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Draft 16/6/26  The original recording of the perhaps the most important South Africa (SA) jazz hit, Mannenberg has been off the market for a while. We have access to a copy of the master recording and the rights and can announce that as of 16th June 2026 we are making this available for streaming. The recording was done by Vic Versvelt and produced by Rashid Valli in Cape Town in June 1974.  On Piano, the master himself Abdullah Ibrahim aka Dollar Brand, on drums Monty Weber, on bass Paul Michaels. The Saxophone trio featured are Basil Coetzee, Robbie Jansen and Morris Goldberg. Basil on Tenor and the other two on alto sax.  At the time of release there was a controversy about the credits published on the LP release omitting the third saxman, Morris Goldberg who some musicians and critics considered to have delivered the most inspired of the three sax solos.  The proceeds of the re-release will after distribution charges be gathered by this record label and made ava...

A little while back (in January 2025) the vinyl LP of Expressions , Pacific Express' final album was re-issued, and fans were elated. From the original album release. Photo Gavin Furlonger  (c) Songwrights Publishers   There are however some that wanted the album in digital format. Now we are re-issuing the full album, re-mastered for digital streaming (headphone friendly) and download. Producer Tully McCully took on the musically very talented ensemble in his Spaced Out Sounds Studios in upper Cape Town, South Africa in 1978. Although better known for rock and pop productions he relished the chance to work with some of the Cape's top jazz musicians. Following the departure of Chris Schilder and Issy Ariefdien from the group earlier that year, the line up was -  Paul Abrahams - Bass guitar Jack Momple - Drums and percussion Jonathan Butler - Vocals and guitar Tony Cedras - Keyboards, trumpet and string arrangements Zayn Adams - Vocals and percussion  Barney Rachabane...

 It is a real surprise that Tully McCully, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer of countless artists has never released a Tully solo album - until now! The new record is titled Comedy Tragedy. Tully is the frontman and bass player of McCully Workshop, the producer of Lesley Rae Dowling and Crocodile Harris, (and many others) who have topped the charts in his homeland over the last thirty years. He is known for his entertaining (even theatrical) live presence on stage. He is a talented mimic and possesses wonderful comedic timing.  On this collection he plays all but one instrument and does all the male vocals, besides his work behind the desk of his famous Spaced Out Sound Studios in Cape Town, South Africa. Recently he has been recording introspective music, notably his progrock collaboration with keyboard wizard Gordon Mackay, and his folk pop releases under the name of Jaspers's Acolytes. Anyone who is a serious contemporary music fan from 1970s and 80s wil...

South African songstress Lesley Rae Dowling sent shock waves through the local pop music business with her stunningly individual style of vocal delivery when she came on the scene in the early 1980s.  Her producer Tully McCully wrote Grips of Emotion for her and it hit the charts in January 1982. The follow-up release, her debut album revealed that she was also a serious songwriter. Her song Spaniard was the second single to garner heavy rotation leading to the first album going gold not long afterwards. Visual for the new release featuring Lesley from the time of her debut releases .   Since then Lesley has released about a dozen albums mostly in her home country but she also has releases in Australia and the Benelux. Last month Tully was going through his archive and stumbled on a multi-track tape containing a song she recorded that never made it onto any of Lesley's main album releases and never released digitally, so not available for streaming or download. The track, als...

Hamburg, March 2026   Tony Cox is not only a very talented guitar player, he also shines as an arranger. In this collection he looks for inspiration from some of the iconic South African popular songs from recent years. Essentially an instrumental album though Tony does add a little vocal accompaniment to three of the songs. The album title, is an Afrikaans word that refers to food one might take with you on the road for a journey - this is indeed the case with this collection. Always tongue in cheek, Tony Cox with his picnic basket (c) Songwrights Publishers Here is a review from the time of the original album release. Review: Richard Haslop 7 April 2014 The music of South Africa’s consistently brilliant fingerstyle guitarist Tony Cox has always been influenced by his geographical roots, full of mainly instrumental statements about where he’s from and who he is. But quite a lot of what he has played – as well, it must be said, as anybody anywhere – is South Afr...

In the 1980s and '90s Cape Town classical music recording engineer and sound system enthusiast, the late Donald Graham, released several dozen records on vinyl and cassette tape, on his GSE Claremont Records label. One of his most popular releases was titled, Beautiful Cape Town - Fine Music, "Voices". The compilation set out to showcase Cape Town orchestras and artists from live recordings Donald had made as well as some he acquired the rights to from the 1970's. He was a specialist in live recordings and doing the editing on his analogue tapes and later his digital recordings.  The artist performances on this compilation are as he heard and captured on his microphones and are not enhanced, in other words completely analog acoustic recordings allowing for some wonderful dynamics. (c) SONGWRIGHTS PUBLISHERS There were fourteen tracks in all, featuring such performers by,  Joseph Gabriels,   Lynn Julius,  Aviva Pelham,  Andrea Catzel,  Sally Presa...

