“Everyone’s favourite Sudanese collective from London is back with another full album!” “Contains the monster club hit Mashena!” It’s been 5 years since the critically acclaimed debut album from the Scorpios was released on Afro7 records. Since that time the band has stayed busy actively playing around central Europe and in clubs around England. In … Continue reading The Scorpios LET’S GO Afro7

Happy new years, we’re back and it’s 2022, we promise to update the front page a little more often with new posts of vintage songs from the East African diaspora. Sportsman – a Cigarette brand from BAT (British American Tobacco company) which has been in the market for over 85 years and is sold in … Continue reading Sportsman promotion single sung in ‘Swahili/English’

Side 1 a) GONDA: A bewitching dance for young adults. Girls don ostrich-feather Head-plumes and enticing skirts. Others wall as drums pound out rhythms in dramatic bursts of energetic ferocity. b) LUMBOMBOMBO: The ‘Lumbombombo’ is a very rare one-stringed violin. In this song the singer praises his skills as a player in an almost-forgotten-melody. c) … Continue reading Heartbeat of Africa ‘Musical Rituals of the Giriama’ SAPRA

Side One 1. KILUME DANCE, of the fun-loving Akamba people, is sedately energetic and traditionally restricted to elders-of both sexes-of this large Kenya ethnic group. 2. TYPICAL OF BORDER DISTRICTS of Uganda and the eastern Congo is this enchanting beat, played by two leisurely drummers as evening falls. 3. SPIRIT-EXORCISM, a rhythm of Kenya’s Teita … Continue reading Heartbeat of Africa ‘ Drums of Africa’ SAPRA

Side one 1. AKAMBA, of south-eastern Kenya, sing the “ng’eta” and stomp out the strond rhythm of a traditional dance. 2. ABALUYIA GROUP, with Africa’s one-stringed fiddle, and a song hummed by a contented villager at nightfall. 3. FROM THE KIKUYU PEOPLE, a song in praise of their leaders is sung by a gaily-attired group … Continue reading Heartbeat of Africa ‘ African Folk Music’ SAPRA

Side one 1. LIONS: Lionshave just brought down a wildebeest and are roaring triumphantly over the kill. As they begin to tear their victim to pieces, they snarl and growl at each other. 2. ZEBRAS: Zebras have got the wind of a lion, and their excited barks can be heard from near and far. 3. … Continue reading Heartbeat of Africa ‘Animal Voices of Africa’ SAPRA

Side one 1. GREATER FLAMINGO (Phoenicopterus ruber): On many saline lakes of East Africa’s Great Rift Valley the Greater Flamingo’s beautiful deep-crimson wings, with their black flightfeathers can be seen. But here is recorded the rare and remarkable sound of a breeding colony, with young. Distribution: Throughout eastern Africa. 2. FISH EAGLE (Cuncuma vocifer): A … Continue reading Heartbeat of Africa ‘Birdsong of Africa’ SAPRA

From the heart of untamed Africa, where savage nature still reigns supreme, comes this spell-binding series of records which have captured for you-in brilliant hi-fi the stirring sounds you thrilled to during your safari. Re-live the fascinating excitment and the majestic grandeur of breathtaking Africa unspoilt by the hand of civilisation. Heartbeat of Africa will … Continue reading Heartbeat of Africa “This is East Africa” SAPRA

Undergrünnen are finally ready with the follow-up to the critically lauded and Spellemann nominated debut album. It was winter again and in Haugesund it rained, if possible, even more than before. There was nothing else to do for Undergrünnen but to barricade themselves in the studio and daydream of sweaty clubs and hot beaches. Roof … Continue reading Undergrünnen Nå e me her (Single) Jansen Records

‘Harambe’ by Mac & Party was one of the most interesting recent rediscoveries of Kenyan taarab from the past decades. An English language taarab song with the prominent presence of an early synthesizer, it sounded unlike any other Kenyan music that came out during the 1960s and ‘70s. Initially, when trying to license the track … Continue reading Yaseen & Party 60’s taarab compilation from Yaseen Mohamed Afro7

