale on Guitar 2nd from the left seated. If you can identify anybody else in this Orchestra please let us know.
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 > The Reed & Bow Band
From around the 20's. Taken from Pete Engblom's impressive Multi Media CD Rom - A LAND CALLED HEAVEN - ZULULAND. Now on sale & site all over the world. If there's a chance that anybody can identify these musicians we'd be most grateful.
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 > The Barney Menzies Dance Band
Mid 1940's KwaZulu-Natal Barney Meintjes - Accordion and concertina / Fanie Meintjes - Guitar / Daniel Meintjes - Drums / Eddie Benjamin - Saxophone and clarinet / Brian Rodell - Piano.
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> Photo Gallery - Here's where Tony Campbell, Rodney Barnett, Manfred Linder, Frank Black, Alf Kumalo and many other photographers' work will play a major role.
> Song Lyrics - Featuring 3eM composers' lyrics & anecdotes like: John Gerrard - Bill Knight - Jonathan 'Radio Rat' Handley - Nick Taylor - James Phillips - David Kramer - Tony Bird - Des Lindberg - John Oakley Smith - Chris Mann - David Marks - Roger Lucey.
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Important legal & copyright note:
Whether 3rd Ear Music owns the music it recorded or not - it will only be made available with permission, in writing, from the rights holders. Copyright clearance from the original owners, composers, publishers & producers is essential. 3eM aims to issue limited edition CD-R's, CDs & hopefully a CD-ROM. A Radio & TV documentary is being negotiated. We hope to make as much information available as we are allowed - for students, archive and commercial use. However, the choice of music, material & stories from the archives, is up to the individual musicians. Anybody willing to sponsor a particular artist or event? email 3eM.
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