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A collection of 27 East African golden oldies from the '70s and '80s compiled by the British DJ and journalist John Armstrong. One well-known word and a phrase in KiSwahili - "safari" and "hakuna matata" - are both useful and euphonious, but they aren't enough for a sophisticated music-lover. "Zilipendwa" denotes an object of admiration, but in a musical context it applies to what might be called "golden oldies". "Serebuka" is a lovely word that translates as "blissful expressive dance". "Musiki wa dansi" (the KiSwahili-English exchange goes both ways) is the general term for "zilipendwa" that inspires "serebuka", and it's what this double-album is all about. KiSwahili is spoken throughout East Africa (a first language for many people, a lingua franca for most) and is sung in various musical styles, but other languages give voice to other styles in this culturally diverse region, and musiki wa dansi encompasses some of them, too. One of the most prominent is benga, which originated in the 1970s among musicians of the Luo ethnic group in western Kenya, drawing on traditional rhythms and melodies but wielding electric guitars and basses. From further west came rumba and soukous, brought by Congolese émigrés to Kenya and Tanzania, where they formed bands that often included musicians from all three countries, sang in Lingala, KiSwahili and local languages, and have been enormously popular and influential since the '60s. The Arabic and Indian complexions of taraab from Zanzibar, Lamu and other islands off the East African coast colored pop music in the mainland cities of Mombassa, Nairobi and Dar es Salaam as well, particularly with the chakacha beat. Armstrong gives lively recollections of a bygone time in a wonderful place grace the album booklet. Two and one half hours of 21 Kenyan, Tanzanian and Congolese bands. Features: L'Orch. Dar International, Afro 70, Kauma Boys Band, Super Mambo Jazz Band "69", Maquis du Zaire, Victoria Jazz Band, Orchestre Conga Internationale, The Golden Kings Band, Sunburst Band, Urafiki Jazz Band, L'Orchestre Grand Piza, Hafusa Abasi & Slim Ali and the Kikulacho Yahoos Band, L'Orch. Moja One, Sega Sega Band, L'Orchestre Super Mambo, Earthquake Jazz Band, Vijana Jazz Band, Orchestre Special Liwanza, Juwata Jazz Band and Orchestre Super Jambo.
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