Even though African music of the past four decades is being rediscovered, catalogued and reissued by foreign labels at an accelerating speed, music from the East-Central African nation of Burundi remains somewhat of a blind spot to collectors who are not from the region. Western audiences have long associated the country with pop hits by … Continue reading Amabano ‘Amsterdam Ticket’

The Cranes were one of Uganda’s most popular teenage bands in the 1970’s. Founded in 1965, they metamorphosed at the end of the 1970’s into the Afrigo Band which is still, up to today, the number one band in the country. What’s love and Joy, both written by singer and guitarist Tony Senkebejje, appeared in … Continue reading The Cranes ‘What’s Love/Joy’ Afro7

It’s a been a long while with no posts at all, and what about all those dusty Kenyan 45’s that are lying around that need another review or a bigger audience? Well, there has been so much other stuff going on that we’ve (we? Well it’s just me, one guy) just haven’t had time to … Continue reading Various CBS EP 1980’s

The mid-seventies in Nairobi were a time of tremendous growth. In the first decade after independence, the city’s population doubled and the economy grew at a rapid pace. Pop culture experienced a boom, live music thrived around the city and young, aspiring musicians were exposed to a wide variety of local, regional and international influences. … Continue reading Black Savage Afro7

The Sudanese London collective The Scorpios have been making waves the past few years after the Afro7 release of their acclaimed debut release. Voted album of the week last summer by Gilles Peterson, many have come to treasure this great album that shines more and more upon repeated listenings. A future classic for sure! We’re … Continue reading The Scorpios ‘Mashena/Samha’ Afro7

Etuk Ubong (born June 25, 1992) is a trumpeter, composer and bandleader. Hailing from Akwa Ibom State in southern Nigeria, raised in Lagos, he started playing at the age of 14 thanks to his mother’s encouragement. The past years he has been very active in Nigeria but also seen on spots in London and other … Continue reading Etuk Ubong ‘Black Debtors/Collaboration of Doom’ Afro7

Located on Nyali Beach, south of Mombasa city lies Mombasa Reef Hotel, maybe the grandest of all the classic Kenyan hotels, run and managed by the same family since the mid-seventies. Catering westerners to safaris and snorkelling, and providing local acts of art-acts and music, including the hotel’s then house band the Mombasa Vikings. A … Continue reading Mombasa ‘Vikings Kibe Kibe/Mama Matotoya’ Afro7

David Waciuma a BIOGRAPHY – he was born in 1945 in Naaro Village, Kandara Muranga County. He went to Naaro / Kirunguru Primary Schools where he did his KAPE. He then proceeds to the Duke of Clocester High School (Nairobi High School) After Independence he was the first lot to be taken to Denmark to … Continue reading David Waciuma ‘Devil Go/Jesu Kristo’ Afro7

When thinking of urban coastal Kenyan musicians whose careers run decades deep, taarab performers may be the first who come to mind. Indeed, taarab taps into a poetic tradition that goes back centuries and it may be the longest surviving thread in popular music across the Swahili coast. Sadly, in recent years the thriving scenes … Continue reading Mombasa Roots EP Afro7 Records

Finally back with a blog post and it’s the release day of the special Them Mushrooms EP. Kenyan musical journalist Emmanuel Mwendwa has written a nice little article about the band, read it here. If you want to get your hands on our new twelve you can order direct from us, or you can check … Continue reading Them Mushrooms ‘A Little Love/Akumu Nyar Kisumu’ Polydor

This song rekindles memories of the fiery wave of the black consciousness movement that swept across the African diaspora from 1960s through to the ’80s. The Rift Valley Brothers band’s lyrics are seemingly a clarion call imploring local Kenyans to come to terms with their rich African roots and home-grown heroes. These were likely inspired … Continue reading Rift Valley Brothers ‘Mu Afrika/Uhiki Wa Nduru’ Mu-Africa

Happy summer! We are have been working hard to update the site to be more mobile friendly and will keep adding more vintage stock throughout the year! Keep coming back in! The intermingling of nifty guitar riffs on this blend of Congolese and Kenyan musical influences is deeply original and typical of a very unsung … Continue reading Loi Toki Tok Band ‘Leta Ngoma/Jennie’ Pathé

