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Strut presents a definitive collection of recordings from one of Tanzania’s most
revered bands of the early 1970s, Sunburst. Covering their output from 1973 to
1976, this first retrospective features their singles for the Moto Moto and TFC
labels, their sole album, ‘Ave Africa’ and an unreleased radio session recorded in
Tanzania in 1973.
By the time Zairean guitarist Hembi Flory Kongo had formed the band in Dar
Es Salaam in 1970 playing “copyright” cover versions, soul and funk had long
influenced young musicians in Dar and ‘boogies’, weekly soul events, were
commonplace at the city’s clubs. Despite the Tanzanian government banning
soul (both music and dancing) through their conservative Ujamaa policy in 1969,
Sunburst grew as a band and developed their own musical direction which they
later called Kitoto Sound, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of the band members.
Lyrical themes included black pride and colonial oppression – the band even
played a gig for visiting civil rights heroine Angela Davis.
After June 1973, Sunburst gained a national audience through a live session for the
state-owned Radio Tanzania, a crucial means for domestic bands to air their work.
A month later, they won a band competition in Dar Es Salaam and their popularity
in Tanzania grew further. They began recording singles in Kenya, standing apart
from the predominantly rumba, jazz or taarab styles sung in local languages at the
time.
In 1974, Sunburst met Zambian musician Rikki Ililonga from Zamrock group Musi-
O-Tunya and he invited them to Zambia. Meeting their later manager, car company
employee Peter Bagshawe, they embarked on an ill-fated tour with Kenyan funk
band Matata before working on a first full album in 1976 in Lusaka with new band
members. The LP came out at the height of the Zamrock scene led by bands like
Witch and Ngozi Family but Sunburst offered a more intricate sound as musicians
born in six different countries tapped into a multitude of styles, languages and
stories. “Our songs support freedom struggles and encourage peasants and
workers to work harder,” singer James Mpungo recounted. “Our songs also
criticize our people for allowing themselves to be too westernized.” After a
handful of further singles for Tanzanian state label TFC, including the popular
‘Banchikicha’, the band split, frustrated by living on “bare minimum earnings” from
their music.
The result of three years’ painstaking work after tracking down bandleader Hembi
Kongo, bassist Bashir and the band’s ex-manager Peter Bagshawe, this overdue
retrospective is curated by Thomas Gesthuizen (DJ Gioumanne) of Africanhiphop.
com and Dave Tinning of Santuri East Africa. The package features a full band
biography alongside rare photos, press cuttings and memorabilia.
1. Kitoto Sound
2. Ukuti Ukuti
3. Ba Motoka Na Castle
4. Kamungulwe
5. Your Day Will Come
6. Ani Uni
7. Wakulu Wa Kuno
8. We Need Each Other
9. Alhamdullilah
10. Ntambwa
11. How Can I Get To You
12. Ave Africa
13. Simba Anguruma
14. Kipato Sina
15. Vijana
16. Black Is Beautiful
17. Enzi Za Utumwani
18. Instrumental
19. Simba Anguruma
20. Black Is Beautiful
21. Wakulu Wa Kuno
22. Kosa Langu Mpenzi
Tracklist
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4
Track 5
Track 6
Track 7
Track 8
Track 9
Track 10
Track 11
Track 12