Filed under: Egypt
♬ Ali Ali / عالي عالي (Parts 1 & 2)
Fātima Ahmad Kamal Shākir / فاطمة أحمد كمال شاك – better known by her stage name Shadia / شادية (also seen transliterated as Shādiyya or, in the case of this record, Chadia) – was born February 8th, 1931 in in Cairo, Egypt.
Besides starring in over 100 films during the golden age of Egyptian cinema, Shadia is remembered for her many patriotic songs – earning her the nickname as ”The Voice of Egypt”.
This track was written by Baligh Hamdi / بليغ حمدي. Although uncredited, I suspect that the guitar on this track is Omar Khorshid / عمر خورشيد.
PLEASE NOTE: I have edited Side One and Side Two into one track, attempting to make the transition from Part One and Part Two as seamless as possible.
Catalog number ESOA 150 on Soutelphan of Cairo, Egypt. No release date listed.
Filed under: Angola
♬ Sengula
Formed in 1964, originally under the name Ritmo Jazz and then Quinteto Angolano, the band changed their name to N’Goma Jazz in 1966. The leader of the band was guitarist Sebastião Matumona, who gave the band their distinctive sound. Other members of the band included lead vocalist José Manuel, Augusto Pedro on rhythm guitar, Ferreira Domingos on bass, and Caetano Lemos and Joaquim Pedro Manuel on percussion. They recorded at least a dozen singles during their run.
If you have any further information about this artist or anything else about this recording, please leave it in the comment section below.
Catalog number MPA-4010 on Merengue of Luanda, Angola. Released 1975.
Filed under: South Korea
It’s very easy to confuse the Key Brothers / 키-부라더즈 with the Key Boys / 키보이스 – especially since Yoon Hang-ki / 尹恒基 had played in both bands.
Yoon Hang-ki was born in Boryeong / 보령시, Korea on September 15th, 1943.He was an original member of the Key Boys when they formed in 1964. During his tour of Vietnam, he formed a band called 락앤키 / Lock & Key. When he returned to Korea in 1970, he formed the Key Brothers to compete with the Key Boys. They recorded three albums before Yoon Hang-ki decided to pursue a solo career – which lasted into the 1980s. In 1986, he moved to the United States to study theology and become a pastor.
Catalog number KLS-23 on Universal of Seoul, Korea. Released 1972.
Filed under: Sri Lanka
Desmond Anaclitus Rajiva de Silva was born in the town of Matara, British Ceylon – now known as Sri Lanka – July 13th, 1944. He moved to Columbo in 1963 and formed his first band The Fire-Flies. Soon after, he joined The Spitfires and would go on to record with Desmond & The Clan before going solo and becoming the “King of Baila”.
Catalog number OME 1018 on Gemtone of Columbo, Sri Lanka. No release date listed.
Filed under: Morocco
The only thing I have been able to find about Samy Essaid / سامي السيد is that he had four cassette only releases on the legendary label Disques Gam of Casablanca, Morocco.
If you have any further information about this artist or anything else about this recording, please leave it in the comment section below.
Catalog number G.B.N:1 on Disques Gam of Casablanca, Morocco. No release date listed.
Filed under: Zaïre
Champro King et L’Orchestre Cobantou were from Zaïre – which is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Whereas L’Orchestre Cobantou recorded a staggering 73 singles total during their decade long run, only three were with Champro King.
I have not been able to find much information about Champro King – also see Roi Chanmpro and Roi Champro King, but there is an extensive post on the history of L’Orchestre Cobantou over at the Worldservice blog.
If you have any further information about this artist or anything else about this recording, please leave it in the comment section below.
Catalog number 90.276 on African Records of France, released 1968.
Filed under: Bolivia
Los H₂O were from Cochabamba, Bolivia. They recorded four singles between 1970 and 1972. Organist Rene Villarroel would go on to form Generacion 2000. But beyond that, there is little information.
But the song, El Cóndor Pasa, is a well known Peruvian folk song composed by Daniel Alomía Robles in 1913 and based on traditional Andean music. It was made popular worldwide when it was covered / adapted by Simon & Garfunkel on their album Bridge over Trouble Water in 1970.
If you have any further information about this artist or anything else about this recording, please leave it in the comment section below.
Catalog number DED – 317 on Industrias Fonoelectricas Lyra of Boliva, released 1972.
Filed under: Laos
♬ Nang Sao Rabiap / ນາງສາວຣະບຽບ • Pheng Tong Kan Faen / ເພງຕ້ອງການແຟນ
♬ Chor Pachiakchay / ຈ. ປະຈັກໃຈ • Pheng Khon Khi Due / ເພງຄົນຂີ້ດື້
This album is another Laotian compilation of singers with the Vang Vieng Paratroopers Band.
Other than the appearance on this compilation, Nang Sao Rabiap / ນາງສາວຣະບຽບ – AKA Miss Rapiab – recorded only two other songs. One was the B side to a K. Viseth / ກ. ວຶເສສ single and the other was on another compilation that was released in Thailand. Beyond that, I have not been able to find anything.
As for Chor Pachiakchay / ຈ. ປະຈັກໃຈ, other than the four songs he has on this compilation, he recorded two songs on the last Lao compilation I posted. But some further digging found more than a dozen of his songs on YouTube.
Many thanks to the ever helpful Peter Doolan of Monrakplengthai for the translations and information.
If you have any further information about this artist or anything else about this recording, please leave it in the comment section below.
Released by ວົງດົນຕຣີຣາບອາກາສວັງວຽງ of Vang Vieng, Laos. No catalog number or release date listed.
Filed under: Syria
Souheil Arafeh / سهيل عرفة was born in Damascus, Syria.
He started out as a singer and then switched to composing. He wrote songs for Najah Salam, Sabah, Shadia, Taroub and many more.
If you have any further information about this artist or anything else about this recording, please leave it in the comment section below.
Catalog number BL 909 on Byblos of Damascus, Syria, released 1977.
Filed under: Kenya
Joseph Kamaru was a music legend in his native Kenya. Born in Kangema of then British Kenya in 1939 he eventually moved to Nairobi in 1957. He started pursuing a musical career in 1965.
A very prolific musician and activist who was friends with President Jomo Kenyatta. His first band was Kamaru Celina Band, which recorded eight singles and one album. In combination with all of his other musical endeavors, he would go on to record another fourteen singles and three albums – almost all of which is available on his bandcamp page. Kamaru Celina Band was also included on the Soundway compilation Kenya Special: Volume Two.
Catalog number Kenya 14 on Kenya United Sounds of Nairobi, Kenya. No release date listed.
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