When the local band Roots broke up sometime around 1974/75, their bass player, Sipho Gumede and saxophonist Duke Makasi got together with Gilbert Matthews, Bheki Mseleku and Khaya Mahlangu to form the band Spirits Rejoice. They took their name from a track by US jazz musician Albert Ayler. Spirits Rejoice would play jazz fusion music and recorded their first album, ‘African Spaces’, in 1977. The album was produced by David Marks who had written the famous ‘Master Jack’ hit for Four Jacks & A Jill. It featured Felicia Marian on vocals. Felicia would go on to find fame as a member of Joy. Their second album, simply entitled ‘Spirits Rejoice’, came out in 1978 and featured Paul Petersen on guitar and Robbie Jansen on vocals, sax and flute. Jansen had been in the band The Rockets, then in Pacific Express. He would go on to feature in Dollar Brand’s band. Felicia Marian would also feature on backing vocals on a couple of tracks on the album, along with the other members of Joy who were on the verge of making the big time in their own right. But that was about it in terms of albums for Spirits Rejoice, although virtually all those who played on their second album would feature on Juluka’s debut album ‘Universal Men’. They did manage to get together again in 1980 for a one off single, ‘Shine On’. This was written and produced by Patric van Blerk and Fransua Roos who had worked with Rabbitt, Margaret Singana and Joy, writing the hit ‘Paradise Road’ for the latter. Mervyn Africa and Russell Herman who had featured in the band would go on to have successful careers in the UK Jazz scene while Gilbert Matthews, another member of the band, would relocate to Sweden where he was a sought after drummer in the jazz circles there.
SA Singles Charts 