The Bilanga label is sometimes misspelt Bilanca in catalogues and Ebay auctions, so either people don’t realise that the ng consonant combination is common in Kiswahili and Lingala while the nc combination is not or else they didn’t spend enough time staring at 1960s San Francisco Avalon ballroom posters in their youth.

This is a roundabout way of hiding the fact that I know next to nothing about the label, except that it was another outlet for Lingala music in Kenya in the 1970s.

The British Library has Mayaula Mayoni’s Pardon Cherie as BL 12, while Peter Toll has it as BL 16. I’ve gone with Peter’s information until I get a chance to check the library’s copy.

BL 001         Orch Bella Bella                              Pambi Neni Pts 1 & 2

BL 002         Orch Saka Yosa                              Saka Yosa/Landu

BL 004         Ensemble Mabele                           Hello Vivina Pts 1 & 2

BL 006         Orch Empire Bakuba                       Massa Pts 1 & 2

BL 009         Shama Shama de Mopero                Tapale Pts 1 & 2

BL 011         Bopol Mansiamina                          Yenga-Yenga Pts 1 & 2

                   & Le's Yas Toupas

BL 013         Orch Zaiko Langa-Langa                 Fofolo Ya Nzembo Pts 1 & 2

BL 016         Mayaula Mayoni Orch                      Pardon Cherie Pts 1 & 2

                   & Son Ensemble

Catalogue       Group                                                       A side/B side                                                  Year

Number