Editions Musique Bénie

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Editions Mwana Mama

Produced by Oluoch Kanindo and POK Music Stores of Nairobi and with a label design that owes a lot stylistically to Editions Veve, this label functioned in the mid to late 1970s.

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Editions Nana

An AIT distributed label that appears to be primarily a vehicle for releases by Johnny Bokelo’s Orch Conga International, who also recorded for Editions Mbonda and Editions Mwana Mama.

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Editions Ndenge Moko

One of the many Melodica sub-labels with Congolese artists

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Editions Ntimbo

Nguashi N’Timbo was band leader of Festival du Zaire and the composer of Shauri Yako, which gave Orch Super Mazembe a massive hit when they covered it and is one of the great songs of Africa. In addition, he was also a producer for Festival du Zaire and other bands such as Top Forum and Sentima. These singles are part of recordings that he licensed to Melodica.

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Editions Omaco

Label for a Popular Congolese band operating in East Africa, who also recorded for Ken-Tanza, Sindimba, Stereo. Thanks to Doug Paterson and Peter Toll for details of these singles. Doug provided the label scan and I’ve taken the liberty of including a blowup of the crest on it. The band, originally from Lubumbashi, came to Tanzania on tour in the 1970s and decided to stay on in Dar Es Salaam. Enterprisingly, they set themselves up as a cooperative, OMACO, that owned the White House Club in Ubungu and bought a farm outside the city that sold its produce in the Kariakoo market.

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Editions Records

A label with Lingala and Luo output. 4 releases known.

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Editions Sakumuna

Veky's Veve subsidiary label.

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Editions Shariff

Label out of Bungoma upcountry Kenya

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Editions Shika-Mama

Evidently a sister label of Edition Shika-Shika, both being operated by Umoja Productions of Nairobi,

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Editions Somajeko

A label from Nairobi’s Doromy Instrument Company, which was also behind the Doromy, Golden Toddy and Pino labels.

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Editions Suplov

Bana Likasi is the name Lovy Longomba - leader of Super Mazembe - used when he recorded for Audio Productions Ltd. in Nairobi.” The label imprint was Editions Suplov.

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Editions Tillo

Probably a Congolese label.

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Editions Tobina

Label recorded and published by Jaca Productions and produced by AC Kochomo, a Kisumu producer who worked often with Luo bands such as Orch Sega-Sega.

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Editions Tshioyo

Congo in Kenya label

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Editions Vévé

The main label for Verckys productions in the early to mid 1970s

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Editions Zigo

Distributed by Melodica, this label seems to have been either a sister label or a successor to Editions Biby. It was evidently run by Coco Zigo Mike, a Congolese singer who was originally in Orch Shama Shama, then worked in Kenya with Orch Viva Makale, Orch Kombe Kombe and later in the 1980s with Orch Moja One and Orch Virunga.

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EMI

One of the bigger labels that mostly operated in West Africa

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Equator Records

In the late 1950s English expat Charles Worrod bought the assets of East African Records and by 1960 had launched Equator Sound Studio and with it the label. Its roster included many legendary figures of Kenyan music including Fadhili William, Daudi Kabaka, Peter Tsotsi and Nashil Pichen, as well as top Ugandan singers Fred Masagazi and Charles and Frida Sonko. The label folded in 1974 when Worrod left the country as a result of laws that barred him from running a business unless he became a Kenyan citizen.

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Esso

A subsidiary label of Equator sound studios, released one promotion single in the mid 60's

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Eunice Harmonic Sounds

Kikuyu label, so far documented only one released single.

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FBR

Produced by Fred and William Records.

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FEG Disco

Label with Kikuyu and Lingala output.

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Forvics

Kikuyu label

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Furaha

Early Chandarana label output, began in the 1960s

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G.R.S.

Golden Rings Saudika label featured music by CDM Kiratu, prominent Kikuyu musician.

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Gakindu Boys

Not much info on this label around, only seen one release by Rift Valley Bros.

