Saturday, March 13, 2010

Another Souvenir




As a follow-up to the last post, here is another ukumbusho (souvenir) from another great exponent of Muziki wa Dansi, Tanzania's International Orchestra Safari Sound.

IOSS was formed in 1985 when businessman Hugo Kisima dissolved his group the Orchestra Safari Sound, and recruited six members of Mlimani Park Orchestra to form a new orchestra. IOSS & Mlimani were considered the two top rivals for leadership of the Tanzanian music scene for a time but for some reason Kisima dissolved IOSS in the early '90s. Confusingly, at one point Ndala Kasheba briefly revived the "old" Orchestra Safari Sound, and there may have been two factions of the International Orchestra Safari Sound, the IOSS (Ndekule) and IOSS (Duku Duku).

Shukrani kwa Mjomba (Ahadi/Flatim MSCAS 513) is credited to the International Orchestra Safari Sound (Ndekule), and as usual with Ahadi/Flatim releases provides no recording information other than a track-listing. As "Chatu Mkali" on the cassette inexplicably cuts off in the middle of the song, I've used the version from the CD Musiki wa Dansi: Afropop Hits from Tanzania (Africassette AC 9403, 1995), which is still in print and available here. Enjoy!

International Orchestra Safari Sound - Shukrani Kwa Mjomba


International Orchestra Safari Sound - Shida

International Orchestra Safari Sound - Pendo

International Orchestra Safari Sound - Majuto


International Orchestra Safari Sound - Kaka Kinyongoli

International Orchestra Safari Sound - Chatu Mkali


Download Shukrani Kwa Mjomba as a zipped file here. More IOSS here. The batik at the top of this post is taken from this website.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

John,
You are just amazing.
Honestly, you are amazing.
If only you knew how much hungry Tanzanians in the diaspora have been dying to listen to the old golden songs, you would just not believe.
You simply are amazing, I can't get enough words to THANK YOU John.
mwaaaah!
thx man!

joe said...

Thanks, John. Wonderful music from an outstanding band, like the previous post. Just a shame that the audio quality isn't what we all we wish it could be...

Kisondella said...

Hi! John

Thanks for your valuable posting; I am one among those Tanzania Old Music hunger man. I am good follower of the Tanzanian Music " Dance type". So would like to write just some few sentences about Orchestra Safari Sound (OSS), during its life being owng ed by Hugo Kisima; an business man who in 1985 was being looked by DDC Mlimani park fans with bitter eyes following defractial a total of 13 musiacian in two phases from their band (started by snatching 7, in short moment followed by 5)

Back to history of this band which shaked atmospheric music in 1978 to 1985. Between 1978 - 1980 the band was lead by Kikumbi Mwanza Mpango "King Kiki", flourishing with hot hits like Mwaka wa watoto, Haruna, and others (for him he used masantula ngoma ya Mpwita sytle). There follewed by Maestro Ndala Kasheba, only man who could play 12 string solo gitar like drinking water (he took the band all through to 1992, using duku duku style before could introduce chunusi before he quited the band. Kasheba brought revolution in the band, with hot hits like Marashi ya pemba, Uzuri wa Tausi just to mention few. in 1985 Orchestra Safari Sound changed its composition by introduing more Tanzania musiacian different to ealier time when most musician in the band where Zairen originality. Muhidini leading a group of other 6 musiacian defracted from DDC Mlimani Park and introduce Ndekule style, which took over the band to 1990's before Shabaan Dede took leadership of the band and could not stay longer with the band as would not want to be witness of its death. Orchestra Safari Sound surfaced well in late 79 and 80, forming one of the big band to mention by then along side with Juwata Jazz Band, DDC Mlimani Park, Orchestra Maquiz, Vijana Jazz, Bima Lee

Anonymous said...

Thanks John for lighting up our days with this music... It it sooo much apprecitated!!
It takes me back home even while in Chicago..