Yesterday I took a walk through Amsterdam, checking a few second
hand record stores and guess what happened. I stumbled upon this
wonderful lp. we had numbers 1,2,3 and 5 but 4 was still missing.
I’m so very happy with this find, Daniel Owino Misiani and his Luo
Voice Jazz Band belong to my very favourite benga groups. Very
nice to complete the series with this record, get it now and you
will not be sorry. Strong instrumental parts and vocal
harmonies make this album a solid listen..

One more thing; it would be very nice if someone
knows why every song is called after a person’s name.
I keep wondering why they do that in benga music..

tracks;

01 – Joshuah abuya
02 – G. ogalo
03 – James songora
04 – Chistopher odira
05 – Silus oyoo
06 – Obiero olumbe
07 – Siongo john
08 – Salmon okwaro
09 – Timothy ochanda
10 – Glary opiyo

On Soul Posters we’ve got this collector of hot benga
and Swahili pop. It contains songs by nine bands we
have not heard before here at the GG. It is in perfect
condition and sounds as new. Another wonderful
find from the fair. We are so very lucky these
gems still pop up every once in
a while, enjoy it..

tracks;

01 – Makueni Brothers Band – Paulina
02 – N.P.D. Jazz Band – Osuta awes
03 – The Kenya Prisons Band – Janifer
04 – Nyeri Boys – Bururi muraya
05 – Nyeri Youngstars – Uthiu wa wendo
06 – Makueni Brothers Band – Mwitu mutethia
07 – Orchestre K.O. Jazz – Heren atieno
08 – King Orchestre Mutumbu – Wacha waseme
09 – Rawa Jazz Band – Nikupe nini
10 – Kanjunge Boys – Kanini gachumu

In the series Kenyafrica!, we’ve got volume three.
It is quite different and no benga, Daudi Kabaka &
the J.B. Eagles played various styles on this lp.
Some swahili, maybe also lingala I’m not sure.
Tell me anything about this music, we can
use a little more info here…
Talk to me Nairobi !

tracks;

01 – Helule helule
02 – Njoo mpenzi mary
03 – African twist
04 – Msichana wa elim
05 – Nyama kilo moja
06 – Bachelor boy
07 – Second hand material
08 – Kujisifu ulevini
09 – Mirija ya mapenzi
10 – Safari ya nigeria
11 – Kazi ngumu
12 – Spare tyre

Normally I wouldn’t fix a cover that’s been worn out or so but
some idiot had written his name all over the clouds and back
sleeve of this album so I made an exeption and fixed it a bit.
This is volume 5 in the Kenya Partout series, we had volumes
1,2,4 and 6 so far. Orchestre International de Nelly appeared
on several volumes already but this is just them. Very nice
and uplifting benga on Playa Sound from 1976.

tracks;

1 Lamu ketho wat
2 Elisha obonyo
3 Adhiambo wakili
4 Bethwel juma
5 Dan obonyi
6 Rich anyango gy lucy
7 Dan ogijo
8 Bayo kayem
9 Penina ya nelly
10 George mijuka

In the series ‘Kenyafrica !’, we had volumes two and five
so far. They were recorded in 1976 and it’s been over 3
years I posted the last one, in september 2011. Finally
I can bring you the number one in the series. It is an lp
by Daniel Kamau, he was born in the ‘Central Province’
of Kenia, the 2nd of february 1949. His parents worked
hard on their little farm to be able to raise the family.
Daniel loved to play the guitar from 9 years old but
wasn’t allowed to touch the guitars of his older brothers
because he was too young..Later he proved them all
wrong being the first to record an album of his own
still being a student. He had several hits during the
seventies, went to England and when he came back
recorded this here album. It is a sheer beauty and
I’m very glad to bring it, enjoy the benga
and pass it on to your friends..

tracks;

1 Kiririkano kia zk
2 Pascalena pt. 2
3 Delina
4 Jane macyline
5 Macho ine pt. 2
6 Chiru
7 Kairitu gatari thoni pt. 2
8 Helena
9 Kanini
10 Wendo uri murio
11 Kairitu kairu
12 Ningwite nawe pt. 2

Orchestra Super Mazembe was a Congolese group that
went to Nairobi, Kenya in 1974. They were one of the most
popular bands in the genre together with among others,
Les Mangelepa and Samba Mapangala. Their biggest hit
was ‘Shauri Yako’, originally by Nguashi Ntimbo.

