Black Disco – Night Express

Pops Mohamed leaned heavily on his Yamaha Electone’s “auto rhythm section” to produce the Timmy Thomas-inspired signature drum machine sound that characterised Black Disco’s 1975 self-titled debut. Following in 1976, Night Express took the group to new heights with the inclusion of drummer Peter Morake (Anchors/Dollar Brand/Roots) on most of the tracks. In addition to Mohamed on organ, founding members Sipho Gumede (bass) and Basil Coetzee (sax/flute) round out the Black Disco sound with memorable original compositions and a smattering of unique takes on unlikely covers. The result is an album more deeply rooted in South African jazz sensibilities with a title track that has become one of the most widely admired artefacts of downbeat 1970s Afro-funk.