Kheshwa and Her Martians, Meadowlands, Stolen Jazz

Keshwa (Nonhlanhla Kheswa) is a South African singer in the SA jazz tradition and she is good. Her band is called the Martians and they have that gently rocking, swinging kind of groove within which soprano and tenor sax, piano and trumpet soloists come across as hip.

They do a full set on their album Kheshwa & Her Martians Meadowlands, Stolen Jazz (Xippi). It is filled with some traditional songs from earlier times (I recognize one or two), and what sounds like some originals.

Keshwa sounds slightly like Miriam Makeba but only as a reference. The band rips it up--and here you have CONTEMPORARY South African jazz! And it's good. So get onto it if that gives you anticipation, because it delivers.