Mankunku Quartet – Yakhal' Inkomo

Originally released in 1968 during the height of apartheid, Yakhal' Inkomo is the towering debut from tenor saxophonist Winston “Mankunku” Ngozi and one of the most beloved South African jazz records of all time. With just four tracks clocking in at a tight 30 minutes, the album doesn’t waste a second - each note is charged with emotion, resistance, and reverence.

The two original compositions on Side A - title track “Yakhal’ Inkomo” and “Dedication (To Daddy Trane and Brother Shorter)” - sit proudly beside the Coltrane and Horace Silver cuts that follow. They showcase Mankunku’s stunning melodic sensibility, tone, and phrasing. Music written under brutal oppression, yet bursting with hope, expression, and spiritual power.

Recorded with a mixed-race band (including pianist Lionel Pillay, bassist Agrippa Magwaza, and drummer Early Mabuza), this session was in itself an act of rebellion - an assertion of unity and freedom in the face of apartheid-era censorship. The phrase Yakhal’ Inkomo, translated as “the bellowing of the bull,” carried deep symbolic weight for South Africa’s Black community, evading government scrutiny while communicating grief, rage, and perseverance.

Now lovingly reissued with a half-speed master by Abbey Road’s Miles Showell from the original tapes, and housed in a replica of the original World Record Co. sleeve, this edition restores the brilliance of one of the most moving and powerful jazz records ever made.

Note: All orders ship from France. VAT not charged (TVA non applicable, article 293 B du CGI). Worldwide shipping available. Images shown are mock-ups — actual vinyl may differ slightly.