Let me be the first person to let you all know that I am impressed and humbled.
I am impressed at the conversation that has emerged on this blog, amazed at the insight and knowledge that people coming here are sharing with others and more than anything else, I am impressed to the point of amazement about the passion that has been expressed about this music by so many of you who come hear.
I am truly truly humbled by the deep and breadth of knowledge that you have on the music, on the artists, on the context from which this music emerged and was produced. I am humbled about the way in which people have shared what part that this music has played in their lives.
Thank you one and all. For letting me provide a place where you can have these conversations and for visiting and sharing.
I have, sitting in my inbox right now, more music than I could possibly listen to in the next week or post about for a week of Fridays. I need to get it out there to you to enjoy.
Rather than pretend that I will find the time to organize the music and write a semblance of coherent commentary on all this music, I will do another guest write in column and get them all out to you and let you decide what works for you and what does not.
So, here goes.
He said
”
I have been a lifelong shortwave listener, and have a large quantity of music recorded off of African radio stations. Most of this is of pretty bad quality due to the nature of SW radio and distance (Midwestern USA). I do have have a few tracks which, even though they are mono, have pretty good quality.In particular, I have a great 5 track set of East African music recorded off the External Service of Radio Uganda in, I believe, October 1980. This set began with 2 Les Wanyika hits (Sina Makossa & Pamela), followed by 3 tracks which I have not been able to identify.
I would be especially interested in ID’ing the 4th track, as it is a sweet and simple song with guitar licks that define the term “ear worm”. If you would be interested, I can get a copy to you. Maybe you and your readers can help me ID this. A major clue: during the rhythm drop in Part B, a vocalist is heard saying “Wooly Bully Mama Aye!”.
Thanks again,
“
Can anyone help?Here are the recordings.
A couple of tracks from Orchestra Lipua Lipua. Some of these have been up in the last couple of weeks but I have received a couple of different versions from Esororo and others and want to make sure that you have them all.
Orchestra Lipua Lipua – Mbondo
We also have some Sam Mangwana and Tabu Ley that also came in from Esororo’s page – including 2 different versions of Ibrahim
Sorozo, a 1977 recording (hmm, almost as old as me) with Orchestre Afrisa International in the 360 series is in stock at Sterns.
And then, in no particular order, music from Orchestra Veve and Orchestra Les Kamale and Orchestra Super Mazembe.
I have 2 Super Mazembe tracks: Salima is from the album Maloba D’Amor. The other is Longwa which is from the “Giants of East Africa” release that is a compilation of their hits from 1977 through 1986 titled after Mutonkole Longwa Didos who founded essentially founded a team that was the root of the in 1969. Sadly, with his passing, the group has seemed to flounder.
Since Orchestra Viva Makale is essentially a product of Super Mazembe and Baba Gaston, this is I guess as an appropriate a place as any to have their track of the day.
As an aside, the interwebs are amazing, I found a home page for Siama Matuzungidi who was a guitarist for Orchestra Viva Makale, Orchestra Shika Shika, Orchestra Moja One and even Ibeba System on these fabulous series of tubes.
Running out of time and steam: time to start sprinting.
More Sammy Kasule! This time with Vundumuna.
This track has been removed at the request of the request of the copyright owner, Sammy Kasule and his representatives , KenTunes LLC.
And Mzee Makassy’s Orchestra Makassy.
OK, a couple of quick links & tracks then I am gone.
Eswi yo Wapi from Mbilia Bel has certainly been up here before (Nadina remains my favorite track though) and is actually one of the most popular tunes on this site in terms of sheer download volumes – I think that this is a different version from the one that I had before and some of you just might appreciate it.
Finally, Jeff Msangi who runs bongocelebrity, send this my way, a Marijani Rajab & Orchestra Dar International track that is smooth like honey. If nothing else, pay him a visit so that you can listen to DDC Milimani Park in the title track from the release Sikinde as well as read the great write up that he has on Mbaraka Mwinshehe.
This track is from Marijani Rajab Vol. 5.
For some weird reason, listening to this track made me go rooting for more Taarab and I found this gem by Elizabeth Sijola. I know nothing about her apart from the fact that she has a single included in a CD that is in print – Swahili Soul – that you can buy here
A couple of points before I go:
+ Mr. Bain, more than 5 months ago, I missed a comment that you left where you mentioned that you had a clean copy of the Franco’s track “Nakoma mbanda na mama ya mobali ngai”.
Any chance you could share?
Thanks Esororo. I have yearned to have this song for a long time.
Of course ours was the golden era of music and we must enjoy.
Can we have a cold tusker when you are in Nairobi?
But any chance, Kouame by the great Syran Mbenza?
Asante zaidi!
@Esororo,
I see you’ve been on a Franco mission too! Thanks so much for “tailleur” and “locataire”. It’s always a pleasure for me to hear the voice of Ntesa Dalient. I’ll check out the others.
