Review: South African Rock Digest

SYD KITCHEN - 'QUINTESSENTIALLY' [NO BUDGET RECORDS]

There is just no-one quite like Syd Kitchen in SA music. Sure he resembles his namesake, Koos Kombuis, with whom he shares a tweetaalig culinary surname. Both of these rough-hewn SA troubadours sing with great emotion and write those dusty growled lyrics that cut to the heart of the SA experience.

Sure there is also that folky-jazz guitar style that he shares and performs with his Aquarian mates, Steve, Tony and Greg. And the stuff he sings about is not that different to countless SA artists - his hopes and fears for his homeland, and the intense emotional love and attachment that each and every South African feels for this extraordinary country.

But mix all those Kitchen ingredients together and you get an artist who is still winning new fans from the first time they hear him and his deeply affecting songs. That ever-expanding fanbase will soon be including part of the UK audience at the 2004 Glastonbury Festival where Syd Kitchen is booked to perform in the middle of the year.

Syd Kitchen's music career had been happening for a while before he first came to the attention of SA fans outside "Natal". In the late-'80's, Syd and his band, The Utensils, put out the classic debut album, 'Waiting For The Heave', still one of the most intelligent and beautiful SA political folk albums ever released.

Syd, who also performed solo, followed "Heave" with his more jazz-influenced solo album, 'City Child', followed soon after by 'Amakoologik'. He then hooked up with guitarist Madala Kunene, to form their very popular duo, Bafo Bafo. In amongst all of this, Syd Kitchen is an integral member of The Aquarian Quartet, with whom he regularly appears.

'Quintessentially Syd Kitchen', which has just been released, is the first official compilation of Syd's finest songs. The album contains 17 tracks that could and should instantly become one of your favourite CDs, that is if you appreciate twinkly SA folk-pop with great lyrics, delectable tunes and plenty of brains and humour.

The tracks are all off Syd's albums like 'Waiting For The Heave' (currently all spruced up and ready for a long-awaited reissue), 'City Child', 'Amakoologik', and 'Africa's Not For Sissies', his other acclaimed album from a few years back. There is also the bonus of the live track, 'When The Boogie Dies', off the collection, 'Splashy Fen: 10 Years Of Music Under The Mountain'.

Syd Kitchen is the "Richelieu Brandy" of SA folk-rock - matured over the years, with quiet dedication, in casts of cool okes, and sure to always leave you with a warm and heady glow.... 'Quintessentially' is quint-essential!.

(SS)

LISTEN http://www.SAmp3.com/artists_e_k.html
BUY http://www.oneworld.co.za/searchresults.asp?AffiliateID=4321&artist=kitchen

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