Sugar Shake by Errol Dyers

A dog named Sugar was a regular patron at a gig that Errol had during the 1980s. Errol said that this dog would get up when this melody was played and do a stretch/shake every time. This song is a funkier version of Mbaqanga with the iconic Capetonian slapdruk. The original version from the album Sonesta (1997) featured the legendary saxophonist Winston ‘Mankunku’ Ngozi and bassist Spencer Mbadu.

This version strips away the EP and keys, leaving you with a high-fidelity, live-recorded rhythm section of bass and drums. Whether you are a pianist, guitarist, or horn player, this is your space to comp, improvise, and explore the melodic structures of South African Jazz over a rock-solid, professional groove.