You’re right – one’s as old as one feels. Personally, I feel as though I’ve just begun to live. I’ve never felt old – perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I’ve never accumulated too much of this world’s wealth – I’ve just enough to live well without overdoing things. It’s a pity that we physically age though, and our vital organs gradually cease working as well as they did when we were 18.
On a comment you made earlier – I know what you mean by a 33 rpm and 45 rpm. I gather though, that 78 rpm discs also existed, but I confess I’ve never seen the latter!
I’ve had the pleasure of listening to a cd entitled “The Roots of Rumba” Rock, featuring pre-OK bands (Henri Bowane, Wendo, De Wayon etc). I understand the music was digitised from 78 rpm vinyl discs and, believe me, this cd is probably the most highly-valued item in my collection!
@ Kabuga,
Perhaps you could spread the word about Steve’s blog to our brothers and sisters in Kenya. Once upon a time there was a great dance spot called “Blue Posts” in Thika. Does it still exist?
Mutunga,
I am spreading the good word.
Blue posts still exists but it faces stiff competition from newer spots. Cascades is also quite slow.
Mutunga,
The 78 rpm was used on a manually operated turntable. My grandfather had one. I think it is still there. When I get back to kenya that will be my mission to make sure that it is taken care of. Maybe one day you will see. I do have a collection of Franco going back to late 50s
So long as you take care of yourself you will not feel old. Most people let themselves go, once you do that old age looking sets in quickly. Too much of worlds’ wealth make people age because of stresses that come with it. I don’t know of many wealth people living for a long time.
@Kabuga
Any time Bro. Cold Tusker will work for me anytime. I am happy that you got your yearning taken care of. I live in the old USA for sure when I make it to Kenya I will make sure I take you up for a cold Tusker. Sorry, I don’t have Kouame. Check my homepage for some old music too.
http://www.putfile.com/esororo/media
Enjoy….
Steve,
A request plase, can you post Candidat ya biso mobutu by Franco and have you got any orch shama shama tracks especially the one called mama ye, i think! There was also a track in the early 70 which went sambalala sambuluma eh ehe…. any one know the track? On the debate on intellectual property what you ares doing here is to reawken demand for and interest in this music and ultimatley if that reaches a critical mass then market forces will take over. In the meantime we have a duty to keep it alive for future generations otherwise it will be lost forever.
Samwiri (Samuel)
Steve,
You have kept the same pace – ensuring that we are entertained!
@Ssembenge, among my 20 plus friends in the university, am the only one who has always liked “zilizopendwa”. Now, many more are slowly picking up on listening to these gems.
They carry the songs along with them everything they walk into my room.
Now, is that a crime? How can I prevent it? Do I refuse in which case I wil be braned “mean” and selfish? Or do I refer them to River Road? And where at River Road?
@ Steve,
Please do post more on Mbilia Bel.
best regards
Joe Farley,
The tracks you heard over Radio Uganda you refered them as track 5 is ‘Kassimu’ by Orch. Mlimani Park and Track 3 is ‘Salamu toka kwa Mama’ also done by Orch. Mlimani Park, a band base in Tanzania.
The tracks you heard over Radio Uganda you refered them as track 5 is ‘Kassimu’ by Orch. Mlimani Park and Track 3 is ‘Salamu toka kwa Mama’ also done by Orch. Mlimani Park, a band base in Tanzania.
Samwiri,
The track you are talking about ” Sambuluma” was by Tabu Ley Rochereau, released around 1970. I’ve been looking for this song for ages!! It hit Uganda big time in 1971 when Tabu Ley performed at the International Hotel In Kampala. They showed it live on UTV and I’m sure it has been my favorite Lingala track ever since. Anybody, if you have this song, you would have made my day!
Daniel Wilson Kuteesa
It’s not wooly bully, it’s pole pole.
Apart from the valid argument that sites like this rip off the artists and defraud labels of revenue, there is also the fact that music of poor quality becomes the norm, and stuff is circulated without context, or any real information, so you end up bugging people like Zim Bida or me (muzikifan) who know something to help tell you what you are listening to. The end result is no one will take the trouble to clean up the recordings and put out a proper documented CD because there is no money in it, and the good music will get lost in endless sites like this one posting mediocre copies of songs. Piracy is killing the music industry.
Your arguments in your defense are specious & it pisses me off the way you dissed “Ssembonge” who said he was able to buy original nonpirate recordings of this music. You are all amateurs and thieves. Just became Kenyans rip off their brothers doesn’t make it OK. If i were to point my friends at Sterns or RetroAfric to this site their lawyers would be on your asses in a flash.
@Musikfan,
Pray Sir, what do you honestly think of Youtube, where thousands of brand new audio and video files are posted everyday? Aren’t you picking on a mere drop while the combined Antlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean is out there? Despite the super digital recordings available today, an ever dwindling minority of people still reach for that impossible-to-find fragment recorded on audiotape from Short Wave or Medium Wave radio, many years ago. Such fragments give peace and serenity to those who love them. Perhaps somebody should build a museum for those pieces before they are consigned to an endless stream of lost human heritage. Or, have Youtube already built that museum?