Gravity – Lost in love Towards the end of the 1970s, which had been a decade of abundance in Kenya’s homegrown music industry, CBS (Columbia) set up a well-equipped studio in Nairobi and started releasing records locally. Apart from reissues of European, American and South African hits of the day, they also recorded regional acts. … Continue reading Gravity, Matokenya, Jabali ‘Lost in Love/Mrs. Onyango/Folk Song’ Afro7

One of the most prolific Kenyan taarab musicians from the 1950s and ‘60s was Yaseen Mohamed. Born in Mombasa in 1922 to a Omani mother and Kenyan father, Yaseen got professionally involved in music while working for a Mombasa-based music store as a radio technician during the second world war. Assanand, which would later grow … Continue reading Mac & Party ‘Harambe/Liverpool’ Afro7

Loi Toki Tok band started out as a nondescript musical group. But irrefutably, the band’s star scaled the heights and shone brightly on the early 1970s Kenyan capital, Nairobi’s burgeoning live music circuit. And basking on the top of the pops charts, was vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Leon Kabasela aka Kalle. He also doubled as band’s composer and … Continue reading Loi Toki Tok ‘Chakacha/Mungwana’ Afro7

Awengele was a self-styled ‘boy band’ comprising four members, all of Luhya origin (West Kenya). Barely out of school, they were all pursuing careers – as an engineer, civil servant, a cartoonist and marketeer – and played music in their free time, doing regular shows at schools and public events, but never on the club … Continue reading Awengele ‘Awengele/Loving Day’ Akili

A studied lawyer, Chris Kariuki took his hobby of music quite seriously, from the early ‘80s right up to his death in 2001. His earliest recordings while barely out of college were with the boogie-funk Gravity who recorded two singles for the CBS label. In the ‘90s he took up the artist name of Njoroge … Continue reading Njoroge Benson ‘Nyinukia’ Odyssey

By the time multi-instrumentalist Francis Njoroge released his first solo single, he’d already been recording for more than a decade. An early trace of his musical activity is found on a classic Zamrock album ‘Soweto’ by Rikki Ililonga, recorded in Nairobi and released in 1977. A founding member of Afro disco/funk/rock group Makonde, it’s the … Continue reading Francis Njoroge ‘DAI’ Turbo

One of the great Somali female vocalists of her time was Faadumo Qaasim, from the Benadiri ethnic group. She passed in 2011 but the composer Said Harawo is to this day still living in Mogadishu and working at the National theatre of arts. Though constant menacing threats of the Al Shabaab towards music and culture, … Continue reading Faadumo Qaasim/Ahmed Sharief Yusuf ‘Majogo/Berflasana’ Afro7

Born in Nyeri in 1953, Rachel Wanjiru, aka Tanya Ria singing came at an early age, as a dedicated Christian in the Kikuyu tribe choir practice is day to day routine. It was in 1977 Kenyan music journalist Nick Ayub and producer Joe Rogoiyo took her to the studio and recorded Do the Smasher and … Continue reading Tanya Ria ‘Do the Smasher/Love You Didn’t Want’ Afro7

SCREW RECORD STORE DAY! We would have had AFRO7 01 & 02 singles available by this date, but they didn’t make it. On the positive side, we got this one in our store: The Scorpios A west London based Sudanese band playing Traditional tribal songs about family, love and religion from central Sudan. The songs … Continue reading The Scorpios ‘Yaelhajarok/Yadob Yadob’ Afro7

‘See Lamu, see Paradise’ describes the archipelago of Indian Ocean Islands off Kenya’s northern shores. Each Island has its share of Arabian Nights’ history, often only preserved in song and folk-tale, and this collection contains recordings of music which has all but disappeared into the mist of Time. Under the palm trees beside the white … Continue reading The Lamu Serenade – Sapra LTD

