A L'ANCIENNE BELGIQUE (EDIPOP POP 025,1985)

This post is a special request from Kisondella in Tanzania. It is a great album from 1985 that has a real sound of its own. The use of chorused guitars and electric drums might put off some purists, but the songs and musicianship on the album transcend any dated 80's sounds. Josky and Madilu are to the fore on the vocal front here. The album includes the classic Madilu System song 'Pesa Position Na Yo'.

We do not have an LP version of this so the tracks we've posted are compiled from the out of print CD reissues SONODISC CDS 6856, SONODISC CDS 6866 and SONODISC CDS 6852.

Why Sonodisc split the tracks across these discs we don't understand!

The images of the LP were taken from another internet site.

http://www.4shared.com/file/uZAmC4ed/LAncienne_Belgique.html

Side A

K.S.K. (Josky)

Nda-Ya (Mpudi Decca)

Side B

Pesa Position Na Yo (Madilu System)

Mukungu (Gerry Dialungana)

Two Rare 45's

It has been some time since we posted something so here are two 45's we aquired recently with the aid of gratefully received donations from two visitors to our site. Without these donations we wouldn't have been able to purchase these rare items.

The first is an EP from 1965 credited to Brazzos et O.K. Jazz, it is a Pathé Marconi release labelled EMF 314

http://www.4shared.com/file/Cs4vHNC0/Brazzos_et_Ok_Jazz.html


These are very rare tracks never released on CD. Two of the tracks were only ever released on this EP. The first two appeared as a single on the HMV release Loningisa 1058. We don't have composers for the tracks and presume they were composed by Brazzos.

We like this EP a lot, there are some interesting variations on the standard OK Jazz sound of this time including a nice bluesy bend in Franco's guitar on Cha Cha Cha Del Zombo. The cover of the copy we acquired was quite badly damaged so our apologies for that.

Side A

Cha Cha Cha Del Zombo

Mokili Mobongwani

Side B

Cuidado Cona Mallo

Aya Yo Ozui



The second 45 we have is a single from 1970 with two great tracks. It was released on the African label and it is labelled African 90.485 with an extra label of Epanza-Makita 117. This seems to be an ultra-rare release as there is no mention of it on the online discographies of Ok Jazz.

http://www.4shared.com/file/1VFQ0Sbj/African_90485.html


We particularly like the second track 'Bisenga Senga' which is a composition of the great Mose Fan Fan


Side A

Mathieu Togongana (Checain)

Side B

Bisenga Senga (Fan Fan)


If you enjoyed these rarities please consider donating something to our cause so we can acquire more wonderful rare OK Jazz music like this.

3 Singles from the early 1970's

Here is a link from our friends at World Service which features three single releases from the 1970's. Apparently 4 out of the 5 of these songs were never released on CD or mp3. They're all classics

The first was released in 1973 as Fiesta 51.198 B http://www.mediafire.com/?3immtto4eqz

Side A

Cedou (Simaro)

Side B

B.S.K. (Franco)

The next was released in 1974 as Pathe 2 C006 15717 http://www.mediafire.com/?a3dj1jwclyt

Side A

Mele (Checain)

Side B

Mowunbu Ya Makanisi (Franco)


Finally on the Editions Populaire's label from 1974 is EP 205

http://www.mediafire.com/?mzjutn1djou

Side A

Tata Na Bebe part 1 (Franco)

Side B

Tata Na Bebe part 2 (Franco)




World Service provide impeccable notes on all these singles at this link

http://wrldsrv.blogspot.com/2009/12/staying-ok.html

Authenticite Volume 4 (African 360.078 - 1962/1963)

This is a compilation of tracks recorded between 1962 and 1963. There's a heavy Cuban influence on a lot of these tracks. Most of the tracks are composed by Mujos. Only one is composed by Franco, two of the tracks are early compositions of the Poet Lutumba Simarro.

Seven of these tracks appeared on the CD

FRANCO ET L'OK JAZZ (MUJOS,SIMARO ET KWAMY)
1960/1961/1962 (AFRICAN/SONODISC CD 36511)

This CD is now out of print and it hasn't been made available for
digital download yet. 

The other three tracks, Guitares De L'Enfer, Tele Mujos and
La Vida Del Un Negro, appear never to have been released on CD or mp3

http://www.4shared.com/file/258602231/a2e25438/Authenticite_Vol_4.html

Side A

ELE WA BOLINGO (MUJOS)                               

MIGUEL' CANTA (MUJOS)                               
   
JALOUSIE YA MIMI NA NGAI (MUJOS)                     
   
COMO QUERE (MUJOS)                                   
     
GUITARES DE L'ENFER  (SIMARRO)                       



Side B 

MADO OBOYI SIMARRO? (SIMARRO)                      

TELE-MUJOS (MUJOS)                                   

LICENCIE (SIMEON)                                   

BULUNDUE NA ZONGWEE (FRANCO)                       

LA VIDA DEL UN NEGRO (MUJOS)    

Vicky et Ok Jazz (EMI 1971/1976)

Here's another album from Global Groovers. This one does not actually feature Franco, but it does feature Vicky performing with OK Jazz.

We don't know much else about this album except that it was released in 1971 and reissued in 1976. We don't know who composed any of these tracks but they are possibly all composed by Vicky.

http://globalgroovers.blogspot.com/2009/11/vicky-et-ok-jazz-emi-1971-1976.html


Vicky et Ok Jazz (EMI 1971/1976)

1 Bea
2 Rocky a kovenger n'gai
3 Ngai na boyakiyo te
4 En memoire de Bayon
5 Na zali kitoko mingi
6 Nani akobenga mama
7 Nakufeli invitation
8 Mwana ponaka

A Nairobi (1986) Edipop 033

Well Global Groovers have done it again, they've posted another great TPOK Jazz album, this time 'A Nairobi' from 1986. This album has a very distinct and consitent sound and contains some great sebenes.

http://globalgroovers.blogspot.com/2010/04/le-grand-maitre-franco-et-ses-stars-du.html

Side A

BOMA NGAI, NGAI NABOMA YO (FRANCO/MADILU SYSTEM)                           

KUNA OKEYI OBONGISA (FRANCO/GERRY)                                   

Side B

EPERDEMENT (FRANCO/KIWAKANA)                                             

MASIKINI (FRANCO/DJOMPOY)    

Authenticite OK Jazz 1960/62 (African 360124)

We really like this LP of early OK Jazz tracks recorded between 1960 and 1962.

There is one curiosity about this LP and that is that the tracks 'Sakina Jacky' and 'Bebe Ngai Na Zongi' seem to be identical. This is probably a pressing error. We're not sure if this is just something to do with the copy we have or whether it was a general pressing error that was never rectified. We would appreciate any information anyone has on this.

Either way 'Sakina Jacky' is a great track with lovely guitar and sax interplay, so it's almost worth being on the LP twice!

Most of these tracks were composed by Mujos, two are by Franco.

http://www.4shared.com/file/254808463/a7015683/Authenticite_1960-62.html

Side A


Na Banzi Zozi (Mujos)

Maria De Mi Vida (Mujos)


Bolingo Ya Mbongo Mabe (Mujos)


La Mulata Congolaisa (Mujos)


Olongi Yo Mayi Ya Bwatu (Mujos)

Nono Bolingo Na Mujos (Mujos)


Side B

Na Ko Banza Mama Na Bwana (Mujos)

Sakina Jacky (Mujos)

Sentiment Poto Poto (Mujos)

Mobembo Mabe Boye (Franco)

Ndale Mi Querida (Franco)


Bebe Ngai Na Zongi (Piccolo)