Hailing from Cape Town, tenor saxophonist Winston Mankunku Ngozi (1943-2009) is a venerated figure in the pantheon of South African jazz. Inspired by Coltrane while rooted in indigenous folklore, he released the classic album Yakhal’ Inkomo at the outset of his career with the Mankunku Quartet in 1969. Backed by the Cliffs, Alex Express documents Mankunku’s return to the studio in 1975 with a handful of new and original compositions and his inimitable tone on full display. Shaking off the burden of Yakhal’ Inkomo, which was heralded as an earnest manifesto for modern South African jazz, the album is a carefree affair that leans into township grooves with joyful exuberance. In addition to a collaborative project with Mike Makhalemele entitled The Bull and the Lion, Alex Express is the first of just two rare snapshots of Mankunku in the 1970s. Disillusioned by the recording industry, it would take until his resurgence in the 1990s for Mankunku to flesh out his recorded legacy.
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge
Features an elliptical stylus that accurately tracks the grooves of vinyl records, delivering a rich, detailed sound with an output voltage of 5.5 mV
-
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
Featuring a one-piece carbon fiber tonearm, precision-tuned motor, and a heavy steel platter with TPE damping, it ensures superior stability and sound quality.
-
Edifier R1280DB Powered Speakers
Combining classic design with modern Bluetooth connectivity, built-in amplification and versatile inputs, these speakers deliver rich, balanced sound.
-
Nagaoka MP-110H Cartridge
Features a high-quality elliptical stylus that provides excellent tracking and minimizes distortion, delivering a detailed sound reproduction with an output voltage of 5.0 mV
-
Ortofon 2M Blue Premounted
Mounted on the SH-4 Black Headshell, this setup delivers exceptional clarity, dynamic range, and accurate sound reproduction.
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Kenny Burrell Kenny Burrell (Original Jazz Classics Series)
Craft Recordings
August 22, 2025 -
Richard Hawley Coles Corner: 20th Anniversary (Half-Speed Mastered; Zoetrope Picture Disc)
Parlophone Int'l
August 8, 2025 -
Greywind Severed Heart City
Frontiers New Recordings Physical Only
September 19, 2025 -
Genesis The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway [7xLP]
Atlantic Catalog Group
September 26, 2025 -
Oasis (What's The Story) MORNING GLORY? (30Th Anniversary; Deluxe Edition) (Exclusive) [3xLP]
Big Brother Recordings Limited
October 3, 2025 -
Deep Purple Made in Japan [10xLP]
Rhino/Warner Records
August 15, 2025 -
Mariah Carey Here For It All
Gamma.
September 26, 2025 -
Jobber Jobber To The Stars (Emerald Green)
Exploding In Sound Records
August 22, 2025 -
Common Holly Anything Glass (White)
Keeled Scales
August 1, 2025 -
R.J.F. Cleaning Out the Empty Administration Building
Dais
August 15, 2025 -
Sydney Minsky Sargeant Lunga [2xLP]
Domino Record Co
September 12, 2025 -
Whiskey Myers Whomp Whack Thunder [2xLP]
Wiggy Thump Records
September 26, 2025 -
Cochemea Vol III: Ancestros Futuros
Daptone Records
September 26, 2025 -
Royel Otis hickey (Platinum) (Alt Cover) (Amazon Exclusive)
Ourness/Capitol
August 22, 2025