And now for something completely different! The Black Savage group, famous for the rare mid-70s EMI LP. The band line-up featured one prominent member; Job Seda, better known as Ayub Ogada (later released an album on Peter Gabriels Real World label) In a Pink Floyd-esque landscape these two tracks are oddball and unique enough to … Continue reading Black Savage ‘Do You Really Care/Save The Savage’ WAW

“One of the best Kikuyu disco tracks I’ve ever heard…!” Rickard Masip said having found few copies of ‘Family Planning’ on his last trip to Kenya in 2013. Often the continuing search for something fresh and original can be a striving fare, especially when you have to look through thousand and thousands of dirty old … Continue reading Kiru Stars ‘Family Planning/Mumbi’ Editions By Law

Glad to announce that the first compilation on our own in-house label now is available for purchase through the Shop. Light & Sound of Mogadishu comes as first of it’s kind, a unique compilation of tracks from the seventies Somali scene. Light and Sound was a was a small label and shop that operated in … Continue reading Magool ‘Jacil Dheeg Malago Qury’ Light & Sound

Le Nzoi aka The Bees originated sometimes in the early seventies assembled by the famous vocalist Edo Gang, who’s been in bands like Les Bantous De La Capitale and T.P.O.K. Jazz. The Edition Populaire was a label owned by Franco, and this gem of a tune ‘Declaration’ was recorded on a mobile recording studio Franco … Continue reading Orch Le Nzoi ‘Declaration/Ou Est Le Probleme’ Ed. Pop

Love songs, irrespective of lyrical inspiration or language used – are endearing and captivating. They always have a way that connects to audiences with consummate ease. The song Amalia is no exception, despite its seemingly economical use of verses, astutely weaved around four simple lines that ooze with passion. Undeniably, the song-writer must have been … Continue reading Loi Toki Tok ‘Amalia/Lakusema Mimi Sina’ Pathé

In times of “Feelabration” here at Afro7, we’ve tried to trace the Afrobeat sound in the East and Central Africa. Are there any musicians from Kenya, Tanzania or Congo that can match the prowess and sound of Nigerias Fela Kuti and his counterparts? The closest we come to trace this sound is Johnny Bokelo’s ‘Nakupenda … Continue reading Orch. Baya Baya ‘Kidogo Sana’ Kwetu

Mangale is no doubt one of veteran saxophonist Joseph Ngala’s hit songs. It’s simple yet intricately cascading horns section and heady bassline irresistibly grows on the listener – often luring one unwittingly to the dance floor. With its catchy lyrics sung in the indigenous coastal Rabai dialect, this song is still as fresh to the … Continue reading Bahari Boys ‘Pekeshe/Mangale’ Bahari

Kenya is renowned for its cross-breed of benga and rhumba rhythms. But listening to What Is It [That You Want] and My Everything – cut circa 1978 – these double-sided 45inch single tracks seem somewhat misplaced categorized as ‘Kenyan’ songs. That the funky and indisputably bouncy, disco pop-groove recordings were pressed in Nairobi during late … Continue reading Mombasa Roots Band ‘What is it ../My Everything’ Mombasa Roots

As early as 1950s, electric guitars were a phenomenon in the Madagascar islands. In subsequent years, it was typical for lead guitarists to layer their strumming with dazzling riffs on a song hurtling along a frantic pace. This could have been the basis which likely influenced the late Jimmy Mawi’s style, long before he packed … Continue reading Jimmy Mawi ‘Vero/Broken Love’ Razaka

Hazar Imam or Prince Shah Karim Al Hussaini Aga Khan is a British Shia Muslim imam and business magnate. His following in Eastern Africa extends to great recognition for his religious role and aid work. Given the fact that there are several development aid institutions, including health and education services with his name on it. … Continue reading Shiraz with the Sunny ‘Karibu Karim’ Alka

Announcement from the SOUNDS EXPRESS label! Straight from the hot press! Ladies and Gentlemen it’s the NEW SUNSHINE BAND! The second single from the band that has been creating FUZZ around your door, keeping the elders awake and the youngsters dancing their feet! Don’t miss out on the fun it’s the hottest sounds around! Evan and … Continue reading New Sunshine Band ‘What do I Feel?’ Sounds Express

