On Dick’s Records from Onitsha Nigeria we find this strange
album. It contains a funny rhyme, “A pretty kitten, All black
and white. Call him to play, I think he might”. As far as I can
see, it has got nothing to do with the music. We hear benga
from Kenya by Orchestre Varieté Africaine? Except for one
offering on Afrowanted, it is ungoogleable so to speak. The
label nor sleeve give us any information on the topic. No
song titles, nothing at all. If anyone can shine a light
on this record, please do .. enjoy listening ..
Op Dick’s Records uit Onitsha Nigeria vinden we deze wel
zeer vreemde plaat. Hij heeft een rijmpje op de hoes dat
voor zover ik kan vaststellen niets met de muziek van doen
heeft. “A pretty kitten, All black and white. Call him to play,
I think he might”. We horen benga uit Kenya door Orchestre
Varieté Africaine? Behalve een aanbieding op Afrowanted
is de plaat ungoogleable zogezegd. Het label noch de hoes
geven enige informatie over de band en het album, geen
titels, helemaal niets. Als er iemand is die erover ver-
tellen kan, heel graag, veel luisterplezier ..
tracks;
01 – track #1
02 – track #2
03 – track #3
04 – track #4
05 – track #5
06 – track #6
07 – track #7
08 – track #8
And I love it! Thanks Moos
The name ”Variete Africaine” can hardly belong to a group that plays this kind of music. This is Benga, a genre of the Luo people from the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya. They hardly use English names for their bands let alone French.
.. hence my question mark ..
thank you for commenting on this Robert,
what is the name of this band do you reckon .. ?
This is a Luo band, just confirmed from my wife who is Luo.
By no means an expert here, but I sure love benga.
I am not fluent in the language…but I hear the word Shirati a few times on a couple of the last tracks here. Maybe Shirati Jazz?
I’ll listen some more too,
you could be right ..
Black and white, and might play if asked? I’m probably reading far too much into this, but I wonder if it’s a claim that unsegregated bands will play together just fine. I know, sounds far fetched, but I have no idea what that poem and image could otherwise mean.
These are the tracks:-
01. Victoria Jazz – Sammy Onoka
02. Victoria Jazz – Phares Kanindo
03. Mori River Jazz – Sammy
04. Mori River Jazz – Achola gi Leonida
05. Mori River Jazz – Ochochi
06. Mori River Jazz – P.O Kanindo
07. Kiseru Jazz – Major Nyang’oro
08. Kiseru Jazz – Owino Misiani
Thank you Benjamin, you are a true star!