Seasoned musicians Tully McCully and Gordon Mackay, have come up with a powerful package of three new songs for release shortly. These they add to their very creative musical story as a duo on the 14th of November 2025. Artwork Laura McCullagh (c) Songwrights Publishers Going under the title - The Quest, they offer a trilogy of yet again instrumentally complex tracks still featuring Tully's esoteric "stream of consciousness, fantasy" vocal text. As before Gordon's virtuoso electric keyboard playing is up front. This is not programmed playing, this is performance recording! Tully and Gordon were part of the McCully Workshop live line-up and Gordon also played on the band's Infinity  release and contributed two of his compositions to the album.  Since then the duo have workshopped and released two albums and a handful of single releases. The last release was a single in April this year.  The duo again followed their usual creative process, with Tully sending Gordon ...

Draft 2/4/2026 - NOT FOR PUBLIC USE BEFORE -  10/4/2026 In the 1980s and '90s Cape Town music and recording engineer and sound system enthusiast, the late Donald Graham, released several dozen records on vinyl and cassette tape, on his GSE Claremont Records label. One of his most popular releases was titled, Beautiful Cape Town - Fine Music, "Voices". The compilation set out to showcase Cape Town orchestras and artists from live recordings Donald had made as well as some he acquired the rights to from the 1970's. He was a specialist in live recordings and doing the editing on his analogue tapes and later his digital recordings.  The artist performances on this compilation are as he heard and captured on his microphones and are not enhanced, in other words completely analog acoustic allowing for some wonderful dynamics. (c) SONGWRIGHTS PUBLISHERS There were fourteen tracks in all, featuring such performers by,  Joseph Gabriels,   Lynn Julius,  Aviva Pelham, ...

Robin Auld is pretty much the king of South African AAC Rock, with numerous chart hits under his belt.  On November the 7th he releases a new single, the radio version of a track from his latest album, Love Kills - The Collection.  We are perhaps naively calling it a radio mix because it is different to the original - we cut it down to 3:05, this in a time when radio has all but been replaced by streaming playlists.  Pic Jillian Edelstein (c) Songwtights Publishers  The song is Waiting for you , written a few years back and produced by Murray Anderson, now with the edits and re-mastering by Robin himself. It's a Rocker, heavy on electric guitars, a departure from the last acoustic guitar led album title song Love Kills . Robin comments - "The inspiration for Waiting for you comes from my affection for the songs of Lionel Bart, who wrote the music for Oliver. There's a song that Oliver sings which has the line "where is she, who I close my eyes to see, will I e...

  After a bit of a struggle with rights issues we are happy to announce the reissue of the TONY COX album  -  The Summer Comes My Loves . The recordings will be on all platforms from the 5th September 2025 -  Here a few comments from the artist -   Some of these tunes I worked right there on the spot in the studio. I was in a home studio and time was not a factor.  I was away from home and missing my family and doing a bit of channeling. I was though enjoying the freedom to play and experiment; to get to play over my tunes with a different instrument and work on counterparts was a delight.  Once again I let the tunes go where they will so there is much fusing of genres going on with me, almost always.  My daughter Thalo did the beautiful artwork.   Music link - https://orcd.co/22d01dw   LTE  Music Distribution                     ...

Acoustic guitarist Tony Cox has a number of different genre in his diverse repertoire. Enormous Flowers is a full band album of thirteen original songs in the Neo-Soul groove.  Produced by award winning producer Joe Arthur in Johannesburg some years ago, this record has been off the market for a while. It comes back for streaming on the 18th July 2025.   Photo for the re-issue sleeve Here a statement from the artist - After releasing several instrumental albums, Enormous Flowers marked a return to where it all began for me. In those early days, singing took centre stage—I was a regular at folk clubs, known more for my voice than my guitar. Over time, though, my focus shifted. Instrumental guitar music became my main outlet, and eventually, the vocals faded out altogether. Coming back to singing through Enormous Flowers was a deeply emotional and unexpectedly joyful journey. Collaborating with other musicians a...

Robin Auld matured into the role of master singer/songwriter in the space of a few years by releasing four albums in the first five years of his recording career. In fact there are few southern African artists active today who can match his composition output and ability, in the adult contemporary genre. This goes for his performances in his recordings as well. A truly surprising album scheduled for release on 24th July 2025 is testimony to his huge talent. Titled Love Kills: The Collection , it is a sort of retrospective compilation of some of the works he wrote in his spell working in London some time ago and a few songs from the time immediately thereafter. The repertoire draws from two previous albums under the name Love Kills,  issued in different parts of the world. Some of the songs have not been available on digital streaming release before. There are 16 songs, re-worked, remastered, overdubbed and sonically pumped up by Auld himself in his home studio. The origin...