We’ve been digging through the Ken-Tanza label, check the new stock! One of favorite outputs is this monster modern RUMBA take, and a fine example of how a tune can sound totally different from part 1 to part 2. No info on the band on the net whatsoever. Credited to Solomon M. Kombo. I suspect … Continue reading Kenya Super Rumba ‘Mpende Mwenzio’ Ken-Tanza

Kenyan singer Sal Davis has had a fascinating career and is still musically active; his ‘Makini’, released in Belgium in 1969, is a sought-after funky mod classic that was reissued on a collectors label in UK in 2008. He also recorded ‘Back in Dubai’ in 1984 which became a classic to the expat community there … Continue reading Sal Davis ‘Sultan Qaboos Song’ SDP

About time we brought out another Taarab single, it’s taken a while as they are bloody hard to come by. Some of the bigger Kenyan Taarab labels like Pwani, Mzuri seem to be hard trace even in sales and auction lists. Taaarab is coastal music, Arabic fused rhythms of the Swahili coast, expanding from the … Continue reading Omari Commander & his group ‘Samahani’ Almasi

AbaGusii or more common Kisii people are a tribe located on the western parts of Kenya near Lake Victoria. This single showcases straight from the roots benga in luo tradition, bouncy tempo with drive and the guitarist shifting dynamics gives the track a certain cosmic appeal. The release also goes into A. P Chandaranas treasure … Continue reading Nyamwari Band ‘Robert Nyamgwono’ Mwamo Gusii

First feature of 2014 is a doublesided Kikuyu Disco burner. Private production by Jimmy Wa Eunice distributed by Centre Music store Nairobi. Steady beat with little variation, it’s the stone hard groove and the basic but very infectious melody line that sets the mark. Guitarist steps it up a notch and starts his improvisation in … Continue reading Kahurika Brothers Muka Wa Mikora Eunice Harmonic

With a good dose of Reggae and Eddy Grant’s magic touch, Nigerian born Sonny Okusun had a big international hit in 79 with the political fueled ‘Fire in the Soweto’.  2 years earlier he had released ‘Papas land’ a key Africa record that had impact spanning from west to east. Kenyans own pop star Slim Ali’s version … Continue reading Slim Ali ‘Papa’s Land’ WRC

Famous band from Tanzania, this release was before they changed their name to DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra after a sponsor deal. Notice the name typo done by the Kenyan label press. Read Werner Graebner excellent notes on the band over at East African Music.com This number translated to “Gossip among people” is a great showcase … Continue reading Orc. Milimani Park ‘Fitina Za Watu’ M.N.R.

Anyone who is interested, and ready for a short history brief in last century’s Kenyan music scene should read Doug Paterson’s excellent introduction notes to Soundway’s compilation Kenya Special. Doug makes a point about Kenyan bands being tuned in to international sounds around, and The African Pioneers ‘My Loving Sister is a great example. First off, it’s a weeding … Continue reading The African Pioneers ‘My Loving Sister’ Eclipse

MOTO MOTO, a subsidiary label of A.I.T records, a Kenyan distribution source for Tanzanian bands. Acts like Orchestra Dar International, Vijana Jazz, Jamhuri Jazz Band and Urafiki are frequently featured. Check out our sales selection for a roundup with audio snippets. If you have special interest check out the book  on the subject of Tanzanian popular music … Continue reading Sunbust ‘Black is Beautiful’ Moto Moto

So here’s my absolute favorite kenyan 45. It’s actually a very odd and obscure afro soul masterpiece, with the catchy and hypnotic vocals ‘Chakacha… Mombassa’ that does the job… what else do you need? Maybe some handclap with that? Yes indeed! This 45 pressed on ultra rare kenya label Athi River was made by Loitoktok … Continue reading Cassim Combo ‘Chakacha’ Athi River

A personal favorite from the mighty Nairobi Matata Jazz catalogue that truly showcase how tight they where back in the days. This Swahili number pretty much has it all for me, a bouncy bassline, superb breakdowns, fierce guitarlines plus a razor sharp rhythm section to match. Update! A user comment requested part one of the … Continue reading Nairobi Matata Jazz ‘Tereza Sina Ubaya’ Diploma