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Gatundu Boys

The label is by a self-promoted or locally backed Kikuyu band from Gatundu, a small town in Central Province that’s 10 miles west of Thika and best known as the birthplace of Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s first president.

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Genidia

A polygram subsidiary label for releses by Tabu Ley Rochereau and his Orchestra Afrisa.

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Githiga K. Sound

Another private Kikuyu label. Few releases.

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Gor Mahia

Named after a courageous warrior with magical powers of Luo folklore and not, as I once thought, after the Kenyan football team of the same name. This appears to be the label of benga producer Omoso Rabuor and to have operated in the mid 1970s.

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Hifi

label featuring songs by Fadhili William

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Hippo Record

It seems to have been primarily an outlet for productions by Luo bandleader George Ramogi (1945-97), whose Continental Kilo Jazz Band - later shortened to CK Jazz - mixed benga and rumba styles to great effect.

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His Master's Voice

An EMI label that initially carried the same PEA catalogue number prefix as Pathe. The presence of Les Yoyos on the label suggests these date from the late 1960s or early 1970s,

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Hit Parade

Produced by Audio Productions of Nairobi, the company behind APL, Sound of Music and other labels, this is the main label for Jimmy Moni Mambo’s Orch Shika Shika of the late 1970s-early 1980s.

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Hoditone

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Holy Ghost

Private label of David Waciuma. A religious connection here as the label reads "Jesus Christ is coming again, be ready to meet him!"

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Hudson Production

Hudson Radio Service had another label, Edition de Hudson, that also recorded Congolese bands.

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Hundhwe

An AP Chandarana of Kericho label that put out a host of records by Luo benga bands in the 1970s.

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Ihoya Riakwa

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Imanuel

Gospel Kikuyu Label

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Ingwe

City Sounds sub label for Kikuyu artists.

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International de Nelly

International de Nelly were a Luo benga band led by Ochieng Nelly after he left Victoria Kings and he appears in the writing credits on these singles as Dr NO Mengo. AIT distributed the label,with copyright given to EIT, the label’s publishing wing.

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Internationale Musique Du Afrique

An Andrew Crawford Productions label from the early 1980s.

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ISA

The label of Tabu Ley Rochereau. Given the popularity and influence of one of the masters of Congolese music, it is highly likely these were pressed in Kenya under the same catalogue numbers as in the Congo.

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Isuni-Yilu

Label from 1980s focusing on Wanyika Stars and Kamba bands.

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J. Sila Super Sound

Doug Paterson’s sleevenotes to the CD compilation, Best of Kakai Kilonzo & Les Kilimambogo Brothers Vol II (Shava) describes Joseph Sila, vocals and guitar, as one of the core members of the band in 1978. Soon after this time, though, he and Joseph Mwania, vocals and bass, split from band leader Kakai Kilonzo to form their own band, Original Kilimambogo.

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Jachan Jakinda

Seems to be a one-off single on this label.

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Jalupo

n Andrew Crawford Production label featuring the Luo band who grew out of the Kiwiro Boys Band. As Orch Sega Sega, they also recorded for Kung Fu, Piny Omer and Wageso.

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Jambo

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Jarateng

Luo music with nyatiti driven folkloric music

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Jawima

Nndependent label from the 80s

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JB Super Sound

Kikuyu label

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Jera Inn

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Jet

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Jimbuki System Sounds

Kikuyu label

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JowiJa Mwomo

Luo label with base in Nairobi

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Joy Joy

AC Kochomo label with base in Nairobi

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Joy Sounds

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Judo

Sister label of Kung-Fu records. Released Luo bands.

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Julus

An Audio Productions label that probably dates from the 1980s.

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K.D.K.

Kikuyu label that was one of the outlets for recordings by Daniel Kamau’s Lulus Band.

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K.M.S.

One of the labels of the prolific Kikuyu bandleader, Joseph Kamaru, the label name standing for Kamaru Music Store.

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Kahungura

Undated Kikuyu single on a label that shares a PO box number with the Foundation label and may have been run by Joseph Gicheha, long a member of the Rift Valley Brothers.

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