 The Tiny Magnetic Pets from Ireland are a trio of players dedicated to an indie electronic music project. This release is their latest EP and will be available on the 23rd of May 2025. Here is their flyer for the release issued on their own Vitamin C Records label >     Music link  > https://orcd.co/4yyavye   LTE  Music Distribution            

  On the 23rd May 2025 the debut album by Cape Town rockers McCully Workshop, will be available digitally for the first time. The record was never available as a CD.  Recorded in their "garage studio" in Plumstead, Cape Town in the 1980s by Tully McCully and brother Mike, it was the beginning of a career in music that has been sustained for over 40 years. Comprising nine original songs under the title McCully Workshop Inc. , the release was initially available on vinyl and music cassette. Tully rescued the analog master and restored the recordings to the exacting standards required for a digital release.  This release is part of a project re-issuing the productions of Tully McCully that were no longer on the market. It follows the reissue of the group's second album in February this year. (c) Songwrights Publishers      Music link  > https://orcd.co/y6kynao Mountain Records                

 The Grahamstown National Arts Festival is one of South Africa's premier arts festivals. An invitation to perform there is seen as an important recognition for theatre directors, actors, film makers, composers and musicians. Tony Cox was invited to do a solo show there in 2005. The show was recorded and this album is the result. Sparkling solo guitar work! Re-issued on Mountain Records on the 5th of May 2025.   Media Quote - " This is Tony Cox in full flight. Recorded live at one of South Africa's premier festivals, Cox delivers up a staggering display of six-string prowess. The man really is a genre of one and within the larger framework of world class guitar players, his particular fusion of whatever inspires him within the African framework of where he lives, is totally unique." Music link - (after release) - https://orcd.co/kdv9bdn                

It's done! Tully McCully (producer and multi-instrumentalist) and Gordon Mackay (keyboard guru) have been working on a new song and it has arrived on our desk. On the 30th of April 2025 they ask the question, Where are your heroes now? Something we all ask, as we realign our role models and expectations.  It's a kind of prog/pop/rock experiment written by Tully with plenty of layers, though very tastefully produced.   The sleeve art is a painting by Laura McCullagh.  (c) Songwrights Publishers Music Link - https://orcd.co/do5d0bp Link to the last album > Garden of the snake - https://orcd.co/ymaq4w0    Mountain Records                

 On the 30th April 2025 we will re-issue the album, COOL FRICTION by the celebrated steel string acoustic guitar player Tony Cox. The album contains a longish program  - 14 tracks in all.  The record which is one of his most popular past releases, is a production album where the composer is unusually joined by a band. The project in part ventures into a more jazzy musical area this time. " Tony Cox's much-loved, South African acoustic guitar classic, Cool Friction, is Cox's masterpiece. Embracing an eclectic approach to his particular fusion of African, jazz, blues and folk, Cox and his fellow musicians sweep you along on an aural journey utterly unique to this guitarist and composer." - Media comment.  Music Link (after release) -  https://orcd.co/nqj45kx   Mountain Records              

These live recordings of Robin Auld and Z-Astaire were made by the very talented recording engineer, Kevin Shirley in the late 1980s. The program is from a concert that was held at the Three Arts Theatre in Plumstead, Cape Town.  We must also remember the assistance of Brian Quibell for the FOH sound. To the surprise of all concerned the rather large venue usually reserved for international pop stars at the time, was packed to the roof with the band's fans. Auld was at the time the closest the city came to having it's own real pop music icon.  The band, Murray Anderson on keys, Rob Hack on bass and Mike Bush on drums, plus Robin were joined by Steve Walsh and Judy Joubert on backing vocals. The music was all original and kind of indie and unlike their records released up to this point, the band showed their ability to perform extended arrangements of their songs. Curiously the tapes excluded his two big chart hits.  Issued by Mountain Records, this was the last release fr...

 Here is a press release from the label .  Fofa le nna (Fly with me) - digital release 21st March 2025 Flautists Barbara Highton Williams and Marietjie Pauw announce the digital online release of their album, Fofa le nna (Setswana for “Fly with me”). With Pauw based in South Africa and Williams in the USA, they form an unusual cross-Atlantic duo, established in 2008 and giving recitals in both their home countries. The title track was a commission by leading South African composer Neo Muyanga, who suggests flying as “the stuff of dreams”, dedicating his piece in 2012 to “two sisters in mid-flight”. And Williams herself captured the essence of this far-flung but inspired artistic partnership in a poem (from her published collection, Continuo , 2024): “flying through the years in concert and in spirit, / yes, in perfect sync across ten thousand miles”. The album also includes Elizabeth Brown’s 2005 Lunette (2005), spinning musical lines of sound in...

Before their first chart breakthrough McCully Workshop were an indie pop group playing the Cape Town, South Africa (SA) circuit. During their long career they released six albums in all and below is the second one, released for fans of SA rock history.  The original label was Truetone and the digital release will appear on Mountain Records on 28th February 2025. Musically it is quite adventurous. All original songs. Text from the producers - We are proud to announce the first ever streaming release of McCully Workshop's cult-classic sophomore album 'Genesis'. 'Genesis' was originally released in 1971 by an early lineup of the iconic South African band, featuring founding members Tully and Mike McCully as well as Bruce Gordon and Ian Smith. Following the release of their debut album 'McCully Workshop Inc' on Trutone the year prior, the band decided to change musical direction and embraced a more progressive rock sound.  'Genesis' was recorded i...