Bringing together Johannesburg’s two saxophone titans for a supergroup recording project was a visionary move by Jo’Burg Records in 1976. Following the success of Makhalemele’s debut The Peacemaker and Mankunku’s long-awaited sophomore release Alex Express, which both appeared in 1975, the bar had been set very high. Enamoured by their jazz contemporaries, the session was concocted by members of an exciting new South African rock group called Rabbit, who formed a backing group consisting of guitarist Trevor Rabin, bassist Ronnie Robot and drummer Neil Cloud alongside jazz pianist Tete Mbambisa. Recorded at the state-of-the-art Satbel Music Recording Studios, the inspired performances of this diverse cast of young South African artists at the height of their powers was captured with exquisite fidelity. Packaged as The Bull and the Lion, the album title references Mankunku’s signature composition “Yakhal’ Inkomo” (which means “the bellow of the bull”) and Makhalemele’s stage name “Ratau” (meaning "lion"). The pairing of Mankunku and Makhalemele stands with Moeketsi/Matshikisa and Pillay/Coetzee as one of the epic collaborations of South African jazz in the 1970s.
Release date:
November 3, 2023
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Cartridges - Top Picks
A selection of turnatble cartridges that provide great performance and sound quality
-
Denon DP-400
Featuring a high-precision, belt-driven mechanism and an adjustable tonearm that ensures optimal tracking and minimal resonance
-
Phono Preamps - Top Picks
A selection of the best phono preamps for your turntable setup
-
HumminGuru: Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner
Advanced ultrasonic technology with customizable cleaning cycles and a large tank capacity to thoroughly remove dust, dirt, and contaminants
-
Pro-Ject Phono Box DC Pre-Amp
Compact, high-performance phono preamplifier for both MM and MC cartridges, delivering a clean, detailed signal with minimal noise.
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Hatchie Liquorice (Red)
Secretly Canadian
November 7, 2025 -
The Lemonheads Love Chant
Fire Records
October 24, 2025 -
Anne Wilson Stars (Clear)
Sparrow
October 17, 2025 -
Sanguisugabogg Hideous Aftermath
Century Media
October 10, 2025 -
Pavement Pavements Soundtrack [2xLP]
Matador
November 14, 2025 -
keiyaA hooke's law
Xl Recordings
October 31, 2025 -
Gomez In Our Gun (Blue) [2xLP]
Integral
October 17, 2025 -
The Antlers Blight (Pink)
Transgressive
October 10, 2025 -
Emma Louise & Flume Dumb
Flume
October 10, 2025 -
Stanley Turrentine In Memory Of (Blue Note Tone Poet Edition)
Blue Note
October 3, 2025 -
Sudan Archives THE BPM (Ruby) [2xLP]
Stones Throw Records
October 17, 2025 -
Air The Virgin Suicides Redux
Rhino / Parlophone
September 26, 2025 -
Grant Green Solid (Blue Note Classic Edition)
Blue Note
October 17, 2025 -
Gareth Quinn Redmond Múscailte (Ultra Clear)
sound as language
November 14, 2025