Category: African

Henry Misango was a fingerstyle guitarist who played in the Omutibo style popularized by George Mukabi. After Mukabi’s untimely death in 1963, several Kenyan guitarists continued to play in this style – including Henry Misango, Herbert Misango, William Osale, Humphrey Eshitool, Peter Opwaka and Fanuel Ami- mo.

The title of this song seems to be a first name and last name – I do not know the significance of this name.

Recorded in Nairobi, Kenya circa 1966.
Released as Mwangaza Music Stores GT 22 (mx. MMS 41).

Credits
Henry Misango – guitar, vocals
Unknown artist – percussion, vocals

The flip side can be heard at:
https://youtu.be/S4ycH1cwkLE

More Henry Misango transfers:

“Mali Haina Mwenyewe”
https://youtu.be/3bTpR77moEw

“Wazazi Wanakosa Mvazi”
https://youtu.be/76mmoDTKtbs

John Mwale was a Kenyan guitarist highly influenced by George Mukabi. He was born in 1925 in Western Kenya and was recording for the Nairobi-based Capitol Music Stores (CMS) label in the 1950s. The two business partners who owned CMS had a falling out and one then set up the competing label African Gramophone Store (AGS), which we see here.

AGS was producing 78 rpm records well into the 1960s – and this record is likely from the early 1960s, but unfortunately I have no exact recording date.

This disc was quite beat and has a particularly rough start – the noise floor seems to get progressively worse as the song progresses. Despite that – I hope you enjoy this lovely performance that stands out despite the shortcomings of the medium it is preserved into.

Released as AGS 763
Recorded in Nairobi, Kenya in the 1960s.

Records in the very scarce Columbia AI series were released during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia after the 1935 invasion. They were pressed in Italy and sponsored by Eritrean business man Saleh Ahmed Checchia – whose last name can be seen on the right side of the label.

The song title can be translated as: “Who is the one who heals from love after loving you?” I have no information on the azmaris (troubadours) Negatua & Ferede or the specific instrumentation used as accompaniment. There is just not a lot of available information on this series and very few examples out there.

The seal of the Italian East Africa government can be seen in the runout at the bottom of the record.

This came to me in very bad shape – with many deep scratches and heavy scuffing on both sides. Because of its rarity I decided to make a transfer regardless. Better to preserve and share this, as I’m not likely to run across another copy.

Released as Columbia AI. 554 (matrix AOI.3)
Recorded circa 1939-1940.

William Osale was a fingerstyle guitarist who performed and recorded in Kenya during the 1950s and 60s. Osale was a rural musician who played in the ‘sukuti’ style – a rhythmic style of finger-style playing invented by George Mukabi that results in a light, ‘bouncy’ sound.

In his “A History of Kenyan Guitar Music: 1945-1980”, John Low writes, “Some rural finger-stylists like George Mukabi and William Osale also had success in the towns, providing Swahili versions of songs that they might sing in local languages back home. The appeal of their songs lay in the fact that many town dwellers had (and still have) strong links with the land, and the themes of these songs, often conservative and sometimes nostalgic, reminded them of the old values.”

Released as Jogoo JO 127.

The flip side can be heard at:
https://youtu.be/L6bM18-Zpdo

William Osale was a fingerstyle guitarist who performed and recorded in Kenya during the 1950s and 60s. Osale was a rural musician who played in the ‘sukuti’ style – a rhythmic style of finger-style playing invented by George Mukabi that results in a light, ‘bouncy’ sound.

In his “A History of Kenyan Guitar Music: 1945-1980”, John Low writes, “Some rural finger-stylists like George Mukabi and William Osale also had success in the towns, providing Swahili versions of songs that they might sing in local languages back home. The appeal of their songs lay in the fact that many town dwellers had (and still have) strong links with the land, and the themes of these songs, often conservative and sometimes nostalgic, reminded them of the old values.”

The title of this song, “Kusemakweli” can be translated as “To Tell The Truth”.

Released as Jogoo JO 127.

The flip side can be heard at:
https://youtu.be/lgBifuizk1k