It is still as new as when I bought it in 1982. This was one
of my first encounters with African music. I didn’t post it yet
thinking that everybody has it already, a mistake off course.
On Virgin Records and maybe a little on the commercial side
I think this lp contains a couple of fairly nice songs. If you
haven’t got it already give it a spin and listen yourself.

tracks;

1 Mbanda ya mobange
2 Kassango
3 Ji ji
4 Nanga
5 Bamana
6 Samba
7 Malaba d’amour
8 Mokano
9 Mwana nyiau

From all Congolese groups operating from Kenya, Orchestre
Les Mangelepa was one of the finest. Earlier posts have found
many happy listeners and this one surely will too. For proper
info check http://www.muzikifan.com/shika.html.
In the mean time just listen..

tracks;

1 Madina
2 N’kimba
3 Lolo mukena
4 Kamwala

Some visitors asked for more benga. It just so happens I had
one waiting for y’all. Funny thing about benga, I mentioned before,
it seems all titles are person’s names. It’s the only type of music
in which we see this I rekon, That is as far as I know.
the D.O. stands for Daniel Owino Misiani, “the Grandfather of Benga”.
He was the founder of the most famous benga group called Shirati
Jazz. Born in Shirati, just south of the Kenyan border, he has been
playing benga since the mid-1960’s. His style is characterised by
soft, flowing and melodic two-part vocal harmonies, a very active,
pulsating bass line that derives at least in part from traditional nyatiti
and drum rhythms, and stacks of invigorating guitar work, the lead
alternating with the vocal. ( the Rough Guide )
Daniel Owino Misiani died in a road traffic accident in 2006, aged 66.
He was still an active performer at the time of his death and left two
wives and 14 children.

http://biochem.chem.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~endo/EAMisiani.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Owino_Misiani

tracks;

1 Atila min jopesa
2 Nick saronge
3 George atieno
4 Rose atieno
5 Rapar dr. c. omondi
6 Carolina akinyi
7 Otami dr. pt.1
8 Otami dr. pt.2
9 Patrick ogwayo
10 Bamla akinyi

P.S.
I’m affraid I placed one small miscut, the tracks are so close to each
other it was difficult to skip tracks correctly. from track 3 to 4 it is
slightly wrong but if you play it as a whole you wont notice.

We already know a small pile of records by these guys. Although
the line-up of this band changed quite a few times, this is a nice
piece of music again. It concerns a Kenyan release by the group
that originally came from the Congo off course. Zaïko Langa Langa
is the name and the album is from 1989 or 1985..
Sleeve speaks of 1985 and label of 1989, which one is it..?

tracks;

1 Etape
– Moselebende
– Kamanzi
– Misolina
– Etape
2 Zizita
3 S.v.p. mbey
4 Mokili echanger

Do you know that feeling ? Hunting for records, walking
through piles of vinyl at fairs and in dusty old stores in
hidden boxes and under counters. The moment one
stumbles upon an lp like this one is just what we do
it for. You see the image, read the name and a chill
rolls down your spine..you think, do not react too
enthousiastic now, the price will go up if I do..Then
later when walking out the door with yet another
treasure recovered one feels like an archeologist,
can’t wait to get home and play it. If it is as good
as you imagined upfront, mostly the first spin is
disappointing having expectations far too high.
But playing it again and again, one starts to
realize, this is gold. This is why we love
to collect & hunt vinyl,
total satisfaction!

tracks;

1 Safari ya mangelepa
2 Zoao
3 Harare
4 Odesia