Tag: East Africa

Sportsman promotion single sung in ‘Swahili/English’

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 various Eastern Africa markets including Kenya, Uganda, and Somalia. So jack up a pack of Sportsman in the true sportsman fashion and you should be ready for any sports, and if lucky you can win a business worth 1000k Kenya shilling! This and many other singles are on this months monthly auctions at eBay, check ’em out here.

SportsmanA) SPORTSMAN ‘Sung in Swahili’
B) SPORTSMAN ‘Sung in English’

Rift Valley Brothers ‘Mu Afrika/Uhiki Wa Nduru’ Mu-Africa

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 and penned in praise of Kenya’s liberation struggle and key Mau Mau frontline freedom fighters. Several unsung and long forgotten ‘bush’ generals are saluted for their sweat, gallantry and bloodshed. But the underlying message is undeniably emphatic on the pressing need (especially for the younger generation) to embrace selfconsciousness and pride in their African heritage.

MU-AFRICAA) Rift Valley Brothers ‘Mu Africa’
B) Rift Valley Brothers ‘Uhiki Wa Nduru’

Loi Toki Tok Band ‘Leta Ngoma/Jennie’ Pathé

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 musical outfit that seemed to have become largely forgotten over the years. ‘Let’s sing, dance and party on to our music’ (ngoma yetu)’ the lyric goes. This deep track is indicative of the multi-layered repertoire of The Loi Toki Tok – the resident band at the uptown Arcadia Club (now the Florida Night Club) along Koinange Street in Nairobi. This track is featured on Kenya Special by Soundway records, compiled by Miles Cleret, Fredrik Lavik and Rickard Masip. It was recently repressed and can be bought here on all formats!

PathéA) Loi Toki Tok Band ‘Leta Ngoma’
B) Loi Toki Tok Band ‘Jennie’

Jimmy Mawi ‘Vero/Broken Love’ Razaka

malagasyAs 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 his bags destined for the Kenyan capital where he pitched tent in the mid 70s. Unwittingly, he was just coming ‘back home’ as at some point – Madagascar supposedly opted to break away from East Africa’s fold. More significantly, the islands have on instances been described as the country “..where old rock albums go to die..” This uncanny aphorism perhaps resonates with the groove that infuses hard-to-find, rare – until recently, handful tracks credited to Mawi. The not-so-popular Madagascan guitarist virtuoso’s insistent dance-frenzied, Afro-funk singles Black Star Blues, Let Me Keep Away From You, I Want Get Up and Black Dialogue – are already making a grand comeback on the global disco trail. Mawi’s name is undeniably as unfamiliar as his previously out-of-circulation songs, but which are now available on limited editions 10″ Vinyl on Soundway records. Incidentally, rave reviews blatantly draw parallels between Mawi’s “..rough heartfelt frenzy..” vocals expression with his first-name sake Jimi Hendrix’s bluesy funky-rock elements. These 45s were initially recorded some 40-years ago, during late 1970s in Nairobi, then East Africa region’s musical hub.

Mombasa RootsA) Jimmy Mawi ‘Vero’
B) Jimmy Mawi ‘Broken Love’

Chania River Boys ‘Reke Tumanwo Biuu’ MPP

kikuyuIn 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 the same melody but with different vocals. Peter Kigia (Wa Ester) had a big hit with the B-side of his own privately financed MPP label. Rickard Masip made us aware that the artist is still ongoing with this youtube clip. Enjoy the original release from 1991! Who said the 90’ties was boring?

B)Chania River Boys ‘Reke Tumanwo Biuu’