JOSEPH KAMARU – 1965-2013 48 YEARS IN MUSIC – AND STILL GOING ON! Backing up a dozen releases and half a million records sold, this is a name on the Kenyan music scene you cannot avoid. Like his kikuyu counterpart Daniel Kamau, JK also had his own vinyl record label imprint with KENYA UNITED SOUNDS.  The success of his … Continue reading Kamaru Celina Band ‘Mukurara Nake’ Kenya United Sounds

Dug up by Duncan Brooker in the late 90’s, and later to be compiled on the first wave of Africa rare groove-comps; AFRO-ROCK on Koda an Strut. ‘MABALA’ is a Kenya instrumental funk classic! Layered with spacey Moog effects, a bluesy guitar lick, stripped sax and cool spoken female vocals it showcases the Yahoos in … Continue reading Fathili & The Yahoos Band ‘Mabala’ Matata

In all its splendor here is the original Kenyan ‘AFRO-ROCK’ label pressing from the mid-seventies. Let’s follow the lifespan of this song: 1977 – second pressing released in France . 1978 – Used in BBC documentary on African Music. 2001 – Compiled on Duncan Brooker’s Afro-Rock volume 1. 2005 – A remixed NYC/Cuban version with … Continue reading Jingo ‘Fever’ Afro-Rock

There is something very appealing about these early Ethiopian Philips singles. Especially with the picture sleeve. They often come with a very high price tag, if it’s in the right condition. Musically a league of it’s own. This monster of a doublesider showcases Mulatu Astatke at his creative peak. He had just returned back to … Continue reading Gessesse & Mulatu ‘Tiz Alegn Yetintu/Emnete’ Philips

We’ve been busy updating the shop side of things this summer, you can now actually order original Kenyan sevens directly from the blog. You’ll find the different categories under music shop on the right. There are only a 100 singles added so far, we will add more during the next months. The elusive Almasi label … Continue reading Nyahururu Success ‘Wendo Wa Mithaiga’ Almasi

This is l’Orchestre Todi National” from Kenya. Don’t know anything about this band, except they recorded a couple of 7″ on the delicious Melodica label (also check Melodica Teens Band!). This one has a sweet melody called ‘Misumba’. I’m addicted to this one, has a super deep bassline that makes you feel like your navigating … Continue reading L’Orch. Todi National ‘Misumba’ Melodica

Finally a track by the legendary Kenyan military band Maroon Commandos, ‘Adeh Deh’ delivers in afro-pop fashion with a pinch of reggae in the mix. With a catchy sing-along  lyrics and a sweet feel-good melody. A significant horn section sets the pace of the tune. If its a Maroon Commandos track, expect killer horns! Formed … Continue reading Maroon Commandos ‘Adeh Deh’ Polydor

In the exciting evolution of Benga the Kikuyu artists implemented a fast paced rhythm, duo vocal harmony with several layers of guitar comp, melody and a minimalstic steady bumpin base/drum beat with little variation. This receipt seem to have worked as there are several Benga tunes perfected in the same style, often new incarnations of … Continue reading Chania River Boys ‘Reke Tumanwo Biuu’ MPP

You can image what kind of influence Manu Dibango’s mega hit ‘SOUL MAKOSSA’ had on this slice of  East African Disco funk. In typical Kenyan fashion, the common phrase “ASANTE SANA” is used repeatedly in the  refrain. Meaning “Thank you very much” and with the included cheeky female sexual groans you can do your own further conclusions on the … Continue reading Said w/ Wyne Barnes ‘Asante Sana” Studio Sawa

Ohh! Special nightclub pressing, or is Jera Inn a hotel? Probably a mid seventies pressing and it seems the only output on this label is this excellent Cavacha tune by the Great Boma Liwanza. Another Congo import group that recorded and released in Nairobi. The group also had a full LP release and 45 outputs … Continue reading Boma Liwanza ‘Jera-Inn pt 1&2’ Jera inn