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Catalogue       Group                                                       A side/B side                                                        Year

Number

EU 7-102      A: Daudi Kabaka & Party                A: Hard Work (Kazi Ngumu)

                   B: Nashil & Peter Tsotse                 B: Bush Baby Twist (Kinda Wamba Twist)

                       with the Rainbow Boys


EU 107         D Kabaka and E Talian                   Bachelor Boy Twist/Safari Tanganyika



EU 7-109      Nashil Pichen & Peter Tsotsi            Tamaa Mbaya/Nakumbuka Adija


EU 127         Daudi Kabaka & Fadhili                   Harambee/Bibi Moupe



EU 7-128      Charles Sonko & His Party              Alima Wangu/Kadogo Wangu


EU 130         Fadhili William                               Malaika/Hakuna Mwingine                         1963

                   & the Black Shadows


EU 131        Fahili William                                 Wee Jane/Tucheze Twist

                  & the Black Shadows



EU 7-133     Frida Sonko with Fadhili & Nashil      Love Me Baby/Step Out, Lady


EU 147        Nashil Pichen & Peter Tsotsi             Sukuti Tribal Twist/My Cheating Wife


EU 149        Peter Nashil and Michael                  Mimi Watchman/Rudi Mamu


EU 7-160    Moses Katazza & Charles Sonko        Pelusi/Omwana Atubuze


EU 7-161     Johnny Storm & Fadhili William        Can't Believe It/Golden Ringlets                1965


EU 186        Peter Tsotsi & Nashil Pichen             My Queen/Pesa Chakula


EU 189        Masagaza, Sonko                            A: Tuzimbe Enjumba

                  and Equator Boys                            B: Lady, Don't Go! (Mukyala Togenda)


EU 193        Frida Sonko with the Equator Boys   Aloja Omukkwano/?                                  1965


EU 195        Daudi Kabaka & George Agade        Western Shilo/Helule Helule                       1966


7 EU 199    Fred Masagazi & the Equator Boys    Ndi Wuwo/Osenidda Okkola


7 EU 241    Fred Masagazi                                 Kola Zizo/Okukula Kwetta

                 with King Jazz d'Equateur


EU 252       Fred Masagazi and the Equator Boys Tekinnuma/Walana Mukulu, Sosi Muto       1966


7 EU 272    Gabriel Omolo                                 Dhako Ok En Mususumba/Nyiego Hatari     1967

                 & Equator Sound Band


EU 277       Orch Melo Success                           Prierre Du Matin/Kulo Osenge


7 EU 290    Peter Tsotsi, Nashil Pitchen               Pole Musa/Mpenzi Ni Merudi

                 & Equator Sound Band


EU 353       Nashil Pichen & Peter Tsotsi              Nafa Na Maraba/Hata Ujirembeshe


7 EU 1001  Fadhili William, Mona Miller               Malaika/Njoo, Honey Njoo

                 & Equator Sound Boys


EU 1002      Benson Simbeye,                            Kivilila/You Went Away                             1966

                  Blue Mtweve &

                  The Equator Sound Boys


7EU 1008    The Flames                                     Hava Nagila/Mod Trad                              1967


BB 7-24       Nashil Pichen & Peter Tsotse            Usiniringie Na Suti/Nairobi Twisti


BB 7-32      Peter Muleli and J.A. Sore                Vijana Wengine/We Sala Wangu


RA 7-3        Peter Tsotse & Nashil Pichen            A: Mulofa Moja (Poor Fellow)

                                                                       B: We Mwatuma (Aah Mwatuma)


RA 7-6        Joseph Gitau & Fadhili William          Nitwa Kugeithia/Haicia Bendera


RA 7-12      The Jordan Boys                              A: Safari ya Chomogondai (North-West Journey)

                                                                       B: Vipusa wa Kisasa (Modern Girls)


RA 13         Fadhili William & the Black Shadows  Think First/Taxi Driver



RA 7-23      George Ramogi and John Tuda         Onguo and Obondi/Ogembo


Equator International


7 EU 321     Equator Sound Band                       Wach Awacha Japuoni/Nyiwa Makawuono   1969


7 EU 345    Kabaselleh & Equator Sound Band    Nyanam/Lek                                             1969


7 EU 372    Robinson Mwangi & Michael Njenga   Wacoka Kenya/Kwanyu Ndigacoka             1970


7 EU 375    Equator Sound Band                        Chike Luo/Okelo Kadala


EU 395       Harun Akwyanga                             Mwana Ariranga/Kanyonyi Kamavaha         1970

JW 721-22


7 EU 423     Thomas Miti & Navongo Success      Ajali Ya Rongai/Yepesa                               1971

JW 777-78

In the late 1950s English expat Charles Worrod bought the assets of East African Records and by 1960 had launched Equator Sound Studio and with it the label. Its roster included many legendary figures of Kenyan music including Fadhili William, Daudi Kabaka, Peter Tsotsi and Nashil Pichen, as well as top Ugandan singer Fred Masagazi.


The label is best known as providing the original version of Malaika by Fadhili William, later an international hit for Miriam Makeba and recorded by countless others, although controversy still surrounds the actual authorship of the song.


Equator also hit big by adapting the Twist craze for the African market and through Kabaka’s song Harambee, which was played every hour after the news on Voice of Kenya radio for years.


The label folded in 1974 when Worrod left the country as a result of laws that barred him from running a business unless he became a Kenyan citizen.

EQUATOR RECORDS