Sometimes, it doesn't matter how good your music is, if luck goes against you, success may prove elusive. Such was the case with South African percussionist and anti-apartheid activist Julian Bahula and his band, the Malombo Jazz Makers. An influential and musically innovative collective active at the height of the anti-apartheid movement during the 1960s and 70s, they were formed in Mamelodi township near Pretoria, and first rose to fame in 1964 as Malombo Jazz Men after winning the prestigious Castle Lager Jazz Festival. Although successful at home, international success eluded them – despite a couple of festival appearances in London – thanks to a mixture of bad luck and run-ins with the SA authorities (the Jazz Makers were nothing if not politically active).

Hopefully, Bahula (who moved to London in 1973) and friends will now get their due with the re-release of these two classics, the first fruits of a brand-new catalogue deal with Strut, and appearing on vinyl for the first time since their original release. Tracks such as ‘Sibathathu’, ‘Soul Of Africa’, ‘A Tribute To Birds’, ‘Jikeleza’, ‘Emakhaya’, ‘Hhlezipi’ and ‘Abbey's Mood’ are simply a joy to hear, synthesising the best of 1960s US jazz with musical traditions and elements native to their South Africa (especially the malombo drum, used by elders and ancestors as a conduit for physical and spiritual healing). What's especially striking about this music is its minimalism, which allows the rhythms and composer Cindi's infectious melodies to breathe. For anyone with an interest in African jazz, these will be essential purchases.