All
(If you looked at this Wednesday, I just updated it late Thursday night and added a Nuta Jazz track at the end of the post)
I would make excuses but life happens. I do this all by myself when I have some spare time and the last 2 weeks have been hectic and I simply let things here slide so that I could keep up with life away from the keyboard.
I hope that I (and maybe you) can move on to bigger much more exciting things.
Especially since I finally have a vinyl conversion rig that works reasonably well – a nice Dual turntable (you can check it out here and by the way, Thank You John!) and an old Yamaha R-3 that does something nice to the sound off wax so I am a happy soul.
And I want to share.
The very first track that got digitized was from a Slim Alli and The Hodi Boys LP that has been around almost as long as I have. This was the party song for my folks when I was little methinks.
Take a listen and let me know what it does for you.
Slim Alli and the Hodi Boys
Some background: Slim Alli was born in Mombasa, Kenya back in December of 1947 and started playing music while in high school at Hamisi Secondary School. He played some stints with the Kitale Hotel Band and the Tusker Band before deciding to join the Hodi Boys – a band formed in 1966 by Geoffrey Ngao, Nick Kim and Henry Nbagho – whose forte was Otis Redding and Percy Sledge covers, fare that did not go down well with a local crowd that loved rumba and benga.
Alli’s wanderlust forced him into travelled throughout Africa and the Middle East and he eventually returned to Kenya in 1976, staying long enough to get back together with the Hodi Boys and record the album “You can do it”.
Here is a bonus track: I don’t think that I can do a post just for this.
This is Mwangele from Nuta Jazz. This is the B side to the 45 with Janja Yako that Benn Loxo posted in October.
Good you were finally able to do something with those LP’s
Ha! This is great stuff. More please!
Love that Slim Ali and the Hodi Boys song! Great beat. Reminds me of Jimmy Cliff: “you can do it if you really want, but you must try. Try and try. Try and try…”
I love the doubles LLs in the spelling of Ali. A follow-up LP he did (Sweet Mother) has it as Ali which I’ll bet is the correct spelling.
[...] I know I promised I would do a requests track: that is still in the hopper and coming really really soon. I have been getting my vinyl to mp3 conversions done so those are coming as well. Looks like it might be a good Christmas. Lets’ kick things off with the strange. [...]
thanks for ur good hits but have u ever had of mpongo love and some of ur song can not be hard but keep up the good work
Please post Poxi Presha’s “Otonglo Time”. It’s a classic!
Where can I get this Cd or Lp? I am also looking for ” I wanna do my thing”, i think it was by air fiesta matata. And Nay idea how I can get music by the ashantis?
This is Good. Can you please put here the Lyrics for the song ‘You can Do It’?
Please please anyone with all the Lipua lipua songs post and share! The earlier one (70s) the better!
rgds
Akanga
I am dying to listen to Slim Ali- Smile. Do you have it?
To remember my 70s.
Would you have a mp3 of Muana Mawa by Wally Ngonda?
Would you have an mp3 of Nana by Super Mazembe?
I just received a copy of Dunia Ina Mambo after searching for it since 2002,im ecstatic,it was worth the patience…and I just discovered this site today!Thanks for what you are doing.May God Bless You.Its a pity, talent like this fizzled away!Does anyone know what happened to Hodi Boys Band?
Hello: Ever heard of Everest Kings Band, Orch Tinga Tinga, Kenya Blue Stars?? Make them available please……….
Dear Sir/Madam,
Mine is not a comment,i was a member of Hodi Boys band for 8 years at Hallians Club Tom Mboya Street,Saxophone player With Mr.Geofrey Ngao.Recorded the whole Lp of You Can Do IT with Slim Ali,Pls can you help me get the contacts of Mr.Slim.
I left Kenya many years ago,My phone; +44 75 386 275 91 leaving in Britain.Pls hope to hear from you soon.
Bye…………….
Adolwa Benson.
My name is allan siema and I am looking for Slim Ali. My father Benson Adolwa was the saxophonist in the Hodi Boys and was instrumental in the construction of the LP in 1976 under AIT Recordings East Africa. He was also involved in the remake of Sweet Mother under EMI who gave them the rights to re-record it.
If anyone knows contact me on askmediagroup@gmail.com.
I look forward to hearing from you
Thanks for rekindling my memory. I had a hel of a good time dancing live to those tunes. How can I get ger this music (cd etc.?) Do you have anything by the Ashantis, Air Fiesta Matata, Stelel Beutah etc. ?