@Musicfan and Ssembonge
I feel where you’re coming from and the truth is that it bothers me and I’m sure many others greatly to know that our musicians back home are not getting their dues. But I think you miss the point of people who are on sites like this who are driven by a love and passion for this music and who keep it alive and listened to instead of in some dusty archive dying a slow death. Because of sites like this I can revive my love and appreciation of this great music, find out the names and artistes of songs I only know from tunes heard long ago. Also you’re introduced to new music.. I can’t get this anywhere else.
Everytime I have gone home I have put alot of effort of trying to find music .. its hard and almost everything I bought in stores and on the street I’m sure is boot leg.
The day cassette tapes were invented and people were able to copy music we have to agree this became an issue. As Mutuku pointed you only have to go to youtube and any of the multitude of internet sites and you can find any kind of music.
What is your suggested solution?
In the meantime some people are keeping this music alive for posterity and introducing it to a new generation.
One thing I did wanted to mention in this thread is that there is a pretty good source for legal kenyan music online ( at least there was) – emusic had a number of recordings licensed through the music copyright society of kenya (if you search by label) they also have music from sterns and syllart.
Checking now for Music Copyright Society of Kenya releases, though I get the message “We’re sorry. The albums by this label are unavailable for download in your country (United States) at this time” – does anyone know what’s going on with that?
Opponents of this site, stop quoting myths that are widely circulated as fact. Let’s start by looking at empirical hard numbers. Here’s the economic dynamics of online digital music downloading.
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=527324
Scroll down to ‘SSRN Electronic Paper Collection’ and click on ‘Chicago, USA’
Here’s someone who’s actually had a hit record (last hit record was in 1975).
http://www.janisian.com/article-internet_debacle.html
Quote: ‘The premise of all this ballyhoo is that the industry (and its artists) are being harmed by free downloading. Nonsense.’
Again, FACTS.
great things guys for the day.
Friends, somebody told me that maybe the trck we know as “Sambuluma” by Tabu Ley Rochereau may not actually be called that. We have searched far and wide, including having somebody in Nairobi try to track it down, but to no avail. Does any know which track we’re talking about? “Sambuluma”, “sambalalala”, those are the most repeated words in the song. It may have been Tabu Ley’s best recording, released around 1971-1972. Whatever help you may provide will be appreciated!
Dan Wilson Kuteesa
Steve,
Tell Daniel that I have the song SAMBULUMA by Tabu Ley. I am still busy but should send you the song within a week or two.
Thanks fr your good work. Keep it up.
If some one can post these tracks I’ll be grateful.
DITTU
FIFI
All by Nyboma (with Les Kamale).
AFFAIRE SEMEKI (by Champro King)
David
David, you’re a life saver! I will wait with bated breath for this extremely rare gem. I still don’t know why it’s not on any of at least 30 70′s-80′s Tabu Ley albums that I looked up but knowing that somebody has it just makes my day!
Daniel
David, as luck would have it, I do have “Fifi” (attached). This is my first attempt at using this service so I hope it works ( it took an hour to get to this point). If it doesn’t work, I’ll try again. Thought I’d send you some extras, Mopali and Vivita (I’m afraid I don’t know by who. If anybody knows who they are from I will update my records). Thanks!
Fifi – Les Kamale
http://www.sendspace.com/file/8iqinw
Mopali – Unknown
http://www.sendspace.com/file/uamhh4
Vivita – Unknown
http://www.sendspace.com/file/wkilob
Daniel,
Your name rings a bell. Did attend Kings College, St Mary’s or Makerere at all?
Thanks Daniel for these 3 Veve hits.
The FIFI played by Nyboma (with Les Kamale) came out about the same time with DITTU and NDONGA.
Thanks again.
Samwiri, see stream 322, I wrote a little life history there (edit the url at the top in the address box and change it from 296 to 322). It’s a little confusing to navigate this blog sometimes because of the different streams. I didn’t know David had responded to my postings. My dad, brothers and cousins all did attend Budo, my dad and two of my brothers attended Makerere. I practically grew up in Nairobi.
You’re welcome David.
if you guys could kindly find me PESA KUJA by sammy kasule and NISAIDIE by les wanyika. you would have truly made my day.
Mr Dan Wilson Kuteesa
I chanced on this page while searching for the song Affaire Semeki by Champro King, which pitifully I have not got so far. However, I have the song Sambuluma (both 1&2) and dont know how I get you or any other oldies music fan a copy.
I have also tirelessly searched for a song called “Nsenene (or is it Kasuku)
Olupot Egoing
Hello,
I am looking for the track Suite Lettre, No. 2 by Rochereau and Franco -Lisanga Ya Banganga Album.
Thanks
mimi na furaha sana baada ya miaka kumi na tano , nimemuona rafikiwangu ,kwani ,ni mwana muziki katika band ya les wanyika, sa babu ya le basava, wankenge , ka maniwewe, ni andikie kwenyi e-mail adresse yangu ekangaleprince1@yahoo.fr mimi na ichi (((austria))) WIEN europa simu namba 00436505855606, na subiri jibu…..