Catalogue       Group                                          A side/B side                                                        Language

Number

CAL 1            Nyanza Stars                     Gor Mahia Pts 1 & 2

I suspect that this is a football song in praise of Gor Mahia FC. Formed in 1968, it was a dominant force in Kenyan football for many years, culminating in its 1987 victory in the African Cup Winners Cup when it became the first Kenyan side to win the pan-African competition. After that, financial troubles sent its fortunes tumbling and it is only in recent years that it has made a partial comeback to former glories.

Nyanza Stars also recorded for Mbutta and  Sibuor, mostly in the mid-1970s, suggesting this record dates from that period.

Thanks to Sofiane of Groovy Record in Paris for supplying the label scan and record information in March 2011.

I don’t speak Dholuo but I have seen Chalre Achala described as meaning “it’s all the same”, which is a slightly